Anxiety ever make you sick?
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I developed it late in life, which has been really REALLY tough for me. I have done workshops and lectures since I was young and never had issues speaking, but anymore I almost get paralyzing fear before engagements. I did a keynote for a technology conference this year and it was only for 50 participants, and it was all I could do to get here and enter the room.
Now...once I get going I roll like always.
Sooooo...embarrassing really, but I am so good at hiding it most people don't know.0 -
Yes, to the point I actually have thought I was having a heart attack. And it has just started the past couple of years. I don't like it one bit.0
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It's something I experience daily for a few years now. And I'm very anti med (personal opinion) So I'm just living with it currently. But I am working towards changing my life towards not putting myself in the situations that cause it so often.
I'm not too fond of the idea of putting prescription drugs in my body to change something. I really think Drs should prescribed a person to follow people with anxiety around to comfort them at the 1st sign of an anxiety attack lol.
Haha, that just might work
The reason I responded to the thread is in my opinion there aren't enough options for just talking about anxiety. It's not something most friends and family are equipped to help you with. Professional help is expensive. And the crisis lines... I mean I value the service they are trying to provide. But they are a little too self harm focused in my experience. I'd never call one again no matter how intense things were.
I do know of a few things that help me.. Music, Adrenaline and not being at family gatherings
Crisis lines, I just don't know how genuine they are. Lol @not being at family gatherings0 -
KyleGrace8 wrote: »I have really bad anxiety/depression that I have to deal with daily. It's impacted every area of my life. I don't throw up though (sometimes stomach issues) and I've been having panic attacks for so long that I know I'm not dying and it will pass. Body trembling, blushing, sweating, mind going blank, sometimes it's all I can do to remember to breath. I used to take medication and it really worked well for me, a world of a difference. All of a sudden I was actually making friends and doing well at life. I went off of it bc 1) I thought I was just better now and didn't need the pills/stigma of taking them 2) there were side effects like hot flashes and low sex drive. 3) my body kept getting used to the meds and they'd have to up the dosage and I wondered how long that could go on for. But when I went off the meds my life fell apart again. Even with the side effects I'd personally go back on them bc the feeling of being normal and my true self is priceless. I'd watch out for avoiding things that set you off. I do that and I have zero life. If you can afford to see a professional I'd do that before you get into a spot where you're stuck. I read that you'd like to have a buddy follow you around, that's me too. I feel sooooo much better if I have a "safe person" with me. Maybe a service animal could work for you??? Meds aren't for everyone and maybe just therapy could be enough but sometimes it's purely chemical which is what I believe for myself.
I'm sorry you've had to suffer with such bad anxiety. I can relate so much with all of those symptoms of anxiety! It really does affect and ruin your quality of life until you get it under control. I would love to get my dog certified as a service dog! I hope you get the relief you need, whether by meds or otherwise. Thanks for your post. 1 -
deannambarbour wrote: »Yes ma'am. I have crippling anxiety, have since I was a little girl. I always joke that I've had anxiety since before I knew what anxiety was.
And it can absolutely make you 'sick'-- Anxiety = stress, and the effects of stress on the human body have been proven to be detrimental. The catch is trying to reduce it, which I have not been successful at. I don't know how to NOT be anxious about everything.
I know! How do you turn off anxiety? I just wonder what causes anxiety as early as childhood? That's me. I wonder what could have helped me as a child had my parents recognized it. I was just such a quiet child and never complained, so how could they know? I've learned to enjoy life more, but I can't even walk past people on the track or go to the gym without feeling uncomfortable.0 -
I developed it late in life, which has been really REALLY tough for me. I have done workshops and lectures since I was young and never had issues speaking, but anymore I almost get paralyzing fear before engagements. I did a keynote for a technology conference this year and it was only for 50 participants, and it was all I could do to get here and enter the room.
Now...once I get going I roll like always.
Sooooo...embarrassing really, but I am so good at hiding it most people don't know.
Oh goodness! Public speaking is a great fear of many people. You're brave!1 -
RunHardBeStrong wrote: »Yes, to the point I actually have thought I was having a heart attack. And it has just started the past couple of years. I don't like it one bit.
I get the chest pain too. Anxiety can't be good for your heart in the long run0 -
I've asked several medical professionals about the chest pain, and they all seem to agree that it's not my heart. Just a bunch of other chest muscles clenched up, as if bracing for impact or something. It's our bodies tapping into some other deeper primal response.. Like the hairs standing up on a cats back or a snake flattening its neck out.
If only I could just find a way to switch it off..
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Not me but my mother has been hospitalised many times for really bad anxiety attacks. It got so bad everytime I saw a phone call from her I already knew what it was about. She always said it felt like she was having a heart attack. Her breathing wasn't normal. She physically became weak. It was tough seeing her that way. Thankfully, her attacks have diminished drastically after leaving her job. It's horrible what stress can do to a person.1
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I've asked several medical professionals about the chest pain, and they all seem to agree that it's not my heart. Just a bunch of other chest muscles clenched up, as if bracing for impact or something. It's our bodies tapping into some other deeper primal response.. Like the hairs standing up on a cats back or a snake flattening its neck out.
If only I could just find a way to switch it off..
That's interesting to know. Switching it off would be perfecto0 -
I've asked several medical professionals about the chest pain, and they all seem to agree that it's not my heart. Just a bunch of other chest muscles clenched up, as if bracing for impact or something. It's our bodies tapping into some other deeper primal response.. Like the hairs standing up on a cats back or a snake flattening its neck out.
If only I could just find a way to switch it off..
Also I hope you find some really therapeutic remedies to help youu relieve your anxiety.0 -
Not me but my mother has been hospitalised many times for really bad anxiety attacks. It got so bad everytime I saw a phone call from her I already knew what it was about. She always said it felt like she was having a heart attack. Her breathing wasn't normal. She physically became weak. It was tough seeing her that way. Thankfully, her attacks have diminished drastically after leaving her job. It's horrible what stress can do to a person.
Aww I'm sorry you had to witness that with your mom. It's scary to see your parent go through stuff like that, because moms and/or dads are like a kid's super hero. I'm glad she is doing better!0 -
Sometimes, especially during an anxiety attack, my hands/feet go numb, I have chest pains, I feel like I might pass out, and/or feel like I'm having a hard time breathing. It is absolutely awful.
There are quite a few times where I feel anxious for no discernible reason.
I have a hard time controlling my alcohol intake because of anxiety. Such a bad crutch to lean on, but I've been doing it for years and now I feel stuck.0 -
Also, I didn't read all the comments, but I am on anti-anxiety meds and they do help quite a lot, but in no way are they miracles. About 3 years ago I tried to get off them and after 6 months I couldn't handle it anymore.
I know, and I respect, that a lot of people don't believe or don't like the idea of using medication for anxiety (or depression, or both), but I believe it is a chemical imbalance in your brain. You wouldn't tell a diabetic person not to take insulin, so I am personally 100% pro medication. I have seen it help a lot of people, myself included.1 -
alexandriashelby89 wrote: »Sometimes, especially during an anxiety attack, my hands/feet go numb, I have chest pains, I feel like I might pass out, and/or feel like I'm having a hard time breathing. It is absolutely awful.
There are quite a few times where I feel anxious for no discernible reason.
I have a hard time controlling my alcohol intake because of anxiety. Such a bad crutch to lean on, but I've been doing it for years and now I feel stuck.
I'm so the you feel stuck. I hope you find a really good support system who can help you through the tough times.0 -
alexandriashelby89 wrote: »Also, I didn't read all the comments, but I am on anti-anxiety meds and they do help quite a lot, but in no way are they miracles. About 3 years ago I tried to get off them and after 6 months I couldn't handle it anymore.
I know, and I respect, that a lot of people don't believe or don't like the idea of using medication for anxiety (or depression, or both), but I believe it is a chemical imbalance in your brain. You wouldn't tell a diabetic person not to take insulin, so I am personally 100% pro medication. I have seen it help a lot of people, myself included.
Of course.0 -
CBT really helped my husbands anxiety0
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I was the exact same way as a kid. Stomach aches every single day. I didn't realize until I was an adult that it was actually anxiety. I've tried meds a couple times but they either made me sleep all the time or made the panic attacks worse. Now it's just something I deal with on my own. Luckily my husband is amazing and knows how to help me avoid certain situations and get me through them. I feel for anyone that deals with it because it can be absolutely crippling. I hope you find a way to get through them easier
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deannambarbour wrote: »Yes ma'am. I have crippling anxiety, have since I was a little girl. I always joke that I've had anxiety since before I knew what anxiety was.
And it can absolutely make you 'sick'-- Anxiety = stress, and the effects of stress on the human body have been proven to be detrimental. The catch is trying to reduce it, which I have not been successful at. I don't know how to NOT be anxious about everything.
I know! How do you turn off anxiety? I just wonder what causes anxiety as early as childhood? That's me. I wonder what could have helped me as a child had my parents recognized it. I was just such a quiet child and never complained, so how could they know? I've learned to enjoy life more, but I can't even walk past people on the track or go to the gym without feeling uncomfortable.
I've honestly just accepted that I'm quite literally ALWAYS anxious. I'm always tense. I know how I am, and how my brain works, and the best people in my life accept it and try to help make it better.
I understand so much, though. You are definitely not alone.
Are there certain things you can pinpoint that make it worse? New situations? Social interactions. For instance, small talk is practically painful for me. It almost physically hurts.0
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