Needing help/reassurance

[Syd08]

H and thanks for reading,
I think I have GAD as I always ruminate over 'what ifs?' and think the worst case scenarios for every situation. My main symptoms are anxiety, irritability and sleep problems. It's always been manageable as I am able to calm myself down and distract myself. Recently however I've been obsessing over 'what if I have a rare mental health problem or am bipolar or schizophrenic etc' I often google symptoms and find that I can literary give myself symptoms. For example I was googling panic attacks even though Ive never had one I could feel my chest starting to tighten and hurt and had to come off my computer. For weeks at a time I convinced myself I was bipolar then bpd even though I don't really have any symptoms. Does anyone else get this?
My most terrifying new symptom however is that I get a weird feeling when I look at peoples faces. Whether it's someone I know or on tv, I get a panicky feeling in my tummy that there face is weird or not real and i feel a bit dizzy. It's not all the time and it often happens because I'm thinking about it but its very very scary as its so hard to explain and I feel like its definitely time to reach out for help before I completely lose my mind. Can anyone relate or reassure?
Thanks x

[Worrier12]

definitely seems like anxiety to me. I have health anxiety (I think). right now almost convinced I have a brain tumour. I can relate to the way your feeling in a different context.

My girlfriend is suffering with severe depression, and experiences similar symptoms to you however, in the same context.

[Beckybooboo]

Hi,

I'm really sorry to hear that you've been going through this.

I can totally relate to this because with regards to Dr Google, I have done the exact same thing and have almost lead myself to believe that I may have had something totally rare and out of the ordinary, I used to think I had bipolar, schizophrenia, etc.

I did suffer from this and then I began to realize that I had a case of mild depression, along with panic attacks and anxiety. After visiting my GP and being prescribed medication and CBT then started to realize that I was suffering from depression/anxiety.

Now, I'm in a miles better place than what I was and I put that down to leaving Dr Google alone, getting a clear diagnosis for my issues and going to CBT.

I wish you all the best,
Becky

[Syd08]

Thank you very much for your replies.
I have my first session with a therapist on Friday and really hope to start opening up and recovering properly. I did go to the doctors in February when the anxiety kicked back in and he prescribed me some CBT but I think as I have always been ok at managing it I didn't take it very seriously. I definitely feel like I might have some sort of depression as well as although mostly I feel fine, I have the odd spell of feeling a bit flat and my motivation has not been great for a while now.
I can see how easy it is to just plod along feeling like this and just managing it in your head but I'm realising now that we shouldn't just accept these problems and live with them, we should face them and try to recover as it is possible and we deserve it. It is not normal or ok to just struggle alone with depression or anxiety.
I wish everyone the best of luck in their own struggles and issues.
x