The Feeling of Impending Doom Anxiety: What Causes Them?

We use the term “sense of impending doom” to describe the unshakeable conviction that something terrible is about to happen. This intense feeling of impending doom anxiety may strike abruptly at any time and place. Even if a person precedes a life-threatening medical incident, such as a heart attack, it may also trigger impending doom anxieties. It might be an indicator of a mental health issue, such as anxiety or depression.

Do you always get the nagging feeling that something terrible is about to happen? Have you ever worried that you may not see your children again after dropping them off at school? Do you fear that a home fire, dog attack, or terrible vehicle accident—you watch on the news—will happen to you or someone you care about?

You are not alone or weird if you have ever had a sense of impending doom; most of us will feel this way at some point in our lives. However, if impending doom anxieties have become habitual for you— if you have experienced impending doom in a pattern— and if these feelings occur often, you may be dealing with a mental health condition.

Feelings of impending doom need to be addressed if they are lowering one’s quality of life. Read on to learn about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for an impending feeling of doom and the possible medical conditions your doctor may suspect it may signal.

Causes of Impending Doom Anxiety

Medical symptoms like— an impending feeling of doom— might have both psychological and physiological causes. This sensation might be the beginning of an anxiety attack, depending on how severe it is. Sometimes people experience extreme, uncontrolled anxiety or a feeling of impending doom just before significant medical events.

Physiological Cause

One of the first warning signs might be a feeling of impending doom. That’s why medical professionals take the sign so seriously. When a patient says they “feel like something terrible is going to happen to them.” Commonly, for example, chest pain might be a sign of a heart attack. But before these pains manifest, some people will experience a sinking feeling that something lousy is about to happen.

The previous research indicates that there are physiological issues that might lead to feelings of impending doom. According to this study, hormonal and chemical releases have been linked to impending doom anxieties. Certain life-threatening medical disorders, such as those listed below, may cause a sense of impending doom:

• Poisonings, like chemicals or a jellyfish sting
• Tumor
• Blood clot
• Heart attack
• Blood transfusion
• Seasickness
• Adverse reaction to a medication
• Waking up during anesthesia
• Severe allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock
• Seizure

Psychological Cause

As a result of a medical incident, many individuals get a sense of impending doom. Some people who have suffered brain trauma may fear their condition may worsen if they wait too long to seek medical attention. This is a natural response to the traumatic event, not a signal to a more dire situation. The below-mentioned mental health conditions may experience this feeling:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Panic attack
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Other Symptoms of Impending Doom

Here are more noticeable symptoms that are often present with a feeling of impending doom:

• Sweating
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Heart palpitations
• Hyperventilation
• Temperature changes
• Feeling restless, nervous, or tense
• Shakiness
• Having a sense of impending danger or panic
• Nausea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Feeling disconnected from reality (depersonalization)
• Difficulty controlling worry
• Shortness of breath
• Lack of Concentration
• Feeling tired and weak

Treatment of Anxieties

You don’t treat the impending doom anxieties. You treat the issue that is most likely causing it. That treatment for anxiety is actually a trio of anxiety treatment options: therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes.

Instead of only treating the symptom, doctors will seek out the root of the problem. Psychotherapy or medication may be recommended if you have an anxiety condition, panic disorder, or major depressive illness as the underlying cause. When additional symptoms— chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and cold sweat— indicate a medical reason, such as a heart attack, it’s time to make some modifications to your lifestyle habits.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a treatment that helps you combat feelings of doom and regain a sense of control over your life by teaching them how to recognize and challenge negative, irrational beliefs and alter your behavior in response to them. On the other hand, medication might consist of an antidepressant-like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, which works by restoring normal levels of the neurotransmitter chemical in the brain. The regulation of neurotransmitters may lessen the frequency or severity of panic episodes.

If the feeling is a warning of medical occurrence, it will go away after the event is finished. Changes to one’s lifestyle and therapeutic interventions may effectively eradicate sensations if they result from a chronic medical condition, such as a brain injury.

Is Impending Doom and Night-Time Panic Attack Correlated?

Sometimes panic attacks in the middle of the night can strike without warning and force you out of bed. As with a daytime panic attack, you may encounter a sense of impending doom. The alarming signs and symptoms can mimic a heart attack or another serious medical condition. Panic attacks are uncomfortable, but they pose no real threat to the sufferer’s health.

A nighttime panic attack may last a few minutes, but it might take some time to get over the anxiety and go back to sleep. It’s common for people who have panic attacks at night to also suffer from these episodes throughout the day. The causes of panic attacks are a mystery: genetics, stress, and other alterations to how particular brain regions function might all have a role. An underlying illness, such as a sleep disorder or thyroid issue, may manifest as panic attacks.

Consult a medical professional about your current condition. Treating panic disorder— with medication or therapy, or a combination of the two— may help lessen the frequency and severity of episodes.

Remedies To Relieve Anxiety Naturally

It is possible to learn to control our feelings and have a less anxious, more realistic outlook on life by making some adjustments to our habits and routines. Here are some natural, mindful ways to relieve anxiety.

Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Research shows— a whole night’s sleep, ideally between 7 and 9 hours, may help us feel more confident and less anxious the next day. In addition to improving our quality of life, regular exercise throughout the day may also improve our ability to drift off to heaven at night. And if reading before bed is your habit, as a way to relax, avoid this mistake.

Go For A Walk And Exercise

When it comes to relieving both short-term and long-term anxiety, exercise is a great solution—regular exercise releases endorphins and other feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain, strengthening the individual’s emotional resilience. Anxiety may be significantly reduced by exercising for as little as 30 min three to five times a week, as shown by research. However, walking might help you forget your problems and similarly soothe your body’s muscular tension.

Plate With Full of Anti-Anxiety Foods

The “gut-brain connection” is becoming the focus of science increasingly. Since 95% of serotonin receptors are located in the gut lining, researchers have called the “second brain” the belly. It’s why we get butterflies in our stomachs when we’re anxious. Some vitamin and mineral-rich meals have been shown to help lower anxiety; therefore, while looking for natural remedies for anxiety, we should consider consuming a lot of the following:

• Turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan.
• Leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are rich in magnesium.
• Berries, apples, prunes, cherries, plums, broccoli, beets, and spices like ginger and turmeric are all high in antioxidants.
• Wild Alaskan salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Oysters, liver, and egg yolks contain the mineral zinc.

Get Distracted

You may try running your fingers along the edge of your phone, putting your hands under cool running water, coloring, or drawing on a piece of paper— take your mind off of whatever is bothering you. Diversions are effective because the mind can only focus on one thing at a time; thus, any activity that requires you to change your focus will serve as a welcome distraction from your racing thoughts.

Warm Up In A Steam Room or Hot Bath

When basking in the sun on a sandy beach, most of us associate sensations of warmth with a sense of peace and contentment. Taking a hot shower, a steam bath, or a sauna has been shown to relieve muscle stress and tension. Warmth perception has been linked to changes in the serotonin-related brain circuits involved in mood regulation. Also, sipping some hot tea or chocolate while snuggling up next to a fire.

Spend Time In Nature

Everyone knows that being outside has a calming effect and reduces stress, but now there’s scientific evidence to back up those feelings. Time spent in nature has been shown to reduce stress-related physiological responses, including heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol production. A study of over 10,000 responses to a survey revealed that individuals who lived in close proximity to parks and other green spaces had reduced psychological distress.

Wrapping Up

Not only a metaphor, but a feeling of impending doom is also a genuine medical condition. Feelings of fear might be precipitated by one single event or occur for no apparent reason at all. Some people have physical manifestations of their anxiety, including a quickened heart rate, shallow breathing, or upset stomach.

Your nighttime worry might be the result of a variety of factors. Daily stresses, poor sleep hygiene, and other health issues may worsen nighttime anxiety and panic attacks. Fortunately, there are various therapies that reduce your stress and help you get a better night’s rest. Due to the wide variety of possible causes, it is best to seek the assistance of a medical specialist to eliminate potentially life-threatening conditions and come to an accurate diagnosis.