Impending Doom- Meaning, Feeling, and Symptoms
Sometimes, we all have a sudden feeling that makes our hearts sink with unknown fear. The feeling that means something bad is about to happen, and you feel anxious and stressed with that pain in the pit of your stomach. If that happened to you, you are not alone. This feeling is called an impending feeling. It is a way for our body-mind to tell us to be aware that something will happen.
If you are trying to understand the meaning of impending doom or the feelings we are discussing, keep reading!
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What is Impending Doom Meaning?
In general, impending doom is intense fear and physical signs of stress. Everyone has a different way to feel it. It is like an inner feeling that something bad is about to happen. Imagine you are enjoying a family dinner. Everything’s good, but then suddenly, your heart rate starts to race and skips a beat, and you feel chest pain, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. You may feel symptoms of a heart attack, but it’s only a panic attack. You are coupled with an extremely unknown fear, and your face says it all. That right there is what impending doom’s meaning or feeling is. But, without any life-threatening situation in real life,
Physiological Explanations
You are out of luck if you are looking for impending doom meaning from a dictionary. Research in this area is very rare. If we were to explain it in terms of our physiology, it would mean something like,
Impending doom is when our body and mind react to stress, Which has many physical and psychological symptoms. The sudden onset of extreme fear or feelings of anxiety is a way of our body telling us something is not right; it could be our gut feeling like anxiety or a physical threat like an upcoming seizure.
Attack.
Biologically, we are wired for homeostasis, which creates a balance in the system. When that balance is deviated, it trips a wire in our brain. This leads to the flight-and-fight response, the adrenaline rush, and finally, side effects like palpitations, shallow breathing, tremors, etc.
According to research from 2019, people with preexisting mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder are always on the edge; a small trip in the brain is measured as something big, which ignites the feeling of doom in us. As for now, we don’t know what it does on the biological level. But this is precisely impending doom, meaning, and it’s real.
What Causes a Sense of Impending Doom?
We just discovered impending doom; let’s move to what causes this feeling. Impending doom is a symptom of an underlying medical condition. To work out where it’s coming from, visit mental health providers who can guide you further. They will examine your medical history and the seriousness of the symptoms and rule out different diagnoses.
People with an overstimulated nervous system often cause the adrenal glands to produce too many hormones, causing the fright and flight response.
Some people believe that individuals suffering from mental health disorders feel this way because they are shifting to the next episode of their condition. However, no research has been conducted to determine whether this is true.
There is no apparent cause for unexpected panic attacks or feelings of fear, but we have listed some medical events that can be the reason.
What Disorders Cause a Sense of Impending Doom?
The following mental health conditions aggravate impending doom;
- PTSD and
Physical Causes
Research suggests that some physical conditions are also linked with impending doom feeling
- adverse reaction to a medication
- blood transfusion
- cardiac issues, like a heart attack
- COVID-19
- blood clot
- poisonings, like chemicals or a jellyfish sting
- seizures
- seasickness
- tumor
- severe allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock
- waking up during anesthesia
If you suddenly feel impending doom without any warning, call 911 or seek medical advice. It may be a sign of a medical emergency.
Note- you can’t treat impending doom. Find treatment options for the medical conditions.
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Treatment for the Underlying Mental Health Conditions
- Depression: Zoloft, Lexapro, other SSRIs or SNRIs,
- Bipolar Disorder: CBT, DBT
- GAD: Wellbutrin, Clonidine, Gabapentin
- OCD: SSRIs
Impending Doom Meaning & Symptoms
By impending doom meaning, we mean an unknown sense of fear. It is a feeling of overwhelming sense, a perceived threat when, in reality, it is not there. With an intense fear, you will experience the following symptoms;
- Upset stomach
- Changes in breathing pattern
- Depersonalization
- Shakiness
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Hot flashes
Most often, the impending doom meaning is used as a figure of speech, but it is linked to stress and other mental health conditions, too. You may feel a sense of impending doom before;
- Undergoing a medical surgery
- Before a big exam
- Passing through a hard time
All these examples are scenarios of difficult times that ignite panic attacks; although not considered dangerous, for people with mental health disorders, it is.
When to Consult a Doctor for Help
If you ever feel dread and fear, know that this is what impending doom means. As scary as it sounds, you can manage it at home with relaxation tips like deep breathing and meditation.
But, if it is an ongoing preexisting mental health condition that is making you feel this way, it is time to consult a healthcare provider for help. Depending on your symptoms and diagnosis, they will design a treatment plan for you. Maybe recommend cognitive behavioral therapy. However, if there’s no mental health disorder and you have this extreme sense of fear along with physical symptoms, call 911 or visit a medical emergency.
Try to improve your quality of life. Incorporate exercise into daily life and seek immediate help in case of traumatic events. Next time you feel this way, seek help.
The Bottom Line
We just saw what impending doom means, how it feels, and what symptoms to look out for. You may experience a feeling or dread from a trigger or otherwise, accompanied by physical symptoms. If the feeling of impending doom is frequent and without a cause, it is time to seek help.
Medical Disclaimer:
At TherapyFleet, we strive to enhance the quality of life for those dealing with mental health issues. Our licensed medical professionals meticulously research, edit, and review all content before publication. Nonetheless, this information should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For medical guidance, please consult your physician or reach out to TherapyFleet’s qualified staff.
Even in the darkest storms, hope is the anchor that keeps us steady. Hold on, brighter days are ahead.
FAQs
1. Is a sense of impending doom a sign of a medical emergency?
Only sometimes. Feeling weird sometimes is normal, especially when in a difficult situation. But feeling impending doom without a cause needs to be treated as a sign of a medical emergency.
2. What does impending doom mean?
A sense that something bad is about to happen. It could also be a sign of medical conditions.
3. What causes a feeling of impending doom?
Most often, it is a result of pre-existing mental health conditions. Like, people with bipolar disorder or depression may have a sudden onset of impending doom without an explanation. But, for people without any apparent reason and mental health condition, it is a serious condition and needs medical attention.
