Feeling out of control

[Griery]

I have always had anxiety but the last few weeks have been just awful. I started having some pain in the back of my neck going up into my head. I started feeling anxious about it and had my husband take me to the emergency room thinking I was having a stroke. All they found was that my blood pressure is high. I have been taking blood pressure medication since I am 21 and I am 63. Since that day in the emergency room I have been having bouts of terrible anxiety. One minute feeling fine and I minute feeling I want to crawl out of my skin. I have started to see a therapist and we are working on how I had such trauma when I was little. Does anyone have feeling of dread and panic when they have health issues?

[Griery]

I have one and I tend to take it too much. Sometimes it’s really good and sometimes it’s awful. But thank you for the suggestion.

[CLB1125]

I don't have those episodes but I just wanted to say I'm glad you are here. there's always someone here to listen.

[Griery in reply to CLB1125]

Thank you

[designguy]

I use to have some health anxiety and even now, if I don't feel good or something is off, I can have my mind start with some anxious thoughts. What has helped me was learning to never believe my anxious thoughts no matter how weird or scary they are and to focus on my breathing and ground myself into the present moment and know that they are lies that were originally designed to protect me but as an adult I don't need that kind of protection. Basically I started making friends with my anxious self.

The other thing is that you may have some degree of OCD, I know I have some, which is common with health anxiety. You might check out the youtubes and websites of Paige Pradko and Mathew Codde at Restored Minds, they both are therapists who had health anxiety and OCD, healed themselves and now help others. Another good resource is Emma at Therapy in a Nutshell.

You may also have a strong need to be in "control" but the reality is that the only real "control" we have is our next breath. Control is an illusion and surrendering to not being in control is scary at first but over time brings peace and true strength.