Anxiety/Health Anxiety

[Anxietyisthemonsterhiding]

Hey everyone, I’m new to beyond blue! I guess I’m here seeking others that may experience what I do on a daily basis. I guess I’ve had anxiety my whole life but over the years it’s gotten worse. I’m 22 years old and I am so over feeling this way. Lately my annixety has been very health based. I will get so many symptoms, I get chest pain, acid reflux, aches and pains, my eyes sight has been effected I get visual floaters, after images, my eyes suck coming in from dark to light more so then I ever remember before this bad bad anxiety, I get headaches, I get sweating, I get heart racing, sometimes it even wakes me up in the middle of the night straight from sleep, I get panicking for no reason, I get the real flight or fight where I will run. I will be fine and start thinking about how this isn’t normal to be okay and that I’d usually have a problem and I almost talk myself into it. Lately thought it’s truly the health based stuff that gets to me. I have chest pain, I think heart attack. I have a head ache I think brain tumour, I feel like I can’t breath and I assume a allergic reaction to something or mostly any symptom I get I assume death is coming. It is so draining and I am over it. I’m even starting to not want to take any medicine or eat new foods and stuff due to thinking I might have a reaction to them and die. It’s like my anxiety has gone into over drive and it effects my life to no end. When I was on antidepressants I was fine. I didn’t worry about this stuff and if I got a head ache it was just a headache! Does anyone else have these issues/hyperchondria. If so how do you cope, what have you done to help yourself. Would be licensed to have someone to talk too. Sorry if this is in the wrong bit.

[PamelaR]

Hi Anxietyisthemonsterhidinginmycloset

Welcome to our forums. It's good you've found your way here. Health anxiety is the pits hey? It is manageable though.

I'm not a health professional and suggest you seek guidance from your doctor to get a diagnosis and who will most likely refer you to a health professional for further assistance.

I can relate to how you are feeling though as I get health anxiety, especially when the doctor doesn't know what's wrong with me and sends me for tests at the hospital. It is frightening. Interestingly my symptoms for referral were not the cause of my health anxiety, that only happened after the referral.

How did I help myself through the anxiety? By doing a lot of different things. At first I thought about going to my doctor for anxiety medication, but chose not to. I put into practise all the Self help tips for managing anxiety that you can find under the Anxiety forum which you can find by searching or looking under the Mental health conditions category. For me, the most affective tip is the slow and regular breathing, along with changing how I think about things.

You're not alone in how you feel. Keep reaching out if and when you want to.

Kind regards

PamelaR

[Anxietyisthemonsterhiding]

Hi PamelaR and thank you for your response. I have been on medication but came off a year ago and since then have gotten bad! I am trying a phycologist first as I don’t think medication is the answer and I fear it just masks the problem and doesn’t actually dig deep enough to solve it. Thank you for the tips, I also think the breathing techniques are a great idea. Also yes the changing your thoughts and behaviours is a great idea too. I think my worst thing is I will keep thinking about it and work myself up a lot more then I should. I’m also 30 weeks pregnant so that’s really not helping at the moment! I hope you are doing well and continue too. It sounds like you are kicking butt!!

[sharpie2]

Hey Anxietyisthemonsterhidinginmycloset,

I think you're the best person I can relate to so far since I've started reading the forums. I was diagnosed with anxiety and mild depression mid last year, not on medication but had psychology for a little while. I have health anxiety and my Mum and brother think I'm mad. Much like you I live day to day thinking about what's wrong with me (and I've had tests done all clear). I live with the same visual symptoms as you do and it's so annoying! Floaters suck and after images are frustrating. I've had my eyes tested and nothing to see there. This anxiety affects my work because my mind is always racing thinking about my symptoms. It's a bottomless pit sometimes. I've also had on and off bad guts, acid reflux, tight throat, hot and cold flushes, muscle weakness and/or tremors, trouble concentrating at times and stumble my words when I'm anxious. I guess we just need to see it as yes, these things are real and that they are really happening but it's about how we combat our minds. It's hard, debilitating, and depressing I know, but it's all about finding the mental strength to beat this, and taking small steps in the right direction.

Keep your head up!

Sharpie

[Anxietyisthemonsterhiding]

Hey sharpie, thanks for your response. It’s so nice to have somebody to relate too. I get everything you get and more which I’m sure you do too, it truly is never ending.

Im the same! I’ve had my eyes tested and they are normal yet the after images and floaters are always there and they never go away! It’s just so draining. I hate it. The symptoms are all real, I think our Brian’s are just super sensitive and super switched on all the time kind of like being in over drive 24/7. I get times where I just feel so out of it and drained because it’s like I’ve been so so focused on every little thing each and every minute of every day and I just feel slow and sluggish. When I move my arms I can see the trail of my arm if that makes any sense at all. I’ve had all symptoms that come up to do with anxiety. I don’t think it’s in our head, I think that our minds just focus on it more so then other people. It’s just so annoying having every test result be clear yet still not being able to snap out of it all.

My family also thinks I’m crazy. They laugh at me all the time and say about how ridiculous I am, but everything I feel is so real and scary. They just don’t get it.

I hate it all. I feel like I don’t do anything I used to do, and that everything is such a challenge. I used to be so happy. I just want to live life without the fear of dying. I rest hope you are okay and that things look up for you and you can over come this. I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone and I’m sorry you too have it. I’m also 30 weeks pregnant so that’s not helping at the moment haha. Depression makes you want to cease to exist, then anxiety goes wait but what if you die, never ending loop isn’t it!! Just like being in a rut I guess. I just keep hoping there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that one day this will all be a distant memory. I just know I need to be strong for my soon to be son. He is the most important thing.