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.
My oesophagus just clamps shut and I can’t swallow, not even clear liquids will go down.
I could be eating soup and all of a sudden something will trigger my anxiety and I have to stop. At times I must bring it all back up as I feel like I am choking. I pace up and down until the feeling passes.
I have seen a gastroenterologist specialist about it and she confirmed that under stress, my stomach and food pipe clench shut. The feeling of drowning from a glass of water is simply awful.
And of course the very common tightness in the chest and hyperventilating. My lungs don’t want to inflate at times.
I get tingling down my arms and legs, get dizzy and must lie down.
I have had MRI’s on my brain and neck and inner ear which were inconclusive.
hello I read what you said and it sounds just like me, and yes the big 1 is chest pain and palpitations for me 2 and I dont sleep at night either I just think 24/7 that I am going to have a heart attack and die, its like a living hell and the docs meds dont help. I think I have death anxiety also known as thanataphobia. like you said its good to understand we are not alone so try to stay strong and live in the now instead of the future. but it is easier said then done.
I'm similar to you in that on the outside I appear "fine", successful, busy with everything going for me but the daily mental battle comes to a head where I just break into tears and am completely lost. Is this how you're feeling?
And because of the way people may perceive me, I find it hard to open up and be vulnerable to my family. I'm totally transparent through with my partner, I tell him everything (poor thing!! Ha!)
Physical symptoms often appear as shaky/nervy, feeling foggy and light and hyper sensitive about every little normal human ailment that most people ignore. Then it will pass... only to come back again at a vulnerable time.
It's comforting to know they will eventually pass when we're feeling clearer.
Currently, my anxiety manifests itself in awful, chronic migranes (also genetic), severe insomnia, stabbing stomach pains, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, constant hand tremors, earache (may be because of tinnitus though) and general fatigue.
Sleeplessness. I either struggle to go to sleep or go to sleep and am awake from 1-4am then time to go back to bed to try to function for work the next day. I very rarely eat, I drink too much (not alot in the grand scheme of things but too much for me). I get snippy and snarly and I don't mean to. Frustrated with the slightest thing. IBS. I've been through alot of issues the last few years and if the drs can't find something textbook wrong with me,I'm ying or looking for drugs. As a health worker myself I find this very demeaning and insulting. I used to get panic attacks when I was pregnant with my youngest son. As a single mum,Id fly off the handle easily. My eldest had anxiety now and he actually understands more about me know and that I wasn't just being a bitch. I get agitated if I am late as well. My partner is ALWAYS late and I get so annoyed. If I sit in a room,I have to face the door. I think that comes with the armed hold up...
I suffer with the dizziness too , I really get quite scared to stand up sometimes bc I think that I will pass out , I would love to know what you do for the dizziness xx
I also find anxiety can trigger my asthma, especially if I am feeling panicky or emotional. What a completely useless reaction by my body. I've always thought asthma just the stupidest way for the body to attack itself! One thing it does do though is bring your focus to your breath.
