Do you have any advice of something like this happening to me in a pervasive way throughout the whole summer? In other words, yes, I feel the same way (like I’m going to die) when I’m really exposed to heat, but I feel irritated and depressed the entire summer. It’s a pattern I’ve noticed the last several years, and I’m ready to face it and not let it happen this summer!!!!!!!!!! What can I do?

Hi Natalie, Let me recommend the following.

1. Although difficult sometimes, try to not go out during the mid-day (11am-1pm).

2. Always take water with you.

3. Wear a hat of some kind.

4. Wear light colored, light weight clothes.

5. Protect your eyes with sunglasses. Throw in some sun block to prevent skin burn.

6. Try not to do strenuous activity when it’s above 80 degrees.

These things are all important because you have to feel comfortable to be comfortable.

Secondly, you’re right about “being ready”. Getting your thought process prepared for the irritation and discomfort of heat is important. If you prepare for it mentally it won’t seem like such a struggle when it happens.

And most important, as long as you’re hydrated and not exerting yourself in the heat understand and accept that you will be o.k.

It is hard, trust me I know, but take it one day at a time. Not in seasonal chunks.

Have a great summer!

Funny enough, I think I actually feel worse in the winter. Think the miserable weather has something to do with that though. Having said that, I think when lots of people are about on a really hot day it can trigger those feelings – particualry about health.

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ANXIETY IN THE HEAT.ITS BEEN ABOUT 7 YEARS NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS AND IM TIRED OF IT.I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND ITS ALMOST PUSHING BACK INTO DRINKING THAT I HAVE NOT DONE FOR 22 MONTHS AND I FEEL LIKE LOCKING MYSELF IN THE HOUSE ALL SUMMER LONG ANY FEED BACK WOULD BE GREAT

Hey Shawn, first and foremost don’t lose hope. Luckily even though anxiety sufferers think their dying in the heat, truth is that 99.9 % of the time we are not.

Second, please don’t rely on any substance, especially alcohol to help calm you.

Legal meds are cool if you’ve talked to a doctor, but ultimately we have to accept that anxiety lies a lot and makes us believe things about our health that are just false.

Being anxious in the heat can be a miserable experience, but don’t let that fool you.

Take a look at the list I outlined above and remember to not project your anxiety onto external things, like the heat. We have to find comfort within ourselves and not let anxiety impress us so much.

Paul, thank you so much for the good advice, especially the part about not taking on a whole season at once, but day by day is better. I have also been carrying ice packs with me (like the kind you buy at the drug store for icing injuries). I take it with me to the car if I know it’s going to be hot, or any time when I’m hot. The cold feeling is almost like a positive shock for my brain & breaks up the anxious feelings a little bit, too.

Shawn, good luck. Have you tried herbal supplements for anxiety? GABA is pretty good & 5HTP. Also inositol and NAC help me. (NAC is for OCD & also other stuff, but it helps me.)

NO I NEVER HAVE TRIED SUPPLEMENTS BUT MY DOCTOR DOES HAVE ME ON MEDS TO HELP MY ANXIETY WHICH DOES HELP BUT WE JUST CANT FIGURE OUT WHY I CANT DEAL WITH THE HEAT

I guess the heat does funny things to us. It can make us feel extra tired and dizzy and stuff. This can often make me think that there is something else wrong with me…usually in my heart. That’s my major preoccupation anyway. The suppliments is a good idea though. Have tried a few that really work. That rescue remedy is good. As are kalms. Madnesium citrate is okay but you have to be careful not to take too much!

I love you!!! I did a search to see if anyone else got worse anxiety in hot weather and came across this site. I honestly thought I was going crazier. Its a nightmare. Dealing with anxiety in normal weather is bad enough without the constant feeling of being on the verge of an attack in the summer months. I have tried to keep as cool as possible today and I have felt alittle better. Thank you for posting this.

I was just doing some research online about the heat and anxiety. I have the same problem. When it gets 90 degrees and hotter I don’t go outside, I stay home because they heat really makes my anxiety worse. I thought I was alone on this. I have had anxiety disorder for 6 years now and it is very difficult to deal with especially in the summer. I don’t have ac in my car, one day I had to go get some groceries and it was pushing 100 degrees. The store is only about a 5 minute drive but it felt like a couple of hours. I felt so much better when I got inside the store but I had red hot splotches on my skin and was really shaky. After awhile I calmed down but started feeling anxious again at the thought of having to get back in the heat. On the ride home I grabbed a box of frozen strudels from the back seat and put them up to my face. It calmed me down long enough to make it home. Afterward I had a slight headache and just drained of energy. Now I only run errands early in the morning or after the sun goes down.

Good to see that I’m not alone. As a 55 year old male I feel disabled. I get anxiety and fatigue when exposed to stress, i.e. heat, hunger, exertion, ect.
I don’t think that it’s just low blood sugar.
Paul gives good advice, but what is the cause? I’m researching “adrenal fatigue”. There are 600 hormones in the body and 50 of them come from the adrenals. The adrenals regulate hydration. Also, with a cool 15 min. shower you absorb 8 oz. of water. This is probably more effective than drinking water, although, you need to drink water and electrolytes also. Avoid a cold shower, as this will put you in shock, but as Natalie says a cold pack is effective.

Wow,knowledge is power and you have all impowered me to understand 10 years of mystery diagnosis! No doctor has been able to diagnose me but all the above has given me hope that I am not going crazy. This condition exists and the triggers from heat, alcohol and bloodsugar all play a part. Thank you all for posting you comments. BTW I found a supplement called Holy Basil as a wonderful anxiety reief and helpful to my sleep too!

Hi, this comment is more directed to shawn. I have the exact same problem with the heat. to the point where i collapsed at work and dr’s and emergency dr’s kept telling me it was just anxiety and it will pass, stay hydrated.

4 years later, there is a cause, the year before i started collapsing in the heat. (anything about 17 celsuis) my liver was totally overloaded. The dr put me on meds for the anxiety and that made things even worse. at first it did seem like they were taking care of the anxiety. Turns out anxiety is a symptom that something is very wrong with your digestive and abdomen area.
Please see your dr about blood sugar levels. see what happens within 6 hours of eating things what would raise blood sugar. In the eat blood sugar drops faster. Which is why people with diabetic problems have to be really careful with exercise and heat. I have reactive hypoglycemia which is pretty much pre diabetic. Seriously consider a naturopath if the dr says he can’t find anything. Just a side note, everyone always told me to stay hydrated.. so i drank lots of gator ade. turns out if you have a diabetic type cause or blood sugar related this will temporary fix you but in the end do more damage to your body.
best of health.

I have tried meds and they do not work. I just don’t leave the house during spring and summer. My ideal day is dark, cold (between 32-60 degrees) and plenty of rain or snow. I still cannot handle crowded places, but at least I leave the house. It is so difficult to find people who enjoy that kind of weather. Everyone seems obsessed with spring and summer.

Paul, I just wanted to tell you that last summer was so much better due to your suggestions. I stayed out of the heat as much as possible, and when I went in the heat I took PLENTY OF WATER and even sometimes an ice pack or two!!

But I wanted to share that I found out I have severe adrenal fatigue. In the books I have read, one of the symptoms was sensitivity to heat! So just a heads up if anyone is thinking about looking into getting tested for adrenal fatigue that has noticed this in themselves. And as I’m healing, I notice that my anxiety is directly related to how bad or good my adrenals are doing.

I have been suffering from Anxiety/Panic attacks for quite some time now. Where I live the weather is verry hot during the summer months and very wet in winter (although we never get snow!).
What I have noticed during these years is that what affects me most are the change of seasons.I do not think I am affected much by the heat but I am very much affected by long periods of rain and bad weather.But when the seasons starts to change…..watch out!

i also notice that comfort is important. when i am out with clients and the heat starts to rise, every little thing begins to annoy me. if my shoes are uncomfortable, my necklace too heavy, someones perfume. just something to be aware of. also watch your food intake. sometimes not eating properly can also drag you down and make things worse.

I’ve had 3 full blown panic attacks in my life and all 3 (including this year) was all in the summer,so my question is could this be a seasonal issue/heat or a coincidence (it happens like every 9 years) i know it sounds strange. they seem to end near fall or in the fall

(cont)….I do have anxiety issues,but like i said the panic attacks seem to happen every 9 years with 2 of the 3 happening at night