First time posting, looking for people to connect with

[Dyinglol1234]

I've been struggling with health anxiety for the last couple months and have been completely shutting down. I've lost all motivation to do anything and my life has lost meaning. My heart races to 100bpm at night when I'm thinking and I've spent countless nights getting no sleep because of this. I'm just curious if there are other people with health anxiety out there to connect with. I just signed up to the site so I'm not sure if there's a messaging function or anything, but please reach out!

[AnxiousSilver]

F&F - Welcome to this site!

Second - This community from the short time that I have been here, has been both positive and supportive to me, and I believe that it's filled with good people.

Third - I suffer from Extreme GAD, PAs, and the occasional depression swings from anxiety.

I know all too well what anxiety feels like, especially dealing with it most of my life.

Forth - You're not alone in this. (keep telling yourself that)

& Finally - We are here.

So take a look around this site with the other threads to see if anything relates to you, (besides what I just wrote) and feel free to share.

[Louie35]

Welcome to the club, maybe you should reach out to a professional, have you ever tried therapy? Also if you have anyone you trust in your life, try opening up, it is easier to take all this on when you're not alone! Also if this flares up before you sleep, maybe try some breathing exercises or even meditation, some relaxing music before you go to bed.

[mommieb]

I have the same anxiety issue. I can relate to not sleeping.

[blue-green-purple]

Yes, I've been dealing with anxiety/depression for years. For me, the morning is the worst. I struggle to hold it together & get out of bed. Thankfully, I have dogs to care for otherwise I don't know if I would keep going. Very little motivation to do anything but basic self care so it's pretty bad. It's hard living without a purpose or finding meaning in life. I'm reaching out on this site as a last resort. Wish I had some words of wisdom to lift you up but know that you are definitely not alone in your feelings.

[Hidden]

Agreeing with Louie35 that meditation and breathing exercises before bed might help. Also if you try counting back from 100 or counting back by 3s you won't just distract yourself you'll probably bore yourself to sleep. I've done this when my brain just won't stop chattering. It worked.

[Hidden]

Hey there, welcome! I'm sorry to hear you've been experiencing that lack of motivation and meaning in life. It's awful... I've also been dealing with that in steadily worsening fashion for the last two months and it's gotten so bad that nothing feels worthwhile most of the time. I typically take benadryl and sometimes melatonin just to get a little sleep, and even then it's erratic. Sometimes getting on this site and reading or commenting on a post, or reaching out to someone through direct message, can help with some anxiety and stress relief.

[Daveacr1959]

I have health anxiety see my profile. Do the Wim Hof guided breathing exercises free on you tube daily. And watch your heart rate slow down. Take a cold bath or go in a cold lake or ocean and watch it slow down way way more. Maybe some you tube aerobics or jogging in place?

[designguy]

Hello and welcome to the site. I've dealt with health anxiety on and off as well as social anxiety. Mindfulness meditation can be very helpful as well as deep breathing for calming and lowering your heart rate. You might check out paigepradko.com she is a therapist who also has good youtube videos and she offers a online course for health anxiety that looks good.

[Sandra1234567]

Hello! I had such bad health anxiety after I had a really bad panic/anxiety attack just after Christmas. My heart was beating so fast that I was sure I was just about to pass out and die. This happened every few nights. I was always ok during the day but night time did something to me! I think I just kept worrying that I would have another panic attack. One night I had a funny strange feeling rush through my body, I think it’s what they call the impending doom. You feel your hands and feet start to go sweaty and my heart was beating so fast I could feel the bed move. Once that happens to me I find it so hard to pull myself out of the panic/ fear. My partner had to help me to sit up, the buzzing in my ears was so loud I couldn’t hear for a minute and I was sure I was having a brain hemorrhage or heart attack that I begged him to call an ambulance, I still can’t believe it got to that. My heart beat was rising so I felt I needed help, it actually went over 165 bpm. When I got in the ambulance I finally realized I wasn’t having a brain hemorrhage or heart attack but I realized it was 3am and I went to bed at mid night so that was a very long and scary panic attack! I was taken to A&E and they kept an eye on me and sent me home with Xanax in the morning. To make this long story shorter, when I told myself that I needed to change things in my life and go to my GP and tell her what had been happening I started to relax a bit. In the evenings I started listening to relaxing music and tried to meditate which I wasn’t good at but it was still nice. I saw my doctor a week or two after that bad experience and she actually put me on anti depressants for anxiety, not depression and they have really helped. I stopped drinking coffee too and try to walk the odd time. After I spoke to my doctor and told her that I’m always worried about my health, I think I have a brain tumor because I get headaches, I think I have lung cancer too because I get the odd pain and ache. I take to many pain killers so I think I have ruined my liver. I’m always worried, always googling things! It was awful but thankfully theses days I’m feeling much better thanks to talking to my doctor and taking theses tablets. Anyway sorry about the long post, I hope you are ok! 😊

[Positiveannie]

hhello, just came across your message, as it was a year ago how have you got on ?