Hello! Sorry for this long post. I am usually an anxious and stressed person, always have been. My anxiety started to become a problem 2 years ago short after a car accident (it wasn't a serious one, I just had my arm broken). I started thinking that something bad is going to happened (usually crazy things, like strangers wanting to hurt me out of nowhere). A few months ago this thought went away. I guess I had other things to stress about (I finished medical school in summer and had my final exam in November). Anyway my life was looking the way I wanted to. Nothing to feel bad about.
In January I started working in the hospital and in the second week I had a very intense panic attack (I didn't see any bad cases, and I wasn't feeling stresed). It happed out of nowhere as I was waiting for a friend in a coffee shop. I felt chest pain, was very agitated, shaking. Since then I cannot stop thinking about having an heart attack. Medically I know it's not possible, but I cannot stop thinking about it (I am 25 years old, I have a normal weight and the only risk factor is smoking). Since than I started to smoke less, drink less coffee, eat healthier, sleep more, but I still don't feel good. I had a few other attacks since then (much easier to manage) and I feel strange (dizzy, my stomach hurts, feel like throwing up sometimes). Another strange thing that I feel is that sometimes I have the impression that I am living in a dream, that everything I see and I hear is faded and foggy.
I don't know why I feel this things all of a sudden. I have nothing to be unhappy about. I have support from family and friends. I live with my boyfriend and my car and we have a happy relationship. I realise that I have a psychological problem but I still cannot stop thinking that I am having an heart attack and I am gonna die. I also feel so ashamed that I generally have a good live and waisting it thinking of all the bad things that have a small probability to happen and there are people out there with so many problems that never complain. I also feel bad that after so many years of working hard to be where I am with my career, I cannot function at my full potential.
Is anyoane out there that have experienced same feelings (mentally and physically)? It wold really help me to know that I am not alone. And also do you have any suggestions about what should I do to make things a little better?
P.S. I am going to therapy in two weeks.
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Bciaap
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It all started with the trauma of your car accident. This caused you stress and worry. You don't say if there were other stress factors in your life but the car accident alone could well have shaken up your nervous system causing you to be fearful that some similar trauma could strike you again.
Over sensitised nerves can cause negative changes on the way we view things. We can become obsessed that any small health problem is a sign of some serious, even terminal, illness. We consider ourselves to be in danger when in fact the chances of being harmed are very small. And then our over sensitised nervous system starts to mimic organic illness with fake symptoms. Which is to say symptoms like stomach ache and nausea for which there is no physical cause.
The feeling of living in a dream that you mention is known as derealisation, it seems like you are watching everything on a TV and are not personally present.
All these nervous symptoms cause fear which causes more nervous sensitisation which causes more fear which causes more nervous sensitisation in a never ending circle of anxiety. By now the trauma of the car accident is forgotten, the vicious circle of symptoms-fear- nervous sensitisation becomes self perpetuating.
What to do? First visit your doctor and describe your symptoms: he or she may send you for tests. This is for reassurance as it's most likely no physical cause of your symptoms will be found.
Second, don't feel ashamed: anybody can feel what you feel and many on this forum have experienced the same symptoms of health anxiety that you are experiencing. You are far from being alone.
Third, always remember that the copycat symptoms of anxiety disorder are not life-threatening, they will not send you crazy or make you disabled. You are certainly not going to die, that is just an exaggerated fear caused by sensitised nerves.
Fourth, in order to stop generating anxiety hormones like cortisol and adrenaline you should overcome your fears. Fear is what sensitive nerves thrive on, if you can free yourself from fear your nerves will return to normal and you will regain your peace of mind.
The way forward is to reorder your mind so that you can temporarily accept the bad symptoms as unwelcome guests that can do you no real harm because they are only blips in your nervous system.
Acceptance will gradually neutralise those bad feelings as so many others have who have passed this way. You will find all the answers you need on this forum - search and you will find!
Thank you for your informative response. I didn't think about this panic attacks being related to my car accident, because it was almost 2 years ago. But probably its more factors combined: car accident, started a new job, my self confidence issues (I always need reassurance because I don't trust my judgement), genetics (all my female relatives are anxious). If you have any other tips about how to control my thoughts and emotions I am oper to hear.
Hope you have a nice day and are in a good place right now. Thanks again
My point is, the original cause (the car crash) is no longer the cause of your anxiety disorder: it seems probable to me that you seem to be stuck in a self-perpetuating cycle of symptoms causing fear causing more nervous sensitisation causing more symptoms causing more fear etc etc
My suggestion would be to cure the cause (nervous sensitisation) not the copycat symptoms. This can be achieved through accepting the symptoms temporarily without further fear to let your sensitised nerves recover.
You described my situation perfectly. That's exactly what is happening to me. I know that. I will try accepting them. I will start meditation again and I hope that also therapy will help me. Thank you again for your time to answer! You are a beautiful soul ❤️
Acceptance (for the time being) is central to the therapies for anxiety disorder supported by many therapists and authors of self-help books. I wish you God's speed for your recovery.
All the symptoms you have described are very common The unreal living in a fog feeling so many people have itJeff has replied so there is nothing I can add he is amazing It is all about losing the fear the feelings are so rotten but they won't harm you
Have you learned how to cope with them or at least make your life easier? I read that empathic persons that work in medical field are more likely to suffer health anxiety.
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