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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

Rach93
Community Member

Hi, I actually just put a post up wondering the same thing about the burning sensation.

At the moment I have a constant feeling of burning sensation in my chest and also in my neck and back and its been happening on the left side a lot so I instantly think it’s a heart attack! It happened earlier tonight & again is happening now. It’s horrible but I am glad I have found someone who is experiencing the same thing as me.

Not_Batman
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Rach93 & bluemoonbluesky.

yes quite a common symptom the chest pain from just about everyone i have spoken to.

for me its normally always there, some days barely noticeable, other days the only thing i can focus on.

ive not had a heart attack before but im guessing its a lot worse than this.

Not_Batman

hohoho
Community Member

Hi Everyone of you beautiful people 🙂

I'd like to start by thanking each and every one of you for sharing your anxiety on here, you are helping me and everyone that read this thread more than you can imagine.

-Dizzyness, but not dizzy like im going to faint but a balance issue - but when I test my balance, of course there's no actual impairment.

- Heart thuds - Yes I have seen multiple cardiologists and yes i'm 100% fine

- Tiny digestive spasms, not painful, just like a blip. like a palpitation of the bowel. (usually followed by a fart!)

- Slightly blurry right eye - eye tests all clear!

- Aura migraine - entertaining at least! - triggered by a reflection of the sun off something. only happened twice but a little lie down in a dark room sorted them out

- Constipation followed by the squirts (that got sorted out by giving up lactose, turns out I had rid myself of the ability to process lactose after a bad gastro, I can still eat ice cream if I take a couple of Lactase tablets)

- Burning eyes - meh

- frequent hydration and the knock on effect of peeeeeeeeing - can't be too bad as we all know that you've got to keep hydrated.

- Full blown panic attacks - they are actually pretty easy to handle nowadays as they are a know adversary and I can beat them with breathing 6 in 6 out for as long as it takes.

- Sparkes in my vision (in the periphery usually)

- Fear - duh! totally irrational thoughts of doom/madness/failure/embarrassment/shame/guilt

- Burning skin for just a second, it could be an ear, a bit of thigh, a finer, a lip.

- Tight neck/back

- Overreaction to criticism

- Avoidance of places far away from help - but I like to get out into the blue mountains in the Troopy so pull myself together and just GO!

- The need to rub my head!?! that's a strange one.

- Shifting my stance and fidgeting CONSTANTLY - I have a sit stand desk at work, that helps.

- Fatigue - But I love a snooze so hey...

- heartburn - not much, only a short go at that one.

- underwater feeling in one ear. comes then goes just like that

- Craving for SUGAR!

- thinking I have Cancers, ME, MS, Fibrothingy, arthritis, stroke, dementia, malaria, covid, you name it, I can google it an have it in five minutes flat.

- Fluttering for just a second just below my ribs, not my heart, not my stomach, kinda gets my attention in a bad way, sets off the old adrenalin and doooooown we go.

Azza56
Community Member

Oh my god I relate to this 100%. I get random twitches and muscle spasms all over my body typically the eyes, stomach and pectorals. And I’m sure the stomach spasms contribute to the excessive gas and bowel movement. Not a day goes by where I don’t have a migraine a headache or a little ache in my temple (which I assume is related to neck tightness and me clenching my teeth together a lot). The actual attacks for me seemingly come out of no where and I don’t necessarily experience panic or anxiety with them except for the thought of, “no this is definitely a heart attack this time”. But 5 weeks into my experience with the physical side of anxiety and I’m still completely fine apart from being tired all the time and just sick of it 😂. I totally get the eye auras for example when I close my eyes I see lightning strikes or random flashes. I have adhd so I fidget and move a lot anyway but this has definitely worsened it. All day I’ve been shaking my feet as if it’s a mannerism. I always think I’ve got a cancer of some sort because of the constant fatigue and a occasional but too often nauseous feeling but at the same time I get random tingles/shivers on one side of my face and I instantly think I’m having a stroke. A good technique to help me shift from the stroke mindset is do Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers as quick as I can then name things around my room out loud as strokes make it so you can’t really recognise objects. I also get random pains just under the ribs where the spleen is and lower abdomen. I’m honestly used to it by now but it really sucks because I can’t enjoy my life 100% of the time anymore. But your post is the closest I’ve seen to the things I’ve been experiencing and it’s very comforting knowing that I’m not alone.

Hope you’re well and can overcome these feeling as I hope to do. 😊

My psychologist recommended 3 sets of 10 breathes so in 1 out 2 in 3 out 4 and so on it really does help and give me a sense of control.

ElliElliElliElliElli
Community Member

Hey, first time posting..

I have had GAD for what feels like my whole life and have panic attacks that usually involve heart pulpitations, excessive uncontrollable crying and difficulty breathing.

Recently I have started taking a medication that has resolved nearly all my physical systems!! But now when i am am using my coping mechanisms during trying times i randomly vomit? No other symptoms. Has this happened to anyone else who has found a medication that has helped their physical anxiety attacks? If so how do you handle it in social situations?

Thankyou.

I try the method of counting to four whilst intentionally breathing. Big deep breaths. It was so hard at first and sometimes it didn't work. be easy on yourself and understand it is a process and communicate where you feel safe to do so. You can do it! I am proud to say I have not lashed out in over a year now!

Arbs
Community Member

Hi all,

First time using this! And have read a few stories.
I’ve been living through hell the last 18 months. It all started from a antibiotic I was prescribed which gave me terrible side effects. From then on, I’ve not ever overcome them. I’ve been to the doctors more times than I can count. My current symptoms are;

contipation, indigestion, shaking, unable to concentrate. I feel weak some days, and tired. I’ve had many tests done, and the last resort is the endoscopy and colonoscopy. I’ve only just started to reliase I may have nothing wrong with me at all and it may all be in my head.

I’ll have days that I am fine, but most I get fixated on one small thing in my body and it’s on my mind all day which then results in panic and overthinking.

Ive lost 18kg since Dec last year, in which most has been within the last 6 months. I have fear of eating as in my head I think to myself what I start to feel yuck, so I don’t eat. I’ve tried all diets for what I may have (IBS C) but again, this May all be in my head.

I feel a little lost, and find comfort in this forum and hoping to have some people feeling the same.

For as long as I know I’ve always had a fear of getting sick. My mother was never nurturing and got angry with us kids if we were sick and I feel I’m walking in her footsteps. I don’t want this fear, it’s taken me to a dark place which know has given me anxiety beyond control.
Advice would be greatly appreciated 🙂

TX
Community Member

Hey,

Among other symptoms, I usually get cramps/tingling in my legs. As a tall guy with long legs, it's quite unusual. Kind of funny, actually. I suddenly feel very tall and that my legs are overly long, haha. Anxiety is weird, hey?

First time posting so I'll just share my 2 cents while I'm here. I've always been an worrier but have never had serious anxiety until Covid. Since October I've experienced crippling anxiety and panic attacks. Like a lot of these stories I have read, I felt like I was dying. However, I've also felt that with management strategies I've noticed considerable improvement already. I've stopped panic attacks altogether and anxiety attacks are fairly controlled. Keep moving forward, it's key to remember that there was a time before anxiety and there will be a time after.

Sending you all love today x

Rach93
Community Member
I have been having a weird tingling sensation in my legs and also sometimes it’ll start from my arm and go down to my leg like a chill sensation.. anyone experience this?

Sweesoft
Community Member
I also get that sometimes. And there are also times when it extends to my head/scalp. It's weird and scary because there's a thought that something serious might happen any second.