Often, medications have side effects which include shakiness. But mostly, if we have anxiety, shakiness at one time or another, sort of comes with the territory. Either our hands can shake, our voices, or both, or our whole bodies can tremble if we’re very afraid.

It’s actually extremely common, and the only way to stop it is to deal with the anxiety beforehand. If you’re already anxious and trying to prevent shaking hands, it’s too late; kinda like closing the barn door after the cows get out.

There are different types of shaking. There may be more, but these are the ones I know:

• Short term anxiety  Everyone–even people who don’t have anxiety—sometimes shake when they’re in a situation that makes them feel nervous. A first date, called to see the boss, bad thunderstorms, tests. It’s really very normal.
• Generalized anxiety disorder  Those of us with GAD are in, like, super-charged “worry” mode all day, every day. Our fight or flight system is firing all day long at low levels.  This may cause shaking to happen for what might seem to be no reason at all.
• Panic attacks  Before, during, or after panic attacks, shaking can be very normal. This type of shaking is absolutely caused by the intense fear that panic attacks cause.
• Unexplained shaking incident (USI)  Those of us with day to day anxiety may simply feel shaky or develop a tremor in our hands. Long term stress can have unusual effects on our bodies, and so it should be no surprise that we experience tremor during unusual situations.

In the times that I’ve been anxious and felt my hands begin to tremble, nothing has calmed them sooner than cuddling with my Lucy dog or holding a baby. What is it about that?

Well, I did not mean to get so long-winded! Shush me much more quickly next time! 😛

I will see you tomorrow. Be good to yourselves. 🙂

Ciao, Bella.