Hi everyone I'm new here and would like to share my anxiety experience

Mental health
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Hi everyone, I'm a 23 year old mane living with horrible anxiety. I get chest pain/tightness, jaw pain/numbness, left arm pain (almost at all times), inability to grasp objects, finger pain/tingling, major headaches, eye twitches, foot pain and left leg spasms, and choking sensation. Just about every single pain in the book right? I can't function at work it's so bad (and I'm a bartender/server so it's sometimes impossible for me to even function around guests). I've been to the ER 4 times in the past year with all of these symptoms yet they haven't seen a damn thing. EKG, Stress Test, Echo, MRI, MRA... nope nothing.

So my mind starts to wander, I start to worry and see why the hell the doctors haven't found anything wrong with me. I take 0.25 of Xanax occasionally but honestly I hate the way it makes me feel. It doesn't really fix my pain it just makes me not care as much that they are there. The pain still persists while I'm on it and I get incredibly forgetful, like I can't remember something I was thinking of 30 seconds ago. My doctors probably don't take me seriously anymore and it's incredibly frustrating.

I should all tell you I had one medical incident back in December of 2015. I got a stomach virus and for whatever reason it decided to attack my heart and flare up a condition called Pericarditis. I was only hospitalized for a day and sent back home. That day that it happened is exactly how I feel almost everyday. The left arm numbness/pain, the jaw pain, the chest pain, hard to breathe. I know panic attacks can mimic a heart attack but I can't even function on my worst of days. I can't drive sometimes and have to pull over and blast the A/C (during the winter even) and calm down.

I just want an answer, I want to know if someone out there has felt or feels the same exact way as I do and I shouldn't worry. It's ruining my life so I go and I drink to mask how I feel. I'm at least down 24lbs since the new year and in good shape but I thought it would fix everything but it didn't. My symptoms prevent me from working out half the damn time. Anyways, if there's anyone on this board that feels the way I do I'd love to hear a response or reach out to me. I need a solution and I need to know that what I'm going through is just anxiety and not a serious medical condition. Thanks for reading my lengthy post, it's the first time I've ever let it all out there.

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 Looks like all of the tests that were done came back normal. So all of those symptoms could definitely be related to anxiety. I would think if it was a serious medical condition they would have found something.

 since you've been to the doctor I would definitely suggest that you speak with a counselor about this. They see this on a daily basis and have the tools to help you. You can try what's called cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT which is what a lot of therapist use to help you manage your anxiety and lessen your symptoms.  I keep going even when I start to feel better. 

 I had many of your same symptoms plus more and no doctor has ever found anything wrong with me. So I know what you're going through and it's very frustrating. Some doctors don't take it serious because they can't see it on an x-ray or find it in a blood test etc.  that's why so many of us are so frustrated. 

 my anxiety and symptoms started when I was in my 20s and I didn't even have the use of an Internet back then for any support like this one. I was terrified! I thought I was the only one in the world with the symptoms and thought I was going to die. Well that was over 30 years ago.   I have learned how to somewhat manage my symptoms if I get them. Like I said the first thing was finding a good counselor because it really helps. 

Secondly, I go to Google or YouTube and look up meditative audios on anxiety or negativity. I put in my earbuds and lie down and listen to them. They completely  calm down my brain and body to the point where I almost feel like I'm floating. This is such a great thing to do for your brain and overall health. I do this a couple times a day  specially when I'm laying down to sleep. There are many to choose from just pick the ones that you like. There's also positive affirmation ones that are helpful too.

 it will just calm everything down when you  are having an acute anxiety attack 

3.   Stay active! The worst thing you can do is sit around and think too much about all this. It will bring on more anxiety. As well as the symptoms. When I exercise my body completely calms down and the symptoms often go completely away. 

3.   Stay social! This helps keep your mind off your worries. The less you are alone the better at least until you manage your anxiety. Just do things that you enjoy. 

4.   When  feeling anxious or anytime you'd like, do deep breathing. Breathing through your nose for about five seconds and make sure your stomach rises. Then exhale through your lips as though you're blowing out a candle slowly for another five seconds. Do this as many times a day as you need to. It helps if you're lying down but you can also do  it's sitting. 

5.    Eat healthy! Stay away from processed foods especially sugar. Sugar has an inflammatory response including in the brain. This will just increase your anxiety and can possibly bring on depression. 

 Just remember,  As horrible as anxiety symptoms FEEL, THEY CANNOT  kill you!   I have had them for many many years on and off and now I pretty much ignore them but I do try to stay as healthy as possible and do those five things I listed above. The meditation audios really are excellent please try them and do them often !

 You will be fine  once you get this under a little control.  

you deserve peace and happiness.

 I hope this helped you a little bit at least.  

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Sounds like your anxiety is severe and very poorly managed. Has anyone mentioned daily medication to you? Therapy? You have had many exams and now at this point you need to accept this is an anxiety disorder of some sort. Constant panic attacks are not good for you, way too many for quite a while. And yes you will become rail thin they burn calories comparable to hiking and usually appetite is very small.which adds in unstable sugar levels heightening anxiety too. There a load of meds besides a xanax. That is best reserved for an as needed medicine anyway. Half the people who turn to meds it works and goes smoothly and then you add on theraoy and manage this so its on occasion you have a oanic attack not a daily thing. The other half is mix of jnabke tomuse the meds or they dont work and that will become a lot ofntheraoy and commiting to learning a behavioral technique and changing basically your way of though and reactions, you will probably need both meds and strong therapy but well worth the rest of you life. This is a potent example of a person who has to make changes if you want the quality of your life returned. And yes you will change and yes welcome it.

you are not ruining your life, you did not ask for this, this is not YOUR fault. But now make a choice either seek out the really needed help and guidance or live a fear filled, panic attack ridden life. It does just go away and you cant ignore it. If either of those two optioned worked 25% of the globe would not be dealing it in one form or another.

this is serious, it isnt the disease you think of serious because of the media and the stigma it gets still, but this is serious. I think its all very awful.shame on the world for shaming you to think this is no big deal. Let them walk a full day in your shoes and then shoo shoo it away.

i rally hope you deciede to get help for all this. And i wish you well.

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Upper right corner messages should be in red. I sent you some helpful links.

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Hello Thix.

Yes the symptoms you describe are all classic signs of "anxiety" , i know as i suffer from those symptoms on a regular basis.

If you visit your GP / Doctor they can help and will make you an appointment with the “Well Being” service and you can also be referred to a counsellor.

I know it is scary and daunting to seek help and of course there is a stigma attached to mental health, most people out there do not like to talk about it and so it is all too easy for others to brush aside and quickly change the subject , they do not have time or really want to deal with people like me and you regarding our complex mental health issues.

​It is not easy to make the first step to get help but it is worth doing and you are not alone with this problem, the best therapy i have found for mental health issues is to talk about it with others that know what you are going through , this is the most important step you can take to break the cycle of anxiety and depression from my experience over the last two years.

Hope this helps you further , Neil.

 

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I'm having the same problem trying to remember something specific around 4 days ago. Something so stupid and it eats me alive. I need help to.