anxiety feelings?

[kellie39]

hi
ive never really had anxiety before but 3 weeks ago i started having really terrible health anxiety and got myself into such a state.
i went to the docs several times and they said they wasnt concerned by anything i was telling them but my mind was still in panic mode, i feel sweaty, shaky, on edge, weak ect.
my mind is slowly calming down (still have my moments) but my body is still feeling the same, im finding it hard to do anything during the day and my hubby is having to do it all and look after the kids.

is this normal to feel like this? does you anxiety effect you like this ?

how long does it take you to get back to normal? i have never experienced anything like this before and i dont know how to overcome it
thanks in advance for any advice

[ana]

What you are experiencing sound like anxiety to me, and it's very common. Whenever I panic, I get sweaty and shaky (that's all the adrenaline kicking in), and on the edge of insanity! I get feelings of depersonalisation as well, which is very unsettling and terrifying. However, this is how anxiety and panic attacks manifest, unfortunately, but it is what it is and you needn't be concerned. :)

As for how long it takes to get back to normal, I think that it depends on the day. At times I'd get anxiety that lasts for days, and other times I'd have a 5 minute-panic attack and no anxiety for months afterwards.

It may be useful for you to seek counselling, if you wished as talking things out really helps. The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. I've been suffering for 15 years and I'm still alive to tell the tale. :)

I hope you're feeling better!

[kellie39]

thank you so much

my head is clearer although i do still have the odd moment but its the feeling weak, shaky ect feelings that seem to be taking a while to settle. ive felt ina complete panic for just under 3 weeks and not managed to function on a day to day basis so i suppose the symptoms might take awhile to settle.
im just hoping these are anxiety symptoms as my brain cant take much more.

im not eating properly and all that stuff im sure you are the same, just hope they settle down soon

---------- Post added at 14:01 ---------- Previous post was at 13:57 ----------

my doctor has suggested CBT might help xx

[ana]

If this is the first time this has happened to you, it's no wonder you're completely freaked out by what your body is doing and by how you're feeling. My first panic attack was horrible, and I was convinced something was wrong with me. I spent 2 days in bed before eventually going for a CAT scan. At times, I have no appetite as well.

Please try and relax as best as you can by doing something that relaxes you and hopefully helps release the built-up tension. Working out always helps me. :)

I've never tried CBT, but lots of people find it quite useful. Myself, I prefer to talk it all out with my therapist.

Feel better! :hugs:

[nikki_louise_86]

this is almost exactly what started with me about 6 months ago i am still freaked out to be fair i get lightness sweating feeling as though i am going to pass out most days i am almost sure something is going to fail inside of me or i have an ill ness it has really taken over to a health worry i can barley do anything although now i am trying harder and sometimes it makes my day a bit better i should start therapy next year as i have a phobia of medication hope it settles for you x

[kellie39]

how long before the symptoms go away? my head is calmer although i do have my moments but my body is still having the anxiety feelings.

[Paul H]

Hello

The symptoms you describe could certainly be caused by anxiety. Now, there are likely to be some long-term problems which caused the anxiety and so I agree with those who suggest that you find a therapist to help work them through.

In the meantime I encourage my clients to use mindfulness in order to help with the symptoms. Anxiety isn't fun but mindfulness can help you learn to 'accept' and observe those emotions and feelings whilst you're doing work on eradicating the causes which lie behind them. Anxiety is the result of adrenaline and cortisol. They're chemicals which are causing a physiological response. That is all. You could help them to increase by telling yourself how awful the feelings are, that they'll last forever, that you're useless etc etc or you can use mindfulness to learn how to observe them, in the knowledge that they'll pass, and thus remove their sting and stop them spiralling out of control.


Give it a try. :)

[kellie39]

thats what im doing, im in bed most of the time because i feel weak and shaky and just keep wanting it to go away. its like when your getting over flu and you need to build your strength back up its that kind of feeling.
ive never had this before so im totally shocked by how bad i feel.

---------- Post added at 13:06 ---------- Previous post was at 12:44 ----------

Paul H
thank you for your advice, am i making it worse by focusing on it and laying around and thinking how ill i feel?

any advice you can give me would be wonderful, i was fine 3 weeks ago and now feel like this

[ana]

Kellie,

Sadly, there is no set time-limit as to how long it will take for you to start feeling alright again. You are currently overwhelmed with the way you are feeling right now, but when it comes to where your focus is, you said it best - you are making it worse by focusing on it.
Instead, acknowledge how you're feeling and simply move on with whatever it was that you were doing or need to be doing right now. Do the things you'd usually do if it weren't for the anxiety. Try and calm down in the meantime, if you can, by doing some deep abdominal breathing, stretching/exercising, cooking, cleaning, working... any 'normal' activity will do. You will feel the way you felt 3 weeks ago again, don't worry. It's only anxiety :)

[kellie39]

Kellie,

Sadly, there is no set time-limit as to how long it will take for you to start feeling alright again. You are currently overwhelmed with the way you are feeling right now, but when it comes to where your focus is, you said it best - you are making it worse by focusing on it.
Instead, acknowledge how you're feeling and simply move on with whatever it was that you were doing or need to be doing right now. Do the things you'd usually do if it weren't for the anxiety. Try and calm down in the meantime, if you can, by doing some deep abdominal breathing, stretching/exercising, cooking, cleaning, working... any 'normal' activity will do. You will feel the way you felt 3 weeks ago again, don't worry. It's only anxiety :)

thanks Ana
its the horrible wobbly, shaky feeling that im having problems shifting, if i could get that gone then i might be able to get back on track but yes laying in bed all day thinking about it isnt going to make it go away is it.
i need to try to focus on doing normal everyday things, i had that feeling when you 1st wake up and think is it still there? and then bam that horrible feeling is still there.

thank you for your advice

[ana]

Sure, and I'm glad you feel like focusing on everyday things. I'd definitely recommend you try and get back on track, as much as you can. You can start by doing odd bits around the house or going to the shops, anything that you usually do. If you work, go to work as having a routine helps bring structure to an anxious mind.

Oh yes, I'm all too familiar with checking in on how I feel only to find that the anxiety hasn't gone away.
However, nothing dangerous is happening to your body or your mind. It's just a cluster of negative feelings that will become easier to deal with as time goes by :)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Focussing on it is sadly part of the problem, we need to work towards accepting certain elements of these disorders and fixing others. But if you sit there all day I can guarantee it is all you will do as I've done that too and when I hit my worst periods (my breakdown and later relapse) it was exactly what I did as I was too afraid to do anything. Even brushing my teeth, eating & drinking, changing clothes, etc was an issue for me because any little change in sensation set off the warning bellls.

It doesn't have to stay like this though and you have done the right thing seeking help and joining here.

If you want to work on Mindfulness, see the link in my signature which has a load of free resources in it that you can download. It's a skill though and takes time to learn. For quickly relief it best to look towards relaxation exercises, guided visualisation, breathing exercises like Calming Technique, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), etc.

[kellie39]

can it really make you feel this bad?

i did make myself get up today and ive even been for a walk which did help.

i cant get over how much it has affected me and how long its taking my body to to recover

[ana]

Yes, it really can make you feel this bad, unfortunately. The joys of anxiety are so many! :) I'm glad to hear you went out for a walk. It's important to try and get back to normality. I know how poorly you are feeling right now as I've been there myself. As I'm reading your posts, all the memories of my relapses are coming back to me.

It's a shock to the system, anxiety is, and panic attacks affect you both mentally and physically, but you will feel better. You are not going to die and you are not going to go insane, just keep telling yourself that. I'm sending positive thoughts your way, and really wish you to get better as soon as possible! :hugs:

[kellie39]

Yes, it really can make you feel this bad, unfortunately. The joys of anxiety are so many! :) I'm glad to hear you went out for a walk. It's important to try and get back to normality. I know how poorly you are feeling right now as I've been there myself. As I'm reading your posts, all the memories of my relapses are coming back to me.

It's a shock to the system, anxiety is, and panic attacks affect you both mentally and physically, but you will feel better. You are not going to die and you are not going to go insane, just keep telling yourself that. I'm sending positive thoughts your way, and really wish you to get better as soon as possible! :hugs:

thank you Ana
its good to know im not going crazy, i do feel clearer and just need my body to recover now. still feeling a bit shaky ect but i suppose if ive been panicking for nearly 3 weeks then it will take my body a while to get better and back to normal.
xx

[ana]

You're welcome. :)

Sure, it's going to take some time to get back to normal. If it happens next time around, you'll be more prepared to deal with it and will bounce back more quickly. As unsettling as these symptoms are, they don't have the power to drive you mad - it's important that you remember this

[kellie39]

hi Ana
i had a telephone consultation this morning to see what therapy they will offer me and they have asked all kind of questions and i had to talk about my fears and its made me feel really low now. im try to keep the anxiety under control but im not sure how thats going to go.
this is so hard
xx

[ana]

Kellie,
talking about your fears and feelings is never easy and it tends to drains all of your energy. However, it is through counselling (if you decide to do it) that you will learn where the anxiety stems from, what your triggers are, and how to cope and manage your symptoms. There is no shame in admitting that you can't do it on your own. It doesn't mean that you are weak or helpless. In fact, it takes a lot of courage to seek help, talk about what's on your mind, and then go on about your life in spite of the panic. That's proper courage if I have anything to say about it! :)

It is hard, there's no denying that. It's also curable :)

[kellie39]

it has made me feel really flat and im now getting all kinds of niggles and sensation ( they arent aches or pains) which makes my worry even worse.

its just so tough to see how this is going to get better, im so desperate to feel normal again.
xx