Hypersensitivity

[31andcounting]

Been a very higher-than-normal anxious month so far. So much so that I started to have the numbness/tingling that some experience with anxiety. I have been in the fight/flight state almost constant and it has been exhausting. I ashamedly admit that I have used my cocktails to help get that gnawing feeling to go away in my stomach. I have a question that I would like to ask, something that my primary physician would not be able to answer, so I am turning to people who are like me. Have any of you ever had your anxiety cause a physical symptom that resulted in hypersensitivity, so you mistakenly googled the symptom (I know, so ashamed) and suddenly that is all you focus on. The symptom worsens, becomes constant and you have yourself convinced you have some terminal illness. Is anxiety capable of causing physical responses-not like weight loss, or nausea. More so hypersensitivity of the nerves? Numbness, tingling? Feeling like you have temperature changes in a localized area of your skin? Anxiety can be a burden, and there are many days it prevents me from being the best person that I can be.

Thank you for anything. :flowers:

[Nzxt27]

I get twitches from legs feet hands and arms. I can see them and feel them. I also feel my heartbeat easier through out my body.

[NoPoet]

You're probably talking about hypervigilance, which is when you are giving way too much anxious attention to something, in this case your symptoms. Imagine you're walking in the woods and you hear noises. You become convinced you're being followed. You watch the trees, looking for movement and hearing every single noise as if God turned the volume up. That's exactly the response you're having now, except you're watching yourself.

You've already identified that you're afraid of your physical symptoms. This fear then activates your general anxiety, which activates the fight or flight response, releasing adrenaline, which creates the symptoms you're afraid of. And that's the anxiety trap.

Imagine what would happen if you weren't afraid of the physical symptoms...

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've had tingling from the very beginning with mine although it's more a background thing these days. It's only when sitting or lying though so getting up & moving around makes it disappear straight away. A bit like how when we have nothing to do we can find our minds wandering to obsess or over think.

One member on here termed the tingling "the buzzing bees" which is very appropriate. It's an adrenaline thing.

Temperature changes can happen. Guess which neurotransmitter regulates temperature? Yep, Serotonin.

[countrygirl]

Start thinking about head lice crawling all over your scalp, well mine's itching now like crazy just typing this and I have to scratch. That is the mind controlling the body.
Part of health anxiety is hypervigilance. So what starts out as a mild pain or a mild tingling for whatever reason we then focus on it and I know that I then immediately panic which makes the pain/tingle worse etc etc.

[31andcounting]

Hello Everyone,

This is great information, and reassuring as well. I had quite the trigger earlier this month and since then I can't seem to shut it off. My monster is being very stubborn and has a lot more control than typical. I have tried my usual coping mechanisms, but none is working. Today, I am going to try to ignore the part of my body that I am super-focused on and not let it control my day so much. Anxiety was my Saturday and I really do not want it to be my Sunday. Thank you again-may we all have some peace and may our monsters decide to sleep today so we can focus in the important things. :flowers:

[livefree83]

Please see my post below....I hope it helps!

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=181446

[M1825]

I'm dealing with this now actually lol. Read a symptom here is on the forum and BAM. The next day (and here almost a week later), I started experiencing the symptoms. They are quite close to your own. So yeah, I strongly suspect it is our minds playing tricks on us.

[31andcounting]

The power of the mind is amazing. Some of the threads I would love to respond to, but so afraid it will be a "trigger". :unsure: My heart goes out to everyone, it really does. Some topics I just know I have to avoid. :weep:

[MyNameIsTerry]

The power of the mind is amazing. Some of the threads I would love to respond to, but so afraid it will be a "trigger". :unsure: My heart goes out to everyone, it really does. Some topics I just know I have to avoid. :weep:

I don't think you should worry about that. I don't have HA but I post where I think I could help or just offer support. There is no reason why you should feel that you can't support others in my opinion.