Is this truly anxiety

[treyjeff]

Heart beating out of my chest, dizziness, breathing difficulty, arms feel weird, discomfort in my left chest all the time and sometimes my back and a fear that something may be wrong with the circulation in my body due to weird chest and arm feelings. Went to emergency 3 times and they say I’m okay. Saw cardiologist and pulmonary doc and say I’m okay (EKG and chest X-ray - no echo yet). The discomfort I feel all day convinces me otherwise and makes me think something is definitely wrong with my heart and makes me think I can die any day from it. Left leg goes relatively tingly/numb and arms feel weak and not full strength. Is it possible for this to be anxiety if it happens 24/7?

[Serenity2014]

Hi im suffering with head pressure at moment tingling body zap for few days now im worried and thinking is this all down to aniexty! Its horrible at moment .

[Jeff1943]

treyjeff, anxiety disorder occurs when our nervous system has become traumatised by too much stress, overwork, worry, grief, loss and disappointment to name but some. Often we don't even know it's happening.

This makes our nerves become over sensitised and in that state they start to play tricks on us. Small worries are seen as major nightmares. We don't want to leave the 'safety' of our home (agoraphobia). We have panic attacks. We feel a lump in our throat and think it must be cancer. Take your pick, there's a lot more to choose from, anxiety is a real shape shifter and appears in different guise to different people.

What you describe, treyjeff, is called health anxiety. We start to feel the beginnings of heart disease, cancer, stroke, blindness, lung disease, brain tumour and imminent death. There's no limit to the ingenuity of our nervous system in sending out false messages. And to answer your question: because our nerves remain sensitised 24/7 the fake symptoms we feel can be felt 24/7.

You've seen a lot of specialists and had a lot of tests. But when you're told you're in fine physical shape "you convince yourself otherwise." It's a common reaction, treyjeff, we think the doctors have missed something, we reckon we know better than them even though they went to medical school for 3 years and have hours and hours of front line experience dealing with ill people.

It's a false assumption, of course it is, all the symptoms you're experiencing are fakes. They may feel real enough but they're really your nerves playing up due to over sensitisation.

You could spend the rest of your life trying to put right the symptoms you describe. But it won't help one iota: you can't cure yourself of an illness you don't have no matter how hard you try.

What's much more likely to bring about your recovery is to find a way to cure the CAUSE of all these fake symptoms: your over sensitised nerves. Once you manage to pacify your nervous system all the fake symptoms disappear for good. No more pains in your left chest. No further hint of breathlessness. That's the story.

treyjeff, there's a method of pacifying oversensitised nervous systems. But first you need to "de-convince yourself otherwise." You need to accept that the medical profession is right and you're mistaken, there really is nothing physically wrong with you, and all your symptoms are the result of high anxiety. You need to convince yourself of that first otherwise your attempt to solve the true cause rather than the fake symptoms would inevitably be half hearted.

[treyjeff in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you for the great response you are right

[Addds in reply to treyjeff]

Just for reference, I feel the exact same things you have described. I’ve done all types of heart test and blood work and they all come back fine. I’m pending a stress test now. However, what I’ve tried to do now is- when I feel too overwhelmed and these symptoms come on too strong- I think back to the tests that have been done for me and I tell myself, my blood is fine, the cardiologist says my ekg was great, it’s all in my head. I’ll then start trying to think of something else, or refocus on something other than the “pains” and I’ll ease myself slowly.

[treyjeff in reply to Addds]

Thanks all for Responses. Today has been bad so far however. Chest pains and arm numbness have been worse. Can feel my pulse in my arm and couldn’t stay sleep because of the pain.

Trying to reassure myself it’s nothing serious .

[Hidden in reply to treyjeff]

Treyjeff I have had everyone of these symptoms before too and I get how scared it is.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Scary I mean.

[Addds in reply to Jeff1943]

Wow, that was such a great response!

[Doris2010 in reply to Jeff1943]

Hi jeff1943! You really are amazing & know your stuff! Your posts alone always calm me down, my “health” anxiety however was triggered by a “procedure” to cure a heart Arrythmia which has worked but I now live in fear of it returning or being caused in the 1st place by something more sinister even tho I also am being told otherwise! I will keep following & listening to your sound advice many thx!😀

[Hidden in reply to Doris2010]

I agree!! Jeff1943 is awesome!! He calms me too!!

[Jeff1943 in reply to Doris2010]

Thanks for your kind words, Doris2010, but I only repeat the words of the late Claire Weekes as set out in her first book 'Self help for your nerves' (titled 'Hope and help for your nerves' in the U.S.) and her other books. As you may know she was an Australian psychiatrist who developed the idea that we should stop 'fighting' anxiety symptoms and accept them for the time being. Once perfected acceptance stops us churning out the fear hormones that keep our nervous system in an over sensitive condition giving them a chance to recover. When that happy day comes all our fake symptoms cease. That's the short version, lot more to it than that of course, all explained in non-tech terms in the previously mentioned books available from Amazon or pre-owned from Ebay. She also explains her teachings on YouTube.

I'm glad the procedure to overcome your arrythmia worked well but perhaps it's some nervous sensitisation that fuels your fear of it returning. Maybe accept that as a remote possibility and just get on with things, in the unlikely event that it did return you know from experience it can be corrected again. As for something more sinister causing it I would think that that would have showed up on their tests before you had the procedure, perhaps this also is anxiety whispering in your ear.

Very occasionally I get the missed beats, always during some slightly anxious time. But I know it soon goes away so I'm able to forget about it, I don't stress or obsess about it. I appreciate your arrythmia was more of a problem hence the procedure.

Chances are you will live all your days and never be visited by this again, it would be a pity to spoil some of your days worrying about that which will never happen.

[Minnie87 in reply to Jeff1943]

Amazing Jeff xx

[ashwathkrish1 in reply to Jeff1943]

Superb reply jeff1943...hey treyjeff trust me u r not alone...exactly and I mean exactly I felt the same way for almost 8 yearsssssssss.....I know how terriyfying it is... @jeff1943, can u pls say how to pacify my nerves pls...I have been taking Calcium, B complex, and EHA-DHA supplements... Can U pls help me out in this.. tks

[Jeff1943 in reply to ashwathkrish1]

Ashwathkrish1, the method for pacifying or desensitising our nerves that I recommend is the acceptance method first described by Doctor Claire Weekes in her first book "Self help for your nerves" (U.K. title) or "Hope and help for your nerves" (U.S. title) all available from Amazon and Ebay. It does not give instant results, only quick acting tranquillisers like diazepam and xanax can do that or the breathing exercise which involves taking a slow deep breath, holding it for a few seconds, slowly breathing out and repeating, this releases natural tranquillising hormones.

But meds do not pacify over sensitised nerves, they mask the symptoms and bad feelings and only work as long as you take them.

The acceptance method involves facing your anxiety and not trying to hide from it or distract yourself from it. You must stop fighting your anxiety and its symptoms, fighting only causes more stress and strain. You must accept all the symptoms for the time being knowing full well they are not life threatening and are fake. You need to cultivate utter acceptance and not keep hoping and checking for them to go. When you learn to live with your anxiety symptoms and agreeing to coexist with them you generate less fear hormones. It is fear and the fear of fear that keep your nerves in their sensitised state. In the absence of fear, which acceptance replaces, your nervous system begins to recover and your anxiety symptoms cease. Recovery by this method takes weeks rather than days or hours.

This is only a brief outline of the acceptance method, for a full understanding you need to read the book or to start with listen to Claire Weekes explaining her method on YouTube.

[ashwathkrish1 in reply to Jeff1943]

Tks a lot for ur reply....I'll try my best in this way, and will get that book by myself........tks a ton again jeff1943...God bless..

[Jeff1943 in reply to ashwathkrish1]

That book will change your life as it has for untold thousands over the past few decades, you will feel she knows you and is speaking to you personally. You will soon recognise yourself in its pages.

[saturn2k]

You've described anxiety and panic symptoms to a tee ! Just amazing to think how it can affect the whole body. I had panic so bad a few years ago and during one attack I couldn't put one foot in front of the other. I literally had to lift my leg at the knee with my hands, to move forward. All I can say to you is that 'there's nothing dangerous' going on, and that it WILL pass. It feels like it goes on for hours and hours but if you really had to concentrate on it, you do get breaks in between..but in those breaks you worry about it happening again so it does. Since you've been sensible and gotten checked out, there are some breathing techniques that help me sooooo much..... in my earlier days of this disorder it would take me about 10 minutes for the breathing technique to help, now it's a matter of seconds. We get so far into our heads and are so hyper-vigilant that any new sensation can set us off. I would remember how as a child I was so carefree and if I fell it was no big deal, if I was breathless or if I my heart was pounding it too was just no big deal. It can be like that again.

Symptoms of anxiety can be

Pounding heart.

Sweating.

Headaches.

Stomach upset.

Dizziness.

Frequent urination or diarrhea.

Shortness of breath.

Muscle tension or twitches.

Panic attack

sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a choking sensation, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, fear of losing your mind, fear of dying, flushing, feeling that danger is nearby, a racing heart (heart palpitations)

shall I go on !!!!

Calming Breath

Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs,

then your upper lungs.

Hold your breath to the count of "three."

Exhale slowly through pursed lips, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.

[Ajrea2]

hi. when I read your post I could have sworn I had wrote that myself.for so long had myself convinced that I had something wrong with my heart. every time I got it checked the docs said it was just anxiety. I used to live In fear everyday all day. this past year things got a lot better im learning that its ok to have anxiety but itd not ok to let it control my life.

[hippieebbbz09]

This topic title goes thru my mind with every panic episode. Or i think I have nerve issues , scoliosis because of all the aches I get.. the list goes on , but looking up the symptoms of anxiety and it’s a laundry list of stuff . It’s crazy.

[Moon_Glitter]

TreyJeff do you take any psych meds to treat your anxiety?

[treyjeff in reply to Moon_Glitter]

Not yet no however my therapist recommended I do