Anxiety Symptoms

[Carter1992]

When my anxiety acts up it feels like a chemical reaction. Like my chest is numb but hurts or at the very least I can feel some sort of tingling inside that feels like nervousness but worse. As if I can't breathe. I try to calm down and others say I seem like I am zoning out when this happens. Does anyone have similar symptoms? Or maybe a better way to describe it?

[Janieliza]

It's absolutely fine to zone out..go into a trance like state. Look, it's as simple as this(forgive my explanation as I'm overly conscious that there's nothing simple about anxiety) it's just the way i say things...im not being flippant!. If it works for you....it doesn't matter if you are upside down with one leg in Britain and one leg in the USA. It works for YOU. yes the pesky pains I've felt...and the zoning out. One key is to listen to your breathing. Not only does that give you a focal point but it also calms you riiiiight down. There isn't really a good or different way to describe it is there? You explained it exactly how it is for you. What do ppl expect us to do....try to calm with a smile on our faces and thro gritted teeth explain what we are doing? Ohhh no no no. You do what works for you. I had panic attacks over 10 years ago now daily...many a day and the worst was when I was at a nativity play my son was in(he was playing Mary and was mortified...thats another story entirely?!?). He had been anxious prior to going on which started my anxiety level to rise...the 'bump aka Jesus...kept falling down and he couldn't keep it in. When I finally managed to sort it...he wasn't calm when they plopped him on the donkey(2 poor kids) so I sat in the audience...and he forgot his line and was looking for me. My panic attack had already started and I was truly thinking 'this is finally it....im going'. The person next to me kept nudging me"he's trying to get you're attention...janie he's going to walk off stage". I started to focus on a piece of tiling on the floor and breathe...nope the chest pain started and was going into my jaw...i got up gasping for breath and got outside(fortunately my son saw none of this and had managed to get a bed for the night😉) i sat down and did exactly the same as you....i zoned out and in a mantra like way said "I'm not going to die...i know I'm breathing" over and over until it became normal. A parent who had kindly come out with me told me she couldn't even speak to me and did I usually do what I did?. I'm sorry my reply is long....i just wanted to give you an example that most of us have zoned out. We all cope with attacks in different ways don't we? They are incredibly frightening and kudos you managed to get thro it. The chemical reaction is a great way of putting it actually. Take care. J

[Hidden]

That is how I feel. But mines makes me feel light headed like I'll pass out. And that makes me panic even more and makes my breathing heavy. Scary stuff, but we have to learn to deal with it and overcome it

[Vonnah]

Yes i have this. Just try to stay calm. Everything will pass.