Need advice

[willmott89]

Hi I am a 24 year old male, have 1 daughter and a son on the way. Anyway, I have never been toto the doctors about my anxiety, so I thought I would list some things I experience to see if I have anxiety.
When I was 20 I was smoking alot of cannabis, then 1 day I had a real bad turn to it and could not breathe kept feeling dodgy sensations in my chest and quit straight away. Ever since then I have been having heart pulpitations, diahorrea, anxiety basically all the time and every time it happens I want to flee as far as I can when I start feeling it.
It seems to get worse of a night time when I am bored and my mind over thinks. Recently though I have been having other symptoms, like my muscles in my chest ache all day, I get headaches really strong (I think that may be from breathing wrong), back pain, burping alot and cant seem to stay still, always anxious.
I am abit scared though as I keep thinking to myself something is wrong with me and I am going to die. That is why I wont go to the doctors, incase i have a blood test or an ecg which shows something.
Thats all I have to say and will be glad for a reply, thanks:)

[markaymay]

Hi Willmott89! It definitely sounds like you are experiencing anxiety. What i would suggest first and foremost is to see a dr. so they can run some basic labwork, test your thyroid and do a cardiac workup on you. While this may be anxiety inducing and scary for you, you have to look at it this way... if the dr were to find something wrong with your health atleast you have found out now and havent let it go on for some time longer and if they find nothing which will most likely be the case, then that will take a good bit of your apprehension and anxiety away knowing you have no acute health problem. I would avoid all marijuana and alcohol as these affect your brain chemistry. Even though you may be used to having relaxing for calming effects from both, they provoke anxiety especially after the panic/ anxiety cycle has already started. For reassurance in the meantime, all of what you are experiencing can be related back to anxiety. your body is on high alert and your nerves are basically shot, chest discomfort is normal as it is only musculoskeletal in nature. in fact, true cardiac pain is rarely felt direct over or around the heart. This i know because i am a registered nurse on an open heart step down unit. I hope this helps!

[willmott89]

Thanks for replying so soon, I dont take marijuana any more and only drink on social occasions so I have no problem with that. I just cant get in my head that how I feel all the time is being caused by my mind, I am also going to build up the courage to go to the doctors and explain all the symptoms I have.
I just dont want to go in the labour room with my girlfriend in 7 weeks and have to flee the room all the time. Men are supposed to feel stronger, but I feel like a wimp.
Also if it is anxiety I dont want to be on medication all my life, is there other ways to shift it? I also get tingling fingers and hot and cold sweats too

[markaymay]

The tingling fingers and hot and cold sweats are both related to anxiety as well. I completely understand the not wanting to be on medication for the rest of your life and the need to feel strong. i am not a man but i was raised to always push through things and to be a fighter and i too struggle with feeling weak for feeling this way. But let's start with the doctors. The mindset you have to have when going to the doctors is this... so what if they judge me? so what if they think i sound like an idiot? so what if i get nervous and shaky and all my symptoms come back SO WHAT? I am doing the best thing i can for myself right now and taking initiative to do something about my condition and if anyone wants to judge me for that so be it but i know i am only doing what is best for myself. There are many many many other things you can do to help your anxiety other than being on medication long term. I will say that xanax as needed really does help. not as an every day thing but just when you feel the feelings of anxiety starting to rise. there is nothing wrong with needing something every now and then to help get you through. on the long term there are many supplements you can take to help aid your body back to natural recovery. Meditation, relaxation exercises, and books help too. I don't know if you have amazon but i have read quite a few some that i would suggest are Hope and Help For Your Nerves by claire Weekes and the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J Bourne

[willmott89]

Ok thanks for speaking to me rationally it really helps. I have a book calked Free from Anxiety, I just havent got round to reading it as I work nights. I really appriciate your comments and it has made me realise it probably is my mind and I need to start fighting it. I will ring the doctors next friday as its my next day off work. Thanks again for talking to me, it is hard when I dont really know anyone who has it. My mum had it last year when my uncle took his own life, so she does not talk about how itfeels, but I think that happening could of intensified mine too.
Thanks again, much appriciated