A very common symptom with anxiety is trembling/shaking. I remember at times my hands would shake so hard I have to hide them inside my pockets. Shaking and trembling can be experienced at its worst during a panic attack. I couldn’t finish my meal because my hands were shaking so hard, I wasn’t able to control my fork. It was the embarrassment about my trembling hands that bother me more than the trembling itself.
Not only trembling causes inconvenience and discomfort, but it drives anxiety sufferers into thinking they have much more serious condition. I used to believe that I had MS, epilepsy or some kind of muscles degenerative diseases. I was dead on focusing on every muscle in my body to see if they’re shaking or trembling. And I would go into panic mode every time there was a new twitch or spasm anywhere on my body.
Even when I was laying down on my bed at night, I could feel my body trembling and shaking from the inside. It’s very hard to describe this kind of sensation to your doctors without them looking at you like you’re some kind of aliens. But seriously, I name it “internal shaking” and only anxiety and panic attacks sufferers could understand what I’m saying, not even doctors.
Stress hormone (adrenaline) can cause muscle shaking and trembling. The most effective way for me is to engage with physical activities that help burning off adrenaline. This usually gives me an immediate result. But the result would be short-lived. Once anxiety return and more adrenaline gets released into our blood stream, the shaking and trembling come back.
So instead of trying to fight your muscles, work on your anxiety. Once you can lower the level of stress hormone and desensitize your nerves, your muscles will return to a calm state and the trembling will stop.