Does anxiety make anyone else feel trapped... - Anxiety Support

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Does anxiety make anyone else feel trapped in their head

Roserose profile image
46 Replies

I have bouts of my head feeling very surreal and cotton wool like which I feel i can't escape which then causes panic to build massively. does anyone else have this problem .

(p.s. my question mark doesn't work on my laptop

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Roserose profile image
Roserose
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46 Replies
bonnie1959 profile image
bonnie1959

Hi Roserose, yes I do have this a lot, as you have described I have tried to explain to my daughter, as like cotton wool or muffled , I also get dizziness with this, and when walking you don't feel like you are quite there, cause head does not feel clear. A bit like dreamy

Bonnie

xxx

rubensolo profile image
rubensolo

Same here, I try my best to remain positive or prevent negative thoughts developing in my head but I find it almost impossible. The problem for me exacerbates at night, I am having difficulties sleeping and waking up at 3 or 4 am.

I too get this and struggle to get out of it. Especially at night. Although it can happen any time.

Roserose profile image
Roserose

Yeah, its seems to happen to me at night more so than at any other time, but thats because I had my first full blown panic attack then so I associate those feelings as soon as dusk comes. But yes, this nasty sensation can catch me off guard at any point. Do you find it distressing and as though you could lose control of your mind and freek out...

Roserose profile image
Roserose

Also, thanks for your replies guys. Appreciate it

Hi Roserose you've hit the nail in the head with that explanation. I felt like that a lot since this all started and I've never been able to describe it. Hope you doing good.

Willrich

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

Doing okay thanks, good days, bad days. yourself....

in reply to Roserose

Yeah I'm the same good days and bad. Just trying to get on with things as best I can.

Hope you've had a good weekend.

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

No, not had a good weekend. but not the worst. I believe that nothing lasts forever and that time is a healer so I'm taking the bad weekends in my stride. How has yours been

in reply to Roserose

Weekend has been ok had a BBQ. For mums birthday yesterday which was nice although I didn't feel particularly sociable. So kept to myself. Then as the evening went on I started to feel worse. So I just relaxed with a few films whilst they all got drunk lol. Just been chilling out today trying to cheer myself up.

If you don't mind me asking how come your weekend has not been so good?

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

aww, gotta love a good bbq... well i guess not as much when you're feeling a bit crap ... movie days are good too. Ummmm, mine not so great just becuase I miss how things used to be in comparison.... used to be so carefree and sociable ya know.... how long have you been suffering...

in reply to Roserose

Since about February off this yeah with the anxiety. Get what you mean about missing feeling like yourself. How about you

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

For me for the last three months. Been the worst of my life but time is a healer and nothing lasts forever. we will get there eventually

in reply to Roserose

Sorry to hear its been a bad few months. I'm sure your right I'm sure we will all get there eventually.

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

I keep thinking, If only we all lived near to eachother. would be pretty cool huh

Cookster99 profile image
Cookster99 in reply to

Get back to work will, your too old for her lol xxx

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to Cookster99

haha! Sorry, Taken already. Thanks for looking out for me though cookster :) xxx

Cookster99 profile image
Cookster99 in reply to Roserose

No worries mate xxx

in reply to Cookster99

I'm on my lunch break. And behave you'll scare the poor girl lol.

Cookster99 profile image
Cookster99 in reply to Roserose

Death lasts forever, but lets not dwell on negatives lol xxx welcome to here mate xxx Cookie

bonnie1959 profile image
bonnie1959

Roserose I get this during the day and at night in the house before dark at the mo. In the winter when the nights got dark early, I did not feel like I was in the living room even though I new that I was, where I was sitting , what was on the tv ext. It can be called either unreality, detached, or not feeling quite there. It is all normal of anxiety, you are not going mad , it is a sensation a horrible one at that. I got Dr Claire Weeks book from amazon and she talks about it to great length in her book, she describes it as mental fatigue, she says its due to much introspection pf ourselves by us.

Love

Bonnie

xxxx

bonnie1959 profile image
bonnie1959

Roserose I forgot, you wont lose control of your mind, its just the anxiety making you think that, try not to give it to much attention

Love

Bonnie

xxxx

Roserose profile image
Roserose

aww, Bonnie your posts are so lovely and thanks to everyone else who has replied. It's great to know I'm not alone in this state of mind. Not too much attention is what I try, but it's hard to escape your mind. especially when it has an effect on the way you see the world. I will definitely take a look at that book. I also sent you a message to your inbox.

Rose xx

Jetstar profile image
Jetstar

Hi RoseRose Welcome to Anxiety Support :)

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to Jetstar

Thanks Jetstar. x

fadedlizard profile image
fadedlizard

Hi Rose,

I get this a lot too, especially if I'm in social situations. It feels like I'm watching myself ~ like I'm a ghost. I have to try not to engage with the thought and to re-involve myself in what's happening around me. If I get involved with the thought I can get very panicky.

It's really hard though as a lot of the time I feel like I'm outside myself.

Hope you're ok.

Love

Lizard.xxx

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to fadedlizard

yeah, for me this is the worst symptom of anxiety. The panic I fee towards it is sky high. Do you find there is anything that helps you

Hope you're okay too.

Rose xx

fadedlizard profile image
fadedlizard in reply to Roserose

It is possible just to let the thoughts float by but it's hard work. I have not had a great deal of success with it and try to avoid a lot of group social occasions. I'm much better 1-1.

It's so hard and like you I find it one of the most disturbing symptoms of anxiety.

I've not had a good weekend either. My depression is really bad at the moment and when I don't have the focus of work I really struggle.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better.xx

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to fadedlizard

At the end of the day nothing lats forever and time is a healer. be kind to yourself. How long have you had it xx

fadedlizard profile image
fadedlizard in reply to Roserose

I started with anxiety when I was a child so about twenty eight years but please don't despair most people do not have it that long!!!

I have had three distinct episode with periods of wellness in between.

If I'd had better treatment (or indeed any treatment at all during my first episode) I'm sure things would have been a lot better.

Still onwards and upwards.xxx

Hi Roserose

Already you have had lots of support , so not much more I can add , but to say

Welcome :)

love

whywhy

xxx

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

Thanks whywhy lovely to meet you x

in reply to Roserose

Hope you you have a good day , I am sure we will get to talk more , you will soon settle in :)

xxx

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

I hope I have a good day too :) I hope we all do. Would be great to talk more and hear about your personal experience whywhy. Much love xxx

happyjackandjoan profile image
happyjackandjoan in reply to Roserose

I just talk to lady men hurt people

I get this too. In my last job which I hated, it happened quite a lot. I would just end up feeling like I was in a fog and nothing else was real. My hearing is affected and everything seems muffled and I feel completely numb. I have had very few experiences like that and much less severe since I haven't been working. So it could be related to stress. It's like the mind is overloading and closes down to protect itself.

My worst experience was when I was in my 30's which just came out of the blue. No rhyme or reason. I got up as usual to go to work, washed dressed etc. then my mind just shut down. I remember sitting in a chair. I didn't feel like I had slept, I just zoned out. Next thing I remember was looking at my watch and it was 5pm. I was still sitting in exactly the same position in the chair. I don't remember anything else about those 9 hours at all and still can't to this day. I wasn't drinking or taking any drugs at the time or before.

So I can emphasise with you.

Bev xx

Cookster99 profile image
Cookster99 in reply to

You were abducted by aliens mate, lol xxx

Didn't realise you were new Roserose. Hi and welcome to the site.

Bev x

Roserose profile image
Roserose in reply to

Yes indeed I am a newbie. Hello :) xx

Roserose profile image
Roserose

Does the weather make this heady feeling worse for anyone? xx

Roserose profile image
Roserose

Has anyone here heard or tried the emotional freedom technique?!?!

Adorable1 profile image
Adorable1

Welcome and yes I have that feeling. You are not alone.

Xxxxx

Roserose profile image
Roserose

London man look here :)

Paul0875 profile image
Paul0875

Wow. This thread is quire old! Haha! Google lead me to this site, but the descriptions I'm reading here are the same as mine. It came on quite recently and I'm really struggling with it although I try not to show it as I think some people think I was initially overreacting to the whole thing. It started as a bad headache which lead to a few rapid heart rate episodes through which I though my time was up. After many test, including ultrasound on my heart, mri of the brain (because one doctor was convinced I was having a stroke) and numerous blood tests, I was told I'm ok and suffering from anxiety. Now I'm going to cognitive therapy but the half hour sessions just don't do it for me. I feel as if my therapist is just clock watching.

My symptoms are : clouded head, struggling to think straight, slightly off balance (I notice this more when I'm on a treadmill), achy eyes that don't want to sleep properly, rapid heart rate (not as bad as they have been), feeling my pulse in the top of my head, extremely irritable, can't relax or chill out, and psoriasis (which may be related to the stress side of things). Now I'm not normally a worrier. I have the same worries as most other people, some financial, some work related, so I have no idea what brought this on and although the doctors and nurses have a all tried their best to reassure me that I'll live to be an old man, I cant help thinking they've missed something. So does anyone have any new advice? How can I help myself get through this and get back to semi normal life? I keep telling myself it's all in my head and I'm right, but I worry that these symptoms I'm feeling are actually doing damage. Sorry for rambling on. Hello, by the way!

Moshatedtabuu profile image
Moshatedtabuu

all the time sadly, makes me feel like I'm stuck in my thoughts until I'm around friends, when i'm alone thats when i panic

Dreamlife18 profile image
Dreamlife18

I have!

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