I just find it hard to believe the doctors and my peers that this is JUST anxiety

[GfunkAnxiety]

Been to the doctors about 7 times since a huge panic attack while on Roaccutane. Ever since the "symptoms" I have experienced have been endless and a nightmare. Stiff neck, achey jaw, shootings pains everywhere, hand pain, ankle pain, twitching arm, tension, panic attacks daily, depersonalisation, headaches (changes location, would not class them as severe just achey, they seem to be wisdom tooth caused or grinding caused as they make me grind my teeth more) and just new today goosebumps on my head.

Doctors always reassure me it is anxiety and so do my peers (and this forum) I hope the CBT I have booked will help me. I just find it nearly impossible to believe everyone and feel like I KNOW there is something terribly wrong with me and that I will die...

Horrible phase of my life. I wish I never touched accutane! I had anxiety in the past but NO WHERE NEAR as intense as this. It has totally ruined my life and I have not been able to do my old things such as gym and uni work. I find it hard just to feel human right now (feel like I am in a huge dream and detached) When I start to enjoy a song it is like a massive relief because I feel slightly like myself again only to feel a shooting chest pain or neck ache etc etc then be back to square one (sat in a daze analysin my body)

[jonjones]

Hey,
It is just anxiety. The reason, I am guessing, that you find this hard to believe, is because no one has explained how your nervous system works, or how it´s controlled by your emotions etc.

Do you feel like there is something wrong happening to you? Do you have strange physical symptoms like palpitations, tension, excessive sweating, the shakes or other unpleasant sensations that you can´t find the meaning of?
Do you feel like you are in a battle against your body and mind? You´re heart may beat so fast you are convinced that you are having a heart attack. You may even visit your doctor and get tests done and are told that everything is fine. But you don´t feel fine. You know that there is something wrong with you, but you dont know what!

You may be quietly going about your day, minding your own business, when suddenly you feel a wave of panic sweeping over you. It´s a very frightening experience. You feel panic and fear but for no apparent reason. You just can´t make sense of it. So you are left scared and confused. And don´t know which way to turn. Nobody seems to have the answers you´re looking for.
This isn´t a nice situation to be in. I´ve been there and it´s horrible to say the least. It´s amazing how fear and panic can suddenly come into our lives. It´s like watching a horror movie. The ghost appears, your heart starts to beat fast, you become apprehensive, thinking whats going to happen next, will something terrible happen. Your breathing becomes shallower and faster, you may even start to sweat, and become tense.
Horror movies can be very frightening to watch. Personally I´ve never been a big fan. I´d much prefer to watch a comedy and have a nice laugh than to subject myself to feeling scared and apprehensive for more than an hour. If I´m watching a comedy I laugh to myself and feel relaxed and happy. Isn´t this much better!
Comedies give me good emotions, laughter, amusement, fun, happiness and this make me feel good and relaxed.. Whereas horror movies make me feel a little scared, apprehensive, confused and a little worried. And this makes me feel anxious.
The reason for the different reactions to the different types of movies is because our bodies record our emotions. When we feel emotions such as fear, anger, frustration and so on, our bodies via our nervous systems record these emotions. It starts as an impulse in the brain which travels through nerve channels and goes to different organs and glands in our bodies.
The emotions excite our nervous system which stimulates organs such as our hearts, kidneys, bowels and lungs, to name a few. And it also stimulates glands such as our tear glands, sweat glands and adrenal glands. This is why we get physical symptom like palpitations, a churning stomach, tension and so on.
When the movie finishes however then we stop experiencing these emotions and our nervous systems calm down and everything goes back to normal. The problem with anxiety sufferers is that we unknowingly subject ourselves to our own personal horror movies. We feel anxious and over-react to things, our bodies record the emotions, cause the symptoms, and then we become alarmed because we have these strange symptoms.
Your heart beats fast, you sweat, you may shake, your stomach may churn and so on and this scares you. And the emotion of fear further stimulates the symptoms. This gives your body a lot of work to do. It is working overtime recording all these emotions, so naturally it becomes tried. It becomes fatigued.
And when it becomes fatigued it stops working properly. Whereas before a small emotional reaction would hardly be recorded ,now it is recorded at a higher intensity. You have a small worry such as ¨What if I don´t get to work on time?¨ And you feel anxious. Before you´d be able to dismiss little worries without a second thought but now you become consumed by them. And as you think them you have the symptoms which makes the thoughts seem very scary.
You may even just be concerned with the physical symptoms themselves. Your heart palpitates and you worry about it, you become scared. And as a result it beats faster. You get caught in a cycle of fear adrenaline fear. You feel the symptoms, become scared, which releases more adrenaline, and then the symptoms get worse.
When your nervous system becomes tired like this it is called sensitization, because it becomes more sensitized to your emotions. This is why suffering from anxiety can seem so tricky, you feel like you are at the mercy of every worry you have. And you may feel trapped in your body and mind. You feel lost and bewildered.
But once you understand sensitiztion then you can see how you are unwittingly causing the symptoms to persist. And how by changing your attitude to them, by facing, accepting, floating and letting time pass, then you allow your nervous system to calm down.
So don´t be alarmed by these symptoms they are just a result of a tired body. There is nothing bad happening to you. Take deep breaths, exhale slowly, let go of yourself, stop adding more worry, and let time pass for things to calm down.
Your body is tired and can take time to respond to your new approach, but all the while the adrenaline will be lessening, and your symptoms will subside in their own time. Be easy on yourself. Stop fighting and stop trying to work everything out. Just chill and let it all happen!


Best,

Jon

[herbie73]

I can totally relate to nnot believing Dr, i may have well had my boobs checked by a butcher, i believed him at first then doubt crept back again , if I had been rational i would have totally believed him, but as I was at the height of anxiety i didn't believe him, its your anxiety doing it, they are professionals who have studied the human body for years we need to start trusting them, easier said than done I know, still having this problem myself, anyone who dosnt
suffer from health anxiety have no problem believing there drs, its just the way we are, hope you feel better soon xxxx

[GfunkAnxiety]

Wow thank you so much for that amazing reply. That post epitomises why I love this forum and I feel much better after reading that.

I can't thank you enough.

Take care and have a happy new year.


:yesyes: :D

[jonjones]

Youre welcome!!

Jon :)

[wnsos]

Jon's points are so spot on with anxiety. I think the problem is when we go to the doctors and they tell us it's anxiety, they use the JUST which our brains sort of take as meaning anxiety isn't anything as terrible as what we're feeling. But it is. It's a hell of a beast and I knew nothing of adrenaline before HA. Happy new year :hugs: you've got this.