what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?

[annabay]

hey there, what physical symptoms of anxiety do you experience?

I often feel very alone in my experience of having physical chest (what I think are heart) spasms and was wanting to create a space for everyone to list their physical feelings that come hand in hand with anxiety so we can all feel less alone.

hope everyone is well.

[blondguy]

Hi Bonzaroo
Welcome and thankyou for contributing on the forums!
Anxiety can manifest in various ways and perspiration is definitely one of them
After years of sweaty palms I knew there was a problem especially working in corporate when people notice like the chronic underarm persperation

You are spot on with taking on a different line of work! I also made the same decision as well and the soaking wet palms disappeared

I used to have chronic anxiety attacks that also lessened after changing my vocation

Great to have you on the forums😃

If you wish I hope you can stick around Bonzaroo! My kind thoughts

Paul

[ITnErd6]

Hi Sareus,

OMG, I read your post and Iv'e been getting blurry vision but not linked it !

It mainly happens in the morning when I first wake up and although I have glasses for reading I rarely use them. My glasses prescription is very weak, I really only use them for reading when there isn't much light. I was thinking my eyes must be getting worse but maybe its all linked to anxiety.

I've also just woken up from a terrible nights sleep, your description of an unorthodox sleep is perfect 🙂

I kept waking with night sweats and restless legs or pins and needles in my legs and hands. I feel short of breath but I'm starting to think thats not real, its just in my head because I walked up and down the stairs just fine to grab my laptop.

Not sure whats making me anxious this week though. Had a great weekend away with just my beautiful supportive wife and I'm not really working at the moment. Surely it can't be the one minor I.T. issue I was trying to solve for a client on and off for the last 2 days. Its just a minor email issue.

Maybe that is enough. Since a drama years ago my brain can't troubleshoot complex I.T. issues like I have been able to in my career. This is sort of what Bonzaroo and Blondguy were discussing above about certain jobs causing huge anxiety. I have been considering totally changing career.

I did briefly try Uber driving as I love cars and driving so I thought it would be a doddle. My first few days I was nervous but it went okay. Then driving through my first transition from daylight to night I got confused, disorientated, anxious. It was a crap 20 minutes. I switched the app off and sat on a beach for a few hours to recover. Eventually I found after a few more weeks driving I could stay focused. The money wasn't great during during the day so I started just driving nights. The money was better, the social interaction with people was great. It did start affecting my home life though being away from my family thursday, friday, saturday and sometimes sunday nights till 1 or 2 am.

These forums are so useful. Sometimes writing the reply is when I have revalations andlink things together.

thanks everyone 🙂

[Simonecs89]

My anxiety is:

-a tight chest

-I become aware of my breathing and I get lightheaded because it’s not regular.

-having to sigh constantly because I can’t take a full breath. This can go on for days or weeks at a time where something blocks my ability to take a full breath.

-if I can’t leave a place easily I’ll freak out and have an irrational feeling that I’ll be stuck or something will happen to me before I get out. Like for example an exam because ur stuck there before u finish, an appointment.

-vertigo

-visual aura (this one is rare but terrifying, I’ll get this once a year or twice a year)

-flight response where I just need to get out of wherever I am and get home or at least to a safe space like my car

-feeling like something is in my throat

-insomnia

-waking up constantly in the night

-sometimes I’ll become very chatty and fidgety, where I’ll play with my hair or rub my leg or something obsessively

-thinking the worst, worrying about my body failing and obsessive thoughts.

-stuttering

-not thinking clearly

-going into like an auto pilot mode and just doing the actions without thinking

-constantly eating or drinking to try and get rid of the symptoms

-wanting to be isolated and scared to leave

-diarrhoea (only on extreme occasions)

-Racing heart and heart palpitations

-my senses are heightened and I’m on edge like I’ll react to things like shadows thinking it’s something else

[blondguy]

Hello ITnErd6 and thankyou to Annabay for writing this great thread topic too!

You mentioned a very interesting point in your great post IT...."Since a drama years ago my brain can't troubleshoot complex I.T. issues like I have been able to in my career" This is very common ITnErd6.....I started to lose my 'edge' in boardrooms where my concentration was concerned...and it surprised me as I have the same dedication as you do

Everyone has varying levels of anxiety issues yet when we experience what you mentioned its our brain letting us know that it needs Time Out and some help (even a GP is a bonus)....I didnt know about this in the 1980's and just kept going....which...(for me) made my anxiety exacerbate..unfortunately ...Great post ITnErd6!

Hi Simonecs89...Thankyou so much for your helpful post and being a part of the discussion 🙂

I understand your anxiety symptoms...I used to have chronic anxiety for a few years followed by moderate anxiety issues...ugh!

The breathing can be a pain....It can be scary yet its only our system being so oversensitised our adrenaline makes our muscles tighten which has a direct effect on our breathing....In a nutshell.....Our feelings/symptoms are making our breathing worse for us

You mentioned one particular symptom that has been with me for 37 years Simone..even though I have been doing well with treatment for the other symptoms you mentioned

"flight response where I just need to get out of wherever I am and get home or at least to a safe space like my car"

This is a huge problem that can have a profound effect on our ability to function well on a day to day basis...Ive been seeing my GP every 4-6 weeks for 22 years for a fine tune...and my psychiatrist when required..Great post Simone and I really hope you can stick around the forums...only if and when its convenient for you of course 🙂

my kindest

Paul

[Simonecs89]

Thankyou so much for your reply back! You’re response made me feel not so alone, and also hopeful. I also forgot to list sleep hallucinations, I just woke up to what I thought was a spider coming at me. This is on bad days. Also chronic neck pain 😞 ahh anxiety is the worst right!?!

[blondguy]

Hi Simonecs

No worries at all and thankyou for the kind feedback too 🙂

The nightmares are awful...I hear you there! They do reduce though when we start to heal....Just on the neck pain...this is also very common as our muscles are all tight by being anxious...

I have learned that the earlier anxiety is treated (yes...that takes patience...time and determination to heal) the better our recovery will be....I wish I knew that when I was in my 20's in the 1980's....doh!

Also....the more frequent we see our doc (even a GP can be GOLD) the better our recovery will be

anxiety is the worst....I was an idiot an tried to self heal for nearly 10 years.....Didnt work....my anxiety only became worse until I started to see my doc as often as I could....then the anxiety started to fade away..slowly

The sleep/nightmares are still only thoughts as when we have a 'tired' mind there will sometimes be these bad days

Great to have you as part of the Beyond Blue forum family Simonecs...You Rock!

Paul

[Bect]

Completely understand the need to know where exits/hospitals etc are!! I suffered my first panic attack almost exactly four years ago now. Going through a tough few days as mine usually manifest in chest pains of which I still fight with myself as to if they are ‘real’ or not!
sitting up in bed now feeling like I am ‘broken’! I thought I knew my body and it’s signs and symptoms then a slightly different pain throws me for a loop.
I suffer with endometriosis also and these pains etc seem to be associated with this diagnosis also. Can be really hard to read and understand. My symptoms can last for short periods of time or for days in and off. Completely exhausting!

[calmseeker]

Thank you Simonecs for sharing your anxiety symptoms. Two of your symptoms I share but rarely hear other anxiety sufferers speak of. I am referring to the visual aura symptom and the spider scenario on waking. I experience this also. This is precisely why these forums can be so great in helping us to not feel so isolated in our struggles.

Sending calm vibes to everyone.

CS

[blondguy]

Hi Bect and thanks to Annabay for writing this very helpful thread!

Welcome to the forums Bect and thankyou for helping others by being a part of the discussion too 🙂

These symptoms are awful....I used to have 'tight' breathing as a result of my adrenaline being in excess with anxiety attacks...

You are stronger than your anxiety is Bect....Do you have a GP that has provided an opinion about your chest pain?

I hope you have some peace in 2020 and Happy New Year!

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Bect]

Thanks Paul,

I have a great GP which is fantastic and huge support around me.
i am truly grateful for all that I have and am able to accomplish. I have a job that I love, work colleagues and friends who I can talk to and support me. There just seems to be a few times where it hits me out of the blue and I was tonight drawn to this site.
I try to be the strong one for my mum and not worry her with my symptoms etc. I have become very good at masking over the last few years. She doesn’t need the added stress of knowing how bad it can get sometimes.
I have been through a while barrage of tests including a heart halter to check for any indication that I have any underlying conditions all at which have come back with fantastic results.
I have always tried to be a grateful person and am someone who does everything for others. I forget to take care of me.
I refuse to let these symptoms and diagnosis define who I am!

Sorry, I guess I just needed to vent earlier.