FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

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

I'm sorry to hear you are going through the same thing... but it's comforting to know that I am not the only one. I am taking magnesium tablets so I will see if that works.. It's the worst feeling in the world.... it's not painful but it's just not a normal feeling. I might try the spray too.

Hope you are keeping well and looking after yourself

blondguy
Champion Alumni
Champion Alumni

Hi Kat_k and everyone .It takes a lot of inner strength to post about our physical symptoms of anxiety

Hi Kat_k...your symptoms are the same as mine were and yes these are awful to experience. My symptoms started in my early 20's yet even GP didnt understand what I was goin through (in 1983) yet they do now know!

Just from my own lived experience Kat_k....

  • If our symptoms begin to have an impact on our ability to function on a day to day basis we need some help
  • The earlier we have our anxiety feelings treated the better our recovery will be
  • You mentioned 'And then BAM out of seemingly nowhere' these horrible feelings come back..and they will

I hope you can create your own thread topic as you will have the support from other members that have or have been experiencing the same. This thread does turn over very quickly thus making your post 'short lived'

Just a note....Its great to haver you as part of the Beyond Blue forum Family Kat 🙂

my kind thoughts

Paul

Dockley
Community Member

Hi everyone,

Its really comforting not be alone in experiencing these physical symptoms! As with other people I've had:

- Out of body feeling (everybody seems far away)

- Heart beating strangely intensely and erratically

- That rush of adrenaline like you're about to die

There are other things but these ones are the most noticeable. I also noticed that they build as I get more worried about them.

So I'm actually trying something new because I could see tha pattern where the more I avoided situations the more the sensations came back with a vengeance. What I'm going to try is leaning in to the feelings and getting intimately acquainted with it. Mindfulness I guess. And to start with, similulate situations (in my case public speaking) so I can practice with some safety so I can build up. Maybe I can get to the point of being bored by it - I don't know.

The image I have of what its like when I panic is like I'm walking on a tightrope over the grand canyon. As terrifying as that is, I'm hoping that if I gradually learn to 'surf' that feeling then I won't get in a viscious cycle of anxiety on top of anxiety...

i get bad health anxiety to,
but i don't look after my health....
i chain smoke and then freakout i'm not feeling healthy....

Hi Everyone and thanks for being a part of Annabays thread topic too!

Hi ange123....Welcome to the forums, any level of health anxiety is horrible to experience and many people also have the same. Cigarettes are a legal product and there is no judgment on the Beyond Blue forums for being a smoker

How arent you looking after your health? You are proactive with your health by posting on the forums and good on you!

Hi Dockley...Welcome to the forums and thankyou for your post too!

Dockley mentioned 'leaning in to the feelings and getting intimately acquainted with it. Mindfulness I guess' You make a good point as with calm and genuine acceptance (of our symptoms) we will find greater peace of mind

Good on you with being involved in public speaking

my kind thoughts....Paul

Cyanna
Community Member
Sometimes ill have what I believe to be anxiety or panic attacks; Ill randomly start uncontrollably shaking and crying (I usually go to a bathroom and cover my mouth so nobody hears me) , my chest will hurt and its hard to breath. It happens at least 2-3 times a week. I really want to know if anyone else has had this experience and if they know whats happening. Is it something to be concerned about?

Nick_Elixir
Community Member

I get butterflies in my stomach, heart palpitations, grinding of teeth, stumbling with words (which seems to make the anxious feelings worse and it's annoying).

Hi Cyanna....Welcome to the forums! I remember having the tight chest/breathing/shaking and it was awful to experience...To answer your question....yes, many people experience the same symptoms....Just from my own experience...if these symptoms start to have a negative effect on our ability to function on a daily basis.....seeing our GP is always an excellent idea 🙂

Hi Nick Elixir....Welcome and thankyou for your input! The heart palpitations are very common to experience as most of the time its our adrenaline working overtime...Yet the palpitations are awful to have. I used to have the grinding of the teeth as well and that was horrible Nick...This thread rotates quickly and its difficult to see replys as Beyond Blue are using an old forum platform

You (and Cyanna) are always welcome to start your own thread topic as you will have more individual replies🙂

I understand what many posters are going through as I used to have anxiety issues for 37 years

my kindest

Paul

SarahA
Community Member
First symptom of anxiety for me is diarrhea. The first day while I have diarrhea I start to loose appetite. In the evening getting a feeling like the life is miserable and dark. And when the time is for sleeping the insomnia attacks. During the night because I have nausea and the first day I am even vomiting.
The next day the nausea is here for whole day, the appetite is zero percent. And after the time is passing by, I am starting to control my mind and getting better for the next few days.

Guest9337
Community Member

For one type of anxiety response I get the sweats, a wave of adrenalin and a hot flush. This happens at least weekly.

Another type of response is, I hear and feel a buzzing in my head and fall down being unable to control my body except for speech, my vision narrows. This happens very rarely typically dental visits, invasive scans, that sort of thing.