Does anybody else experience the same physical feelings as me caused by anxiety!?!?

Mental health
1

Hello everybody,

I am new to this forum stuff so bear with me, I just thought it would be good to join and speak to people who are going through the same stuff as me, as although I know lots of people suffer with anxiety in the uk, nobody talks about it and I am starting to feel like a freak with some sort of mental health problem!!

I'm hoping by talking with you guys I will feel normal again and reassured that my symptoms are in act from anxiety and are not something more sinister!

I just wondered if anybody else feels physical symptoms as a result of their anxiety..

I am a normal, confident 23 year girl who doesn't suffer with social anxiety (although I'm afraid it's heading that way!) with a good job, and a supportive boyfriend and lots of prospective so I really feel as though I'm almost being ungrateful of my life by being anxious and ruining it all the time!

I started off experiencing dizziness and blurred vision

This seemed to set my health related anxiety off!

It's now expanded to heart palpiltations, chest pains, shortness of breath, tinnitus, dizziness, double vision, a feeling as though somebody is putting pressure on my throat, waking up in the night panicking that my legs and arms have gone numb, loss of dexerity in my fingers, my arms heavy and numb during the daytime too recently!

I eat extremely well, I don't exercise enough but I don't drink or smoke, so I should be healthy!!

If I hear a symptom a few days later I get it! Very frustrating as I am not a stupid person but I seem to be acting stupid, it's very hard for people to understand too because I have a physical illness that is anxiety.. Wierd.

Please please please could anybody tell me if they experience these symptoms or anything similar, I am 90% sure it is just my anxiety but I don't want to miss anything nasty!

Thank you and I'm sorry I have rambled!

Have a lovely healthy day everybody

2

I experience everything you have listed and I'm a 21 year old female. I also have social anxiety though which it's good you don't have that. I think it came from my health anxiety and the fear that something would happen to me when I'm outside. My double vision is the only thing that actually has an explanation as I have an astigmatism (spelling?) and funnily the only thing I don't worry about! 

3

hi there, yes this all sounds familiar - i have all theses issues too.  you seem to describe also some health anxiety - something too which i suffer from - which is horrendous! i get what feels like a high temperature, dizzy, need to pee a lot etc - which i know is just the anx talking - but it doesnt feel like it at the time!

4

Hello Courtney,

There a number of "regulars" on this site, and between us we can just about recognise all your symptoms.  What you have described are classic symptoms.

However, it would be best to consutl your GP, as you may need medication.  There are many different meds, and sometimes you have to find one that suits you.  Also, of course, it will help if you can pinpoint any particulat thing that is making you anxious  Sometimes it is overwork causing stress, which you may not actually be aware of.  There are many causes, not always obvious.  Please try not to worry TOO much, as that will make things worse.  Good Luck.

5

Hi! thank you for commenting!! its so comforting to hear that somebody else suffers all the same things as me, but i also appreciate how awful it must be for you especially if you worry about it happening in public! 

i worry mostly when im alone because i worry something will happen to me and nobody will be there to help. but im sure its equally as scary surrounded by people! 

do you have you double vision constantly or just intermittently? (i have mine all the time) 

i have astigmatism too!!! but the optician didnt say thats what caused it! Thank you! what a relief. 

i find that when i talk about my anxiety with somebody or when i actively go to bed thinking 'my anxiety wont affect me tonight' it isnt as bad.. i learnt the hard way that ignoring it in fear of encouraging it is way worse, it seems to come back with avengance! 

Have you tried talking through what your going through while your going through it?

I hope it starts to get better for you xxx

6

Hi!

Although its awful that you are experiencing these things, its very comforting to me to know that im not alone, so thank you  

The dizziness is awful isnt it! its so scary, i read somewhere that if you are having a panic attack it can be useful to say outloud what you are feeling, for example.. 'i am having palpiltations, and now ive got chest pains, i feel short of breath and i feel as though i cant move my fingers properly' i think its quite a good way to accept the feelings and maybe help recover from them much quicker. I tried this when i felt panicky while we were out for dinner, im not sure if it worked as i did feel better as soon as we left, but maybe that was just because i was out of the 'spotlight', not sure! its worth a try though do you have techniques to get yourself out of the anxiety quicker? 

7

Hello Cruise lady, 

Thank you for your kind reply, im trying to avoid the medication route, as it only makes me more paranoid, i have however signed up for cognitive behavourial therapy so hopefully this will get to the bottom of it and get rid of it for good!

Hope you are managing your anxiety well and thank you for your advice

8

Hi Courtney!

My double vision is constant but my brain has learned to ignore it so I only see it occassionally now! I've had eye tests my whole life as I was born with bad sight so once I had all those tests done on the back of my eye to rule out anything, I just accepted what it was. That's how it always seems to be! Once anything harmful is ruled out I can move on! 

I also have experience with trying to ignore anxiety! That is what happened to me this semester. My palpitations started and I've been convinced it was something wrong with my heart because I wasn't feeling anxious and if I was then I would blame it on worrying about my heart. My GP even prescribed me sertraline and I didn't take it because I was convinced it wasn't anxiety but BAM a few weeks later and I am in the throes of horrible anxiety! 

My body seemed to know it was coming before I did! 

My dad has talked me through a panic attack a few times, he gets me to list how I feel and then usually by the time I'm done, the panic attack has started to fade smile

I hope you are having a good weekend xx

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your not stupid hun! i am a hard workin 45 year old strong single mum and had deppression in my early 30's, just recently thought i was having a heart attack, to then find it was a panic attack, I am a strong lady and it makes me feel i am stupid and weak but i know i am not and neither are you, it's just the strains of modern life that catch up with us, so don't be hard on yourself.xxx