breathing, swallowing even blinking!

[Bexx1]

Hi everyone
I am really struggling with being aware of bodily functions with anxiety. I have had breahing awareness for months which causes problems because I constantly think im short of breath etc and I have even got to the point where im aware of my muscles when i go to the toilet even blinking! I was handling these fairly well until last night when I got awareness of swallowing. Now eating is a source of anxiety for me because im worried about swallowing and its got to the point im even worried about choking on my own spit so that every single swallow is a source of anxiety! I am incredibly fed up and broke dopwn in tears earlier because I just cant let my body do what its meant too because im just so terrified of my anxiety killing me by making me choke on my own saliva etc I just feel so despaired im only 17 and I already feel like my life is ruined please help

[HoneyLove]

Hi Bexx, I'm sorry to see you feeling so bad. Your body & brain are wired up on stress hormones which is why you're so sensitive and self aware at the moment.

What have you been doing to reduce the anxiety? Have you spoken to your GP or tried CBT?

[Bexx1]

Hi HoneyLove
I started with a councellor at college last thursday and have an appointment each week. The swallowing thing only started yesterday though which is why its causing me problems at the moment. I have college this afternoon and im really scared about going in when im in this state

[HoneyLove]

The counselling is a very good first step, it will help you a lot. You also need to introduce some form of daily relaxation exercise that will help you unwind from that overanxious state. Meditation is extremely helpful, even just 10 minutes a day has a positive impact on your mental and physical health.

I would suggest listening to a guided meditation every morning before you get out of bed, and eventually learning to meditate on your own.

Exercise will also help you. Getting out for some exercise a couple of times a week will boost the hormones that make you feel good and help your body deal better with stress hormones.

On top of the counselling, exercise and relaxation will help you to come back down to earth again and feel less afraid all the time.

[RoseEve]

I went through this I was fixated on yawning, blinking, and swallowing. It will pass when you start obsessing over something else.

[Bexx1]

thank you for you replies. At the moment the main problem is swallowing i am so convinced that when I eat i will choke and die because i will bring it on myself from my anxiety. I now have the lump in the throat feeling aswell and i am just generally feeling awful because im so worried about my health all the time! My throat also feels strange which my mind is saying anxiety! but its adding to fear of eating and choking x

[Phuzella]

I suffered with this years ago, you can get better believe me. Just think how your body keeps you safe while you're asleep with no conscious help from you :)

[Bexx1]

thank you phuzella do you have any tips. I just tried to eat my dinner had one tiny mouthful and panicked because it felt like it was stuck in my throat. I also feel like I have really thick mucus there which REALLY isnt helping x

[Phuzella]

Basically it's a case case of trying to relax, easier said than done I know. Just have a small amount of food on your plate, maybe try and distract yourself, watch TV, talk to someone, anything to try and take your mind off it. Have you told your doctor about this?

[Bexx1]

no it only started yesterday evening. I was eating and then I thought what if my anxiety made me panic halfway through swallowing and I choked. Ever since then swallowing paticuarly food is causing me major anxiety cause im scared of choking to death x

[Phuzella]

Is there someone you can talk to about it? Your parents maybe? Or a friend?

[Bexx1]

I have told my family i was crying just now and my dad was trying to reassure me but I feel so despaired yet another symptom has come along and this one is really worrying me because im so scared about not being able to eat and i am just so fed up of anxiety i just want to be normal again i have barely managed a dollop of mash potato for dinner

[blue_tonic]

Hi Bexx
The swallowing thing i experienced, perfectly fine, I know its hard as anything to get though it. I tended just to take a deep depth and hold it for 10 seconds or so, plus I was inclined to think that, I thought I was choking, but I didn't choke, therefore I won't...

[Phuzella]

Don't worry too much about not getting much dinner down you tonight, try to keep your fluids up though, that will help with the thick mucus type feeling you're getting in your mouth.
Make an appointment to see your doctor, I'm sure you'll feel better talking to someone about it.

[Bexx1]

thank you both. I just feel so upset. I love food and now its causing me anxiety which really upsets me. Im so fed up with myself cause im the one that brought this on with my thoughts

[Phuzella]

Try not to worry, you'll get better :)

[saab]

When we are caught up in anxiety our tired mind jumps from one crazy idea to another. I can guarantee there will be another thing that you will focus on later in the week. This is how an exhausted, anxious brain works. If you don't have anything to worry about, your mind will find something. Perhaps it's because we think that if we aren't vigilant about every little bodily sensation we will miss a serious symptom. But what we really do is pick up on every tiny feeling and magnify it until it terrifies us.

Breaking the cycle of negative thinking is hard, but you can follow strategies that help. If you google cognitive distortions, it will bring up some sites that explain negative thinking. It's because we see things in a distorted way, not as they really are.

[AnxiousPansa]

I have this too at the moment :( just try to relax/distract yourself while your eating which I know is easier said than done. But if you take small well chewed mouthfuls theres absolutely no way you could choke. x