physical symptoms of anxiety

[frailstateofmind44]

hello, hope everyone is well. I’m curious to know if others on here suffer intense physical symptoms due to your anxiety?

I have severe GAD and some days it’s pretty manageable but others it’s so bad it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. and today is one of those days.

I experience quite a few symptoms when I’m having a bad anxiety day such as

• chest tightness and not being able to take a deep breath

• rapid resting heart rate/being able to feel my heart pounding

• discomfort deep in the pit of my stomach (not like intestinal symptoms more like the feeling of a drop on a big rollercoaster)

• shakiness and an extreme feeling of being on edge, like the all nerves in my body are just working in overdrive

if anyone can relate I’d love to hear some responses or tips on how you manage these symptoms. I am prescribed a benzodiazepine but really want to avoid relying on them as I tend to have addictive qualities and worry a lot about becoming dependent

thank you all so much x

[Agora1]

Hi, I've experienced this myself in the past until I found a way to avoid the situation

from escalating before hand.

Benzos can be a lifesaver in the moment because they work fast. *that's what can

make you dependent on them. However.. the other ways to calm down the over sensitized

nervous system quickly and efficiently. Breathing, yes breathing...Getting back in control

of your life is about relearning how your brain works and responds to stress.

While taking medication as well as having therapy are an important path to addressing

the issue, we also need to find other tools to help ourselves when in need.

It's not always convenient to stop and pop a pill when you are out and about. Wouldn't

it be nice if while in the throws of these physical symptoms, you could lower them and

continue on with your day? It's possible. More than possible but it needs to be practiced

each day and not just when you are in the middle of anxiety.

YouTube is a great resource in finding methods that can help you. By practicing your

breathing, you can reach for it w/o anyone knowing what you are doing. It both calms

your mind as well as the symptoms. Once you freeze up in fear, you go no where. Accept

that these feelings are but a lie coming from the brain. ONce we no longer fear the fear,

everything can settle down much faster. You can literally breathe your symptoms away. xx

[dogmom9912]

Hey! So before I started my medication I had very clear physical symptoms. If get super shaky to wear you could see it and hear it when I spoke. Whenever I went to the doctor my heart rate would be super high and even at random times I felt like it would beat out of my chest. My other thing is my blood pressure would always be like 140/100 instead of the normal 120/80 but now that i’m on the meds when I go to the doctor my bp is back in the 120/80 range and my heart rate doesn’t skyrocket.

[jackiesj in reply to dogmom9912]

Im glad you saw the doc....i brushed all off as anxiety and didnt realize BP and heart until i had a bypass....often i see chicken before egg and what comes first..all things working together...so yes physical and yes real physical...best wishes.

[Theloudone]

I hate the physical symptoms of anxiety. Many of the ones you experience I have had as well. I also get very light headed and faint when it’s bad enough. Tingling throughout my body is another symptom I feel.

I think one of my favorite things to do when experiencing it trying to press on my pressure points. The red dot in the photo is the spot.

Hand

[Worrier1960]

My gut reacts to stress. Exercise provides relief.

[Skiigyrl]

totally relate! You are describing all my symptoms too. Been checked out by doctors so now just say in my head thanks but no thanks anxiety I’m going to do this instead and continue with my relaxation or distraction activity.

[jackiesj in reply to Skiigyrl]

a physical therapist was so angry one day...she said she got so tired of doctors putting all on "its in your head"...that all things run with the brain which IS a physical organ and so its a total body deal....i thought about that and was so grateful she said that. meditation etc so helpful...i have the app Calm...which after a month clicked in....thankful....

[Savedsoul]

hi there, I have had severe anxiety my whole life. I’m 52 and the physical symptoms started when I was in my twenties. I have had up to like 15 different physical symptoms at a time sometimes. It’s been extremely unbearable a lot!!! I would love to chat with you if you are interested. My name is Shelly. My email is [e-mail]. Shoot me an email if you are interested in chatting sometime! Best wishes and God Bless you 🤗

[bethelbee in reply to Savedsoul]

Hi Shelly! You may want to edit your response and remove your email. It's not advised to put any personal contact information on here. You can request someone to private message you if you want to converse with them directly.

[TattoosMakeMeCool]

I have all those physical symptoms you have but I also get brain fog where I can’t think or even remember some things. I also start to panic and worry and can think straight, I notice my voice changes it becomes lower and shaky, I also start sweating uncontrollably everywhere. It becomes so much I get dehydrated. I’m on a few different medications but the extreme anxiety is still prevalent. I’ve tried sitting down and breathing but nothing works in those moments.

[Sqlguy]

I have taken a very high dose of Ativan for about 12 years, am definitely "dependent" on them, and can tell you it is 1000 times preferable to what you're going through (and what I used to go through). I would rather be "dependent" than a nervous wreck. A doctor told me that being "dependent" on benzos means that you can't go "cold turkey" off them (can't just stop them suddenly) because that night cause seizures in some people. If you need to go off them, you have to taper down under a doctor's care. If I ever get to the point where I need to go off them, I will deal with it then, not worry about it to the point of being afraid to even take one. Benzos, which for most people have no side effects except maybe drowsiness for a few days when you start them or increase the dose, and which absolutely work, have been demonized to the point where patients (like you) are are afraid to even try them, and many doctors won't prescribe them. Very unfortunate.

[majones_0608]

I get similar symptoms. My heartrate gets fast, my stomach turns to knots and my skin crawls. Those symptoms get so intense that it hurts. Sometimes I don't know what to do about it. Chamomile tea really helps if I have a couple cups of it. It is a nice calming tea. Talking to family or a friend or counselor can help me too. Sometimes venting can really help.

[CL3V3R-G1RL]

Dare by Barry McDonagh or the app version. That has really helped me out with my anxiety.

Through Dare I learned to sit with these sensations and let them pass. Still continue doing what I'm doing. It's hard work I won't lie. These sensations suck. But they won't hurt you. It's just a terrible feeling.

[Benjimeluve]

I would also love to hear any tips. My anxiety stays so physical for so long. I can’t sit down. I have to pace non stop. It’s exhausting. I’m also given a benzo but it doesn’t always help.