Anxiety sure is a trickster

[anon99]

My chest started hurting like it felt like there was a lump or ball in the middle of it, so I sat in the car waiting on it to go away. It went. Then I got a pain in my head. Then my heart. It went, now there’s a lump in my chest again and I keep burping. 🙄 Gee anxiety, don’t you have something better to do than mess with me. Get a hobby. no but really this is how I’m trying not to get scared. My head does feel weird like fuzzy in the back now lol.

[Anxiousmermaid57]

Yes anxiety does play tricks on us. I get a pit feeling in my stomach and very nauseated. The physical symptoms we experience from anxiety are just plain crazy. Try some deep breathing exercises. I’ve been trying to practice them today and do them even if you’re not anxious. I have had multiple people tell me that practicing them multiple times a day helps you out and trains your brain how to relax. I’m planning to try this everyday to help with my anxiety.

[anon99 in reply to Anxiousmermaid57]

It is crazy! I wasn’t even feeling anxious when it hit me. Now my chest keeps feeling funny off and on. But that is a good idea, I’m going to do that.

[Anxiousmermaid57 in reply to anon99]

Yea I’ve experienced tons of symptoms with mine. Numbness tingling, nausea, heart palpitations sore tight muscles, chest pain, vomiting. The link between your brain and body especially with anxiety does baffle me. I am trying to learn what I can but I know that for now I’m dealing with anxiety everyday. Are you on medication or seeing a therapist?

[anon99 in reply to Anxiousmermaid57]

I am also. I’m sorry you’re also going through this. It’s really so scary and debilitating to say the least. I struggle to even shower.. I need to see a therapist but I have no money for that right now. I had to stop counseling because it was too expensive. I am on an emergency medicine a tiny dose of .25 mg of lorazepam but it doesn’t always help.

[Anxiousmermaid57 in reply to anon99]

I used to be on Xanax and had to come off it as it ended up making my anxiety worse and literally made me feel like I was losing my mind. Yes it’s very debilitating at times. Take it day by day. I used to struggle to do a lot of things. I struggled to shower, cook, just to really function. I am no expert by any means but I know how it feels for the anxiety to feel crippling.

[anon99 in reply to Anxiousmermaid57]

After the anxiety leaves I get smacked with depression and just wonder “why am I like this” “why can’t I feel normal” then I just wanna sleep because of how exhausting everything is. It’s good to know I’m not alone. xx

[Maxyz3 in reply to Anxiousmermaid57]

I wake up to like a fist in the pit of my stomach most mornings, then i have gas once i get up i find a hot cup of tea helps.. Is this what your experiancing ? I am nauseated most of the time.

[Noz29 in reply to Maxyz3]

I feel sick to my stomach as well. I bloathe so much when I feel anxious and panicked. (which Is on a daily basis for months now. Feels like I'm losing my mind) my belly hurts a lot and is very tight. But only when I'm panicking. I have very tight chest since March and am unable to get enough air into my right lung. They checked me out and can't find anything other than anxiety. I do hyperventilatie heavily and when I eat fatty foods I feel like being suffocated.

Does anyone else hyperventilate and has chest pains and unable to breathe after dinner? It starts like 30 mins after dinner and my stomach is like a balloon all of a sudden. Wow. I've never experienced that before. Diaphragm and ribcage are also very sore.

I drink fresh ginger and camomile tea with a bit of fresh lemon. Sometimes mix green tea. It's the only tea my body wants when I'm so naeouseaous. Why is this? There must be something good in this type of tea.

Does tea help anon99?

[anon99 in reply to Noz29]

I’m not a doctor but if it’s after you eat it could be some reflux or heart burn.

Mine is just randomly through the day. I’m unsure if tea helps, the only thing that helps mine is to distract myself if I can. So sorry I can’t be more of a help. 😔

[Noz29 in reply to anon99]

Oh no I have it the entire day. Unfortunately. And it sucks big time. It's making our lives hell at times. But it gets worse after eating. I get out of bed with this tight chest and I go to sleep with it. And I have nocturnal panic attacks as well. Sometimes I feel like I can't take anymore. I feel like I'm floating or aren't in the present. A constant fear that something is going to happen. So it's not just only dinner. I wish it was. Then I would be able to handle it if it was GERD. is there anything at the moment that seems to help you? Sorry you have to suffer this

[anon99 in reply to Noz29]

Oh darn. Me too I have it as we speak. Grr. Honestly nothing really other than reminding myself I have it daily and if it were serious something would have happened when I first felt it.. But even then my mind tries to scare the shit out of me and wins the majority of the time.

[Noz29 in reply to anon99]

I feel ya! How long do yours last? Sometimes for hours as well? I go from complete chaos panic attack to severe anxiety, to mild anxiety and then back to chaos. The entire day.

It's hard for me to believe anxiety is this strong with all the physical sensations. But I'm experiencing it. I was one of those ppl who would tell others with anxiety to just "breathe it off and relax" and I thought those ppl were overreacting. I never thought it would happen to me for one sec. I've been trough a lot, chronic stress and chronic nervepain from back problems at a young age. But I was keeping things together. I was strong.. So I thought. And then covid 19 pandemic happened and something just snapped in me in March. And it's been there since. I think I've been in a psychosis for 2 months. But I was aware of it. So my gp says it can't be a psychosis then. I'm getting help from a psychologist when the waiting list ends.. That is about 30 weeks!!! I have to wait that long to get help.

Do you receive help? Is there anyone who understands you? Or do you feel alone in this as well?

[anon99 in reply to Noz29]

Sometimes minutes, sometimes hours. I’ve had it since I woke up today. 😭 Me too though, eventually at some point during the day I have a clear mind and everything feels normal. Then right back into the panic we go. It’s crazy how our minds are against us.. and I’m so jealous of everyone out here doing things living life. And I’m trapped in my home scared.

[Maxyz3 in reply to anon99]

You said when you have a calm mind you have a good day. There is the answer to getting better. Stp the worry..thats the main cause of anxiety. Yell at yourself and say stop! Im not going there and going to have a peaceful day. We do this to ourselve by overthinking, mostly negative thinking.

[anon99 in reply to Maxyz3]

Thankyou. Sometimes I do. I get angry and yell at anxiety and tell it to bring it on. I’m trying to get my thoughts under control. It’s easier when there are no symptoms.

[anon99 in reply to Noz29]

I’m also waiting on my therapy referral. Nobody understands me and I’m too afraid to speak about it because I already feel crazy. I just have this support group. Idk what I would do if I hadn’t found it two years ago.

[Noz29 in reply to anon99]

Are waiting lists that long there as well? Is there anyone you can write or email close to you? A family or friend. You can always talk to your gp about it. I know how you feel. We all do. Don't envy others. Cause you will get there as well and feel better. I take oxazepam when I have no choice or have to go places. I can take them 3 times a week. 20 mg a day. Cause I don't want to get hooked. Is that an option for you? To take the edge of?

[anon99 in reply to Noz29]

It appears so. Thankyou. I have a small dose of .5 lorazepam but I usually only take a half of that when I need it.

[Noz29 in reply to Noz29]

Sending you my love. I hope you'll feel better soon. I wish I could help you. But all I can say I know how you feel. You're a strong person. You're still standing. Try a hot bath, warm shower, rub your chest with ointments like tiger balm or warm creams. Put a hot water bottle on your chest. Cuddle it. Try positive affirmations. Try the Dare Response app, meditation. And breathing excersises. I know they don't always help.. But what if they do?

[anon99 in reply to Noz29]

I appreciate you. It’s worth a shot, isn’t it. xxx

[Noz29 in reply to anon99]

Yes! They're there for a reason I guess ha ha. I have a breathing app. I cuss and swear when I have to use it. I tell this app that it's useless and these stupid excersises won't help. But sometimes they do help! I'm so anxious clenching my yaw and my hands are spasming.. But I can feel them relax while doing the excersise.

Ppl talk about breathing excersises so much for a reason. You can go without food for many days up to 3 weeks, go without water for a couple but can only go without breathing for like... 2 mins or so? So it must be important. Maybe compare it to your heart. They both deserve a lot of care and a healthy living.

I choose not to watch TV anymore cause it's too much for my head. Focussing on the screen changes my breathing. I feel like a baby sometimes. Cause I have to tell ppl no quite a bit. No alcohol, no sugary drinks, no fast food, no movie nights that trigger my poor breathing like scary films. No bar hopping till early mornings.. (which gives me the shivers nowadays if I even have to consider doing this. It would send me straight into complete chaos. I was a huge festival guru. I went to every festival in the country until last year. But the crowds would send me straight into a panic attack now. Life has changed so much since these attacks happened. Sucks)

Instead I find stuff to do like going out in nature for a walk, drinking different sorts of nice herbal teas with some calming music on, pyjama parties, doing facials and nails etc instead of going out drinking till late and eating kebabs. And don't get me wrong.. I don't like doing these things at first. Cause I find it hard to enjoy life eversince. But I keep doing them where I can... Hoping and knowing someday I will start actually enjoying them again.

Changing my life. To find peace. It isn't helping yet.. But I know it will. I got a feeling it will. Living a more peaceful life.

It's sad to hear no one understands you. Have you tried talking to someone you trust? Or do you think they don't understand you? Do you have friends in your life or a family member you can try to get in contact with? It just breaks my heart when you said there is no one. You can always talk on here. For sure.

[Agora1]

anon, it can help to turn your attention to something else that requires concentration.

There's so much on YouTube to distract you that have nothing to do with anxiety.. Sometimes we just need a respite from our daily fears and symptoms.

Don't get into anything too deep but something amusing like the customers that

shop at Walmart lol xx

[anon99 in reply to Agora1]

Lol, yes I do usually try to go towards short films from tv shows on Facebook that I can’t get on tv when I’m feeling anxious or having thoughts but they try to creep in. that is funny lol the shoppers at Walmart.

[Agora1 in reply to anon99]

Hilarious and yet I had never seen a one while shopping there in the past. xx