When you think of an anxiety attack, the first few things that may come to your mind may be quick breathing, sweating, and shaking. However, sometimes anxiety attacks are not obvious to other people around you. This is known as a “silent anxiety attack.”
Here, we’ll cover signs that you’re having a silent anxiety attack and what you can do if you are experiencing one.
What Is A Silent Anxiety Attack?
A silent anxiety attack refers to an anxiety attack without the external symptoms, that other people around you don’t see. However, you still have internal symptoms, and it is still regarded as an anxiety attack.
The 12 Signs of A Silent Anxiety Attack
While the symptoms of a silent anxiety attack can be subtle, here are some signs you can look out for:
A calm or put-together appearance externally- A sense of dread or fear
- Racing thoughts
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling detached or disconnected from reality
- Mental confusion
- Fear of losing control
- Fast heart rate
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Tightness in the chest
- Difficulty breathing
If you are experiencing some of these symptoms and you find that these symptoms come and then pass over time, you may be experiencing a silent anxiety attack.
What to Do During A Silent Anxiety Attack
If you find yourself in the middle of a silent anxiety attack, you can try the 3-3-3 rule. This is one of the many grounding techniques that can help you focus on the present moment.
To use this technique, you need to find:
- Three things you can see
- Three things you can hear
- Three things you can touch or move
You can either note these things quietly in your mind or say them out loud if you are in a quiet space or feel more comfortable doing so.
The 3-3-3 method can help in the case of a silent anxiety attack, as it can help to ground you in the present moment rather than being fixated on your thoughts. It can also help to shift you from the fight-or-flight response to the rest-or-digest nervous system response. This can then help to calm you.
Other things you can do include:
- Mindful breathing: This means to gently focus your attention on your breathing.
- Breathing exercises, such as box breathing.
- Gently splash cold water on your face or touch something cold.
- Move to a quieter environment.
What to Do After A Silent Anxiety Attack
Once your symptoms of a silent anxiety attack have passed, you may continue the practices that helped you cope. You may also find it more calming for your nervous system to stay in a quieter environment.
It is important to be gentle with yourself. If it happens in the middle of a busy day, rather than going back to the busy day, you may find it kinder to yourself to slow down for the rest of the day. This can give your body a chance to rest and process the anxiety.
If you find that you are experiencing multiple silent anxiety attacks and that they are interfering with your quality of life, get support from your healthcare provider.
What Is the Difference Between an Anxiety Attack and A Panic Attack?
While these two may sound similar, there is a difference between them. A panic attack occurs suddenly and peaks within minutes. It generally manifests more physically with symptoms such as quick breathing, shaking, and sweating. A silent panic attack can sometimes occur, where symptoms are more internal. These symptoms are slightly different from a silent anxiety attack and include:
Rapid heartrate- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Sense of dread or fear
- Tingling or numbness in the feet or hands
An anxiety attack builds up more slowly, the symptoms can be more intense, and are either physical or, in the case of a silent anxiety attack, more internal. These symptoms generally last longer than a panic attack.
In the case of an anxiety attack, there are generally triggers, whereas in the case of a panic attack, there may be no apparent triggers.
What Can Trigger A Silent Anxiety Attack?
There can be many different causes of a silent anxiety attack. Anxiety disorders that can increase the chances of a silent anxiety attack are high-functioning anxiety and social anxiety disorder. Additionally, genetic factors such as a family history of anxiety and changes in brain hormones can increase the chances of a silent anxiety attack.
Other triggers for silent anxiety attacks include:
- Environmental influences:
- Traumatic events
- Overwhelming situations
- Stress
- Hormonal shifts
- Lack of sleep
- Poor nutrition
Stress is one trigger that not only triggers a silent anxiety attack but can also cause other triggers to manifest.
Stress and Anxiety
Your body is designed to handle short-term stress through the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System. The NEM system consists of six different circuits of related organ systems.
In short-term stress, your adrenal glands, part of the NEM system, are stimulated to produce stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones help your body cope with the stress and should reduce as the stress clears.
However, if your stress becomes long-term, this can cause your adrenal glands to continually produce cortisol. Over time, this will deplete the resources your body needs to produce stress hormones and cause imbalances within your NEM system, resulting in Adrenal Fatigue. This is a condition where the body is unable to keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various symptoms depending on where the imbalance in the NEM system is.
One of the circuits that can become imbalanced in the NEM system is the Neuroaffect circuit. This circuit is responsible for your mental and emotional well-being and consists of the brain, autonomic nervous system, and gut microbiome.
Imbalances within this circuit can cause:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Challenges with falling and staying asleep
- Stress intolerance – things that may not have stressed you in the past now cause stress
These symptoms are all potential triggers for a silent anxiety attack. If you find that you are experiencing more than one silent anxiety attack, it is important to consider all the potential causes for it, including Adrenal Fatigue.
What Can You Do to Prevent A Silent Anxiety Attack?
Some simple practices that may help are:
- Adequate nutrition, including:
- Reducing caffeine and total sugar intake
- Ensuring that you are eating three meals a day
- Choosing unrefined carbohydrates over refined carbohydrates
- Having fruits and vegetables daily
Supplementation- Practicing grounding techniques
- Practicing mindfulness
- Meditation
- Journalling
- Talking with either a professional or a friend about your stress
- Getting six to eight hours of rest per night
These practices may not only help with your anxiety but may also address the root cause of your anxiety.
If you are struggling to fall asleep, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and journaling may help. Practicing good hygiene is also important to help create healthy sleeping habits.
Supplementation can also help reduce anxiety. GABAX by Dr. Lam is one supplement that can help promote a sense of calm and reduce anxiety. This supplement contains the non-essential amino acid GABA, as well as vitamin B6. The recommended dose of GABAX is one capsule twice to three times a day with either water or juice on an empty stomach.
GABA is an amino acid that acts as a brain hormone and is known for its inhibitory effects. This means it reduces the excitability of brain hormones and decreases the release of other brain hormones [1]. This can help reduce stress, anxiety, and fear. A 2025 study found that in mice, after two weeks of GABA supplementation, not only did anxiety reduce, but levels of GABA also increased [2]. While this is promising, more research is needed.
Vitamin B6 helps to modulate the production of GABA. One study found that vitamin B6 supplementation not only improved anxiety but also improved GABA levels [3].
While supplementation can help, it’s important to try other practices in combination with supplementation, as the other causes may be behind the root cause of your anxiety.
Takeaway
While it may seem like you are alone when experiencing a silent anxiety attack, these attacks are not uncommon, with many individuals experiencing them. During a silent anxiety attack, grounding techniques can help you through the experience. To prevent future silent attacks, there is a range of mindfulness and lifestyle practices that may help address the root cause of your anxiety.
If you are struggling to manage your anxiety, getting extra support can help, especially support that looks at multiple different aspects of your life. At Lam Clinic, we believe in Rooted Care that transforms lives and empowers futures. If you would like more information about how we care, you can give us a call or make an appointment here.
