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what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?

annabay
Community Member

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.

797 Replies 797

My physical symptoms include tightening of my chest, my heart is trying to jump out of the chest, shallow breath, at times difficulty breathing, clenched stomach, and visiting bathroom as if I had a gastro bug. I can’t think straight and am reduced to agreeing to everything, including taking blame for anything and nothing. My self-esteem and self-confidence during that time are equal to none. 
What helps me is trying to take deep, calming breaths. Preferably outside on fresh air. If I can, I do exercise as my elevated heart rate becomes the e.h.r. due to exercise, rather than anxiety verging on a panic. 
All slows down when I manage to gain back my confidence, by talking to others, and often normalising the situation with others help, just to hear that they are going through the same when facing a similar situation.

njanehel1
Community Member
I’ve been experiencing a tight chest, butterflies in my stomach & diahhroea for the past week - I’ve recently stopped pain & nerve medication and perhaps this is a side affect of coming off them. 
I currently still take medication - (PND 16 years ago) - wondering if anyone else has experienced these when coming off meds? 

Eagle2022
Community Member

Racing heart, crushing feeling in my chest, can’t breathe, churning stomach,

 

undisagnosedinsanity
Community Member

hey, when my anxiety flares up the physical symptoms i usually experience are blurry eyesight, light headedness, dizziness, shallow breathing, shaking, upset stomach and stuttering. absolutely hate it

MentalHealthWarrior11
Community Member

I feel a large range of physical symptoms, at least one or two all the time but sometimes all of them for weeks at a time

  • Heart palpitations
  • Sweaty and shaking hands
  • Nausea/vomiting and upset stomach
  • lump in my throat and feeling like crying.
  • Dry mouth/thirsty
  • Headache
  • More tired than usual

Freya1973
Community Member

When trying to sleep I get palpations and panic comes over me. Also trying to lose weight to feel better, I hope?

When I am trying to relax to go to sleep I am struggling with shallow breathing and tension in my arms and hands. 

Freya1973
Community Member

I get dizzy spells which are very unsettling and with that comes the tightness and the rapid beats even in my throat. I hope I am not alone in this.

criss
Community Member

Hi Annabey 

My physical symptoms are shortness of breath, feeling frozen mentally unable to to get unstuck from thoughts which are obsessive, recurring and debilitating. Looking for a sense of control and unable to see past it and let go or relax. Sleeplessness.

Macadelic
Community Member

Hi Annabay, I hope you're well. 

 

My physical symptoms typically include extreme nausea and what I believe to be anxiety tics? When I get what I think to be these tics, I blink extra hard and kinda scrunch my face up a lot (I think for some reason my face just begins to feel uncomfortable and I can't control it and when I realise its happening or someone points it out it makes it worse). I also shake a little bit