My Anxiety

[Mr.D]

I dont know the aim of this post, i just want help trying to get to the bottom of this. Well my anxiety only started a month and a half ago but it felts like a lifetime. It all seem to be triggered from something called Sleep Paralysis, which is a state of sleep where your awake mentally , but your body is still asleep and hullicinations are triggered (something to do with dream chemicals). I found the whole ordeal of not being able to move or shout for help terrifying the night later i was scared going to sleep and had my first panic attack, for the next few days i had several a day. They slowly slowed down and i went my first few days without them and then they struck again. It only seems to happen when im alone, or by myself or i think about it, then it gets worse.

My symptoms are constantly changing, i used to have pressure around the head, numbness in the head, horrible body sensations thats just to name a couple of many. Right now i only have a few, I have chest pains, which feel like my lungs, which makes me presume im going to die. Im also all to aware of my heart and most of the aches, more than pains. Seem to be focused on the left hand side of my chest making me believe i have a heart problem. I also get pains and numbness in my arms. I dont know what kind of anxiety i have yet and have a doctors appointment tomorow. I really cant handle it at the moment, it can just ruin the best of moods and am a little nervous going into a hour and a half exam in a few hours, as being silent and able to think alone for that long could get the best of me.

Sam

[Dahlia]

Hi Sam

I'm sorry you're going through this - it sounds awful. Your last line pricked up my ears - you are going into an exam. I remember I had terrible panic attacks and anxiety that started a couple of months before my GCSEs and A Levels, I didn't put it down to that as I wasn't consciously nervous - however the anxiety subsided after I finished them.

My therapist has been telling me about mindfulness, where you detach and simply observe your symptoms (it's meditation, essentially). Ok, it's a lot easier than it sounds, but maybe try sitting quietly, observing your breathing and the other body sensations. Just observe, don't add any value judgement to them.

All the best,

Dahlia

[Mr.D]

Thank you, i will try that. I recently attempted meditating but cant find anywhere quiet enough to focus properly, soon i will find a proper place for this and try it. I understand what your saying about exams and stress, but i dont see why im stressed through, as im dropping them all to re-take a different career path so i have literally no pressure. Though that has been stressful planning and making all these changes, which is one of the major contributing factors i assume.

Thanks again

Sam

[Dahlia]

Yeah, it could be the stress of taking a new career path - it's a pretty big change. And anxiety seems to like rearing its head when there's change ahead, in my experience anyway.

Dahlia