Falling head/brain

[Ffi8]

I don't know if this is anxiety or something else. It's happened a few times before but last few days especially today it's been happening constantly. My head/brain feels like it's dropping to different sides and like my neck is one of those bobble head things!.. don't really get headaches much but I get a tension behind my eyes also.

My symptoms of anxiety have improved recently but on Monday I started University to gain my teacher status. Im worried that my issues are going to stop me from completing the course, I've already had to leave a room once and stand outside for 20 mins in fear of fainting as my head was spinning. 🙁

Any feedback will be great!!! X

[Beevee]

Hi Ffi8

You have acknowledged that you have anxiety and a worrier so the chances are you are having anxious thoughts and constantly self checking. You are now seeking assurance that this relatively new symptom is nothing to be concerned about and you will be absolutely right.

I recovered from anxiety while holding down a relatively stressful job. What helped me is that I knew I could do the job under pressure and that my anxiety was just making feel even more stressed. I wanted to pack it in and even got signed off for a couple of months (spent that time cycling and swimming trying to rid myself from anxiety but that's another story) but I still felt stressed. I then read a self-help book called Essential Help For Your Nerves by Dr Claire Weekes which provided an understanding of anxiety which equipped me to allow all those anxious thoughts to be there and do absolutely nothing about them. In other words, I practiced being comfortable about feeling uncomfortable until it clicked.

Anyhow, I digress. The point I want to make is that you should do the opposite to what your anxiety is telling you and complete that course, even when your mind and body is kicking and screaming for you give it up. If you want to give up anything, give up fighting your anxious thoughts and they will eventually go away.

Sorry, going off on a tangent again. I returned to work because I understood that an important part of recovery was to carry on living my life and not let anxiety dictate it for me. Recovery doesn't work like that. You have to take the anxiety with you and not care how you feel and gradually the anxiety will fall away in thin layers. If recovery is slow, don't worry. It just means you get to practice acceptance more! It also means you may not even notice the improvements but it will be happening behind the scenes, I can assure you.

My anxiety told me not to go to work but every morning, I got up and went. Every morning felt like I was going for the most important exam in my life but not having done any work and then multiplying that feeling by 20. By doing this, I was sending messages to my brain that there was no threat and that my fear/flight mechanism could stand down. Unfortunately, it takes time for the brain to get this message and to pass on the information to the parts of your body that pump all that adrenalin or cortisol around the rest of your body (I was rubbish at biology) so you need to be patient while your mind and body sorts itself out. Just don't interfere with this natural healing process by worrying whether or not you will get better and questioning everything. That just keeps the anxiety pumping.

I'm still at work but no longer feel stressed. What is better is that having gone through this and come out the other side, I feel better equipped to handle stressful situations at work. I think it is about not caring so much which is the attitude you need to recover.

I hope this helps and that you have a very successful career in teaching. A much undervalued profession, in my humble opinion and know the amount of work that goes into a school day.

Best wishes

Beevee

[Ffi8 in reply to Beevee]

Beevee, I just want to say a massive thank you.

I know my anxiety makes my symptoms worse. It's just the times it happens when I think there's nothing worrying me.

This new course is truly testing my new abilities to live with anxiety but I'm trying to test myself further than I would have before this took over and am challenging myself to new things.

Thank you again, your experience has helped me understand many things.

All the best x

[Beevee in reply to Ffi8]

Pleasure is mine.

This just came to me. I'm tired (midnight here) but here goes....

Imagine you are a stunt motorcycle rider. In your current condition, you are asking yourself to leap over 30 red double decker buses (hope you know what I mean by these) which has never been achieved. When your anxiety goggles are taken off, it is only one single decker bus. Anxiety is one big bluff.

Anxiety has become your new worry, that is all. Whatever sent you on the downward spiral has probably been forgotten about. I still don't really know how I became anxious but learnt not to waste any energy trying to figure it out and instead, concentrate on the future and recovery.

Anxiety calls anytime it wants and you have no control over it so don't try to control it. The more you resist, the worse you feel. The less you resist, the better you feel. Think they refer to this as a paradox.

Always happy to help.