I just don’t understand

[Adamj]

I just don’t understand how stress and anxiety can cause so many physical symptoms. My body feels so depleted I’m weak I’ve started to lose weight now. My muscles are sore my chest is sore my stomach is messy I’m fatigued but can’t sleep long. I’m tired of all these random sensations in my body dizzy lightheaded that come and go. Tired of feeling like all I can do is sit or lay down. I’ve been taking Paxil I notice a little difference but my body is just so shitty feeling. My arms feel funky like they feel numb but they aren’t like I can still feel it’s just weird. Tired of the headaches that come and go. Ugh have any of you been so stressed that it wrecked your body How did you recover?

[Catherine2022]

Hey, I don’t understand it either! I have so many different symptoms that come and go, some I recognise and know it’s anxiety, others are new which causes more anxiety 🤦🏻‍♀️. The worse is when they come and you don’t even feel anxious! I think our bodies get stuck on fight and flight mode! And there is no way for these symptoms to go until we manage to get out of it! Hope that makes sense! Sorry not got any better advice! But you’re definitely not alone xx

[Survivor1687]

I can relate to these feeling. ((hugs)) I'm sorry you're struggling right now.

[aequitas1983]

I've read books on top of books and studied psychology a ton....and here's what I've gathered. For those of use with anxiety (I have it bad), it's almost like we're wired with the old school stuff. This will sound crazy, but anxiety is absolutely 100000% required. Our old wiring was to be able to run for survival. Huge tiger or lion? Oh crap....we gotta run. Anxiety would kick in and all those physical feelings....linked to the bodily functions that needed to be turned off or turned on to activate the flight/fight systems. Sans anxiety, we would be something's meal way back when.

Now....the lion is something as annoying as entering an area where we are not comfortable. It emerges because it is our body's way of defending us and it just doesn't make sense. I know this information doesn't necessarily help, but you are not damaged goods. Your anxiety is proof that your mind is working. That's where medications and talk therapy come into play. We know more about different phobias that can exacerbate or turn those fears into anxiety.

As far as symptoms.....there's so much going on hormone wise when anxiety is kicking up. Your nervous system, and this is all normal, is cutting off blood to non-critical organs to send to your cardiovascular system because we're prepping for that fight/flight. Adrenaline goes up a few notches. And it's all these chemicals going into hyper drive that causes the discomfort. Heart is beating faster to deliver oxygen throughout the body, breathing rate increases for the same reason, and you may have gastro issues because the body has determined digestion is no longer of importance. We all experience anxiety in various ways....and I believe there are hundreds of symptoms. The programming itself is doing everything the body would and should....it's just there's no lion to run from so it seems like more than what we need. And the tiredness.....yes....it's so taxing on our bodies. Those of us who experience it all day long....it is absolutely a tiresome process. I once saw on another website how if you took the energy levels of "regular" person and an "anxious" person and compared it to a bag of candy....for every event....take 1 piece of candy out for the regular person....and 3-4 for the anxious person. The math is simple as to which of those people is going to be far more spent. There's even more incredible info out there on anxiety and the brain....like how data takes longer to reach the more rational brain and goes directly to the response area(that dreaded lion really needs to be ran from).

So recovery....let me say right off that if your medication isn't working for you (and it's been a few months), that you should speak with your doctor about trying a new dose or just a new medication. Some work better for others. They do offer DNA tests that can show which medication might work better for you, but my own psychiatrist at a time said the tests might show a medication you've tried as a good fit when you know from experience it's not. I would visit your doctor and see if maybe reconfiguring your plan is worth a shot. If Paxil isn't working at the dose you're on, they can fiddle around with doses, try a new medication, or even add an additional medication to amplify the Paxil....their/your call.

In addition to that, talk therapy. My psychiatrist (again this is my own experience) told me that I might live with this my entire life. Talk therapy has some great success rates of at least making day to day life better. Anxiety may or may not ever be fully under control where it's "cured", but you can live a full functional happy life with good and bad days. That's somewhat where I'm at albeit some frustrating days. Talk therapy remains immensely helpful. We explore the triggers, how to avoid or accept them, and so on. And you may need to find the right one for you. Some may not be as impactful or otherwise....but when you find that person, it will be game changing. I have had anxiety for over 20 years and when I'm at my best, I am usually under the guidance of a counselor/therapist.

Sorry this is becoming wordy, but I also would include that I began to become a skeptic buster. I was skeptical of a lot of things I thought there was no way it would ever help. So as I became desperate for help during harder I times, I decided to try things I dismissed. Mindfulness, meditation, acupuncture, and I'm even seeing a hypnotherapist currently. I'm happy to say all four of those things helped with stress, anxiety, panic, and some depression in there. The skeptic in me found out the mind is pretty powerful but there are some amazing hacks in all four of those. They may or may not be for you, but just passing along my experiences if it even helps you in the smallest bit.

This is probably the best way I could sum up my recovery....and it's nothing like how life was before anxiety. I still deal with it but it's better. But my suggestion is to keep trying different things to see what works best for you. I am not trying to sell you things here, but I keep TouchPoints with me (bilateral stimulation), a sham towel (to keep cool....I get hot when I'm anxious), and ear buds for my meditation. These are my "anxiety tool belt". I hope any or all of this helped. Also, remember to be kind to yourself throughout this entire adventure. There will be bad days where you'll feel the way you do.....and allow yourself that. You're human. Not a failure.....just human. Worthy of the good days and the recovery you seek. I say this because I was always so hard on myself for not being "tough" enough to gut through situations I avoided or whatever it was. We are our own worst critics and 99.999999% of the time, we need to give ourselves a little love and room to be human. Best of luck with your adventure...and I do hope you find what gets you back on top!

[Daveacr1959]

45 minutes of daily cardio exercise. Try it .

[lovetodance2018]

Thank you for sharing. I am sorry you are having such a hard time. Have you talked to your doctor about how your body is feeling? Some of what you are experiencing could be a side affect of the medication. What has really helped me is to get out of my head. I know that is easier said than done. I have tried to change my thoughts and focus. The less I focus on how I am feeling and distracting myself with a book, an uplifting song, a show. The less bad I feel. Changing my thoughts and how I cope with things has really helped me with my symptoms. Here is an article (bit.ly/3tpDpRT) you might find hepful. I will be praying for you. Hugs and God Bless

[lovetodance2018]

How are you doing? I have been praying for you. Hugs

[Adamj in reply to lovetodance2018]

I’m doing okay thank you been trying to get out the house more still dealing with so many negative thoughts and pains and stomach issues trying to take it one day at a time

[lovetodance2018 in reply to Adamj]

I love that you are taking one day at a time. I actually break it down even more and focus on one moment at a time and try to find something good in that moment. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. Hugs

[Adamj in reply to lovetodance2018]

Thank you

[Eaglespirt]

I started feeling some of the symptoms that's why I came on this post and I've been reading these posts and it kind of helps to know that I'm not alone,thank you for sharing