Hi,
I am sorry to hear about the pain you are going through presently. Remember that I am just another user on the forum like you, that is, not a professional but I can somewhat relate to what you are saying. If you refer to mental illness, people automatically jump to "oh, there is a problem with your mind". However, what goes on in the mind, can present itself physically. I am going go skip over things like psoriasis, eczema and other similar diseases that can be related to stress, and will the stick to other physical symptoms I presented before seeing a GP. These were really tight chest, racing heart, feeling empty, sore stomach, sensation of lump in the throat, constantly tired, restlessness. Disturbed sleep. I have also had numerous blood tests to see if there was/is anything in that area that might contribute to the way "I am". These relate to vitamin levels in my blood and bodily function (eg liver, etc) which can contribute to tiredness etc. In my mind (at least), my body was telling me something was not quite right and needed attention.
The good (?) news is that you can talk to friends about it. Secondly, can you also speak to a GP about it, and you could speak with a psychologist or similar. They will be able to give you the tools you "need" to manage and/or restore some sort of balance to your life. In the case of my psychologist, I use CBT and mindfulness techniques. You should be able to find information on this in other threads. Again, in my case it is finding and using distraction tools to get me back to the present moment, and not to worry about things that might never happen.
If you have any questions, please post, and someone if not myself will answer. You will find this to be a safe and non-judgemental place to "chat", and anyone who posts or replies will offer whatever support they can. Even if it is only listening.
One final note... I find writing here therapeutic also. In my head things are scrambled. But if I can put pen to paper so to speak, I can look at things more objectively.
All the best,
Tim
