Does anyone elses anxiety morph into different fears over time?

[GeorgiaA]

My anxiety started with a fear of choking. It started when I was 17 and within a week of so of fearing choking while eating I couldnt eat anything but soup and milkshakes. This was the basis for my anxiety for about three years, and I developed a coping mechanism. I would gradually increase in difficulty the foods I was eating over time, i would distract myself while eating and eventually i got to a point where i could panic while eating (as i swallowed) and still finish the meal (which was huge for me). I feel like that anxiety, while its still there, is fine for me because its manageable. However in the last few months I developed an allergy anxiety fear. It started because I was being put on roaccutane for acne, and I was scared of how strong it was and that Id have an anaphlyactic shock reaction. My throat felt tight every single day, or as if there was a niggle at the back of it or as if it was closing, even when I wasnt eating. It would get worse as I ate, even with foods Id eaten before. Now Ive started to fear getting panic attacks, so when Im in a crowded silent room I have to talk myself out of thinking about it for ages. Im scared when I have to do presentations or speak to my classes at uni Ill have a panic attack or faint, I literally always think about it and my throat always feels tight whenever I eat. Has anyone elses anxiety changed in this way?

[lofwyr]

My anxiety has had many foci over the years. Sometimes it was fairly normal, like tests or speeches in university, or just a pressure to perform well. Then there is the health anxiety, which has manifested for many reasons over the years (I am 45 now).
And then there is my anxiety for other people. Worry about my wife and kids and parents. Are they happy, healthy, doing well in school etc.
I have developed coping mechanisms, and I am much better than I used to be, but it still spins out of control now and then.

[GeorgiaA]

Thanks for your reply, its good to know it isnt just me but its also worrying that this could continue for my whole life, i tend to take on other peoples anxieties when I read about them thats why i refrained from these websites until now :')
I think as soon as I develop a coping mechanism ill be okay, thats how I stopped stressing all the time about my choking anxiety. The thing is with the anxiety that ill have a panic attack, it happens whever im in lectures or crowded silent rooms and I have no way to stop the throat tightness yet, do you know anything I can physically do to try and stop it once the thoughts start?

[lofwyr]

Sonethibg that a therapist told me once really helped me through anxiety. She said when you are having a panic attack, just let it happen and remind yourself "it's just anxiety."

Now that sounds a bit silly, and was not easy to do at first, but when I could really just get my mi d to believe it is anxiety and no big deal, I would say about seven in ten times I am able to stave it off.

[vicky23]

Yeah definitely had a few different 'phases' with anxiety

[GeorgiaA]

Yes thats what I try and do, whenever my throat feels tight or I feel myself starting to panic I can usually say to myself, this is just anxiety and i read 'you cant think yourself into your throat closing' which i repeat to myself. But because ive never had a panic attack to the point of not being able to breathe, I think thats why im so scared itll happen in class or something. I hate that you can think yourself into a panic attack, i feel like im just lucky ive been able to stop it before its actually happened so far, and that when im actually under pressure (like to do a presentation I have soon) I might not be so lucky