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.

[Haraldo]

Hello Calblue,

Taking a magnesium supplement helps me with sleep and anxiety.

But also there's a thread in the anxiety section here:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/anxiety/self-help-tips-for-managing-anxiety

there should be some good ideas in there.

Also I really recommend grounding techniques - look some up there's a bunch - keep practising them and they'll start to become automatic responses to panic.

H.

[Damien2812]

So are people generally anxious throughout the year if you have GAD? I haven't had fast heart palpitations in 3 years since I let go of my fiancee but have self doubted myself since that time on how do I move forward with GAD knowing that everything I do in life GAD finds its way into it making it hard for me to move forward.

[Moonchild 11:11]

Wow what a list! I am so sorry you have experienced these scary symptoms… I have a question if you don’t mind, do your symptoms only arise when you are notably anxious? Like, can you always identify a trigger? Or can they happen randomly even though you may feel calm? I have started experiencing chest pain and palpitations recently, They started out once a day and are now multiple times a day and not always with obvious cause… it makes it hard to accept it’s anxiety and not some awful underlying health condition 😟

[Moonchild 11:11]

Hi blondguy , are you able to explain the palpitations cause being adrenaline a little more, can we have these surges of adrenaline even if we aren’t feeling particularly anxious? This is a new symptom for me and I am struggling to understand why it keeps happening 😟

[Not_Batman]

Here is something I have experienced recently, which has led me to thinking about links to other physical feelings.

I hope it makes some sense for people to understand what they may be going through. While anxiety and depression are serious, and no laughing matter, they make us do or think some strange things.

So, i was cutting some wood, just getting into it, getting the job done, minding my own business, when i felt a panic attack coming on. I was pretty sure it was a panic attack, because i had had all of the same symptoms before. The numbness, the ill feeling, the sudden sweating, heart racing, and the shaking all in one go, so my mind was ready to hit the panic button.

I ended up sitting down on a log, and doing some breathing and mind exercises to bring me back into the moment. . Thinking about it, there was absolutely no reason for a panic attack. no triggers, nothing, but after my sit down, it all ended. Crisis averted. I decided to stop the chopping for a cup-o-tea break.

While having a cuppa, and a biscuit, of course i looked up the symptoms to try and find the cause. And as it turns out, i was suffering from low blood sugar. Guess what the symptoms are...excess sweating, hunger, fatigue, nausea, shaking, confusion, anxiety, palpitations.

i just said to myself "seriously, dude, take a Snickers next time!", followed by a shake of the head in derision.

I think the moral of the story is that because of past incidents the body is constantly on edge, and anything that can be remotely construed as the beginning of a new incident the body goes into panic mode. But taking the time out and bringing your focus back can show you the true cause.

Is it within your control or not? is it within your influence or not? are the questions I continuously remind myself of.

Stay strong, keep talking.

Not Batman

[Leostar]

I have been getting a really panicky feeling, feeling light headed, really nauseous & unable to eat much & very on edge. I have never had these physical symptoms before from anxiety, it’s such an awful feeling to have.

[Not_Batman]

Hi Leostar.

first post, high five!

yep, they are not the nicest feelings to have. Some of them can even make you question reality itself, which is quite scary.

acknowledgement of those feelings is a good start. Have you ever tried any cognitive behaviour therapy, or guided meditation? They can help to reign in those pesky feelings.

Talking it through helps too.

Not_Batman

[Leostar]

Thank you, yeah it’s not very nice at all is it. I have been trying some guided meditation & deep breathing, which does help sometimes. I just keep trying to tell myself that I am safe & everything is ok & it will pass (doesn’t always work). I have also been talking to people & opening up a bit instead of internalising it all as well. 😊

[Not_Batman]

Hey Leostar.

all steps in the right direction, so good on you.

unfortunately there is no quick fix. I wish there was, as im sure most of us do, but this just takes time. However, the techniques you can learn can make it easier to bring the focus back.

Not_Batman

[Meliss]

I had a massive panic attack yesterday while driving. I had to pull over, get out the car and was screaming at people to help me, it's so embarrassing. I had this sudden strong feeling of dejavu it scared me it was so strong and I was shaking and I couldn't stand my legs were like jelly. Then I sat down had some water while hyperventilating and a girl was so nice and sat with Me and called an ambulance and everything. She stayed until my partner got to us. That's me. I've been under immense stress. I think this was just the result of that. I feel ok today but just a bit tired. I have recently started exercising and I started jogging in bursts the last couple of days and then this happens. I hadn't had anything to eat or drink for 18 hours either. I put it down to a combination of all these things.