Difficulty differentiating between p/a and actual illness

[orangeblossom]

Hi All,

I find it really quite hard differentiating between actually being unwell because of a cold/sore throat/upset tummy or whatever and feeling unwell because of my anxiety/panic.

I am supposed to be going to a seminar today and woke up with a sore throat and generally feeling unwell. I know this sounds really odd but I am so used to doing things in spite of feeling a bit unwell due to p/a that I feel really, really guilty for not going to this seminar because of feeling unwell ...

Does anyone else have this?

[Nechtan]

Yes I feel the same way about finding it hard to differentiate. In fact all my anxiety started with a bout of illness that I could not get rid of for over a year. Now in hindsight I am wondering whether I was actually ill or whether it was anxiety. I went to the doctors countless times getting blood tests, etc and they could find nothing wrong.

Every time I start feeling a little unwell nowadays like yourself I cannot tell if it is the start of a bug or just another offshoot of anxiety.

All the best

Nechtan

[redballoons]

yes i do, I was in bed all last week with flu like symptoms but the whole time i was unsure if i was in a long drawn out panic or was actually ill - i think it was panic looking back.

on the other hand when i was pregnant with my son i had preeclampsia and put all of the symptoms of that down to panic as well which meant i was pretty ill by the time i went to the hospital and ended up with my kidneys nearly failing etc. My general rule now (especially since I am pregnant again) is if it is still there after 24 hours and doesnt go away with distraction its probably a real illness,

sophie

[kenboon]

Yep i too have this. Think it because alot of the symptoms for flu and other viruses are simular.

Ken

[nickieb]

nechtan mine started the same as yours xx

[ktb123]

I have exactly the same thing, for a long time I thought my panic attacks were a tummy bug that just wouldn't go away and now I can't tell the difference which sometimes makes it worse because then I panic about being ill while at work or at a clients !!

[Nechtan]

nechtan mine started the same as yours xx

From various people I have talked to it seems to be quite a common way for anxiety to start. I just wish we knew that at the time.

All the best

Nechtan