How to stop the automatic unhelpful thoughts

I've made myself anxious tonight and its brought on all my heart related symptoms. It's obvious I've done it to myself but even so, when the symptoms are here, it feels like a real heart problem. I'm frustrated as well, because of how easily led my brain seems to be.

I'll tell you the situation - I decided to start taking a multivitamin tonight to see if that boosts my energy levels. As soon as I took it, I thought "I hope it doesn't disagree with my stomach" and I pretty much got a stomach ache straight away. I also started noticing my heart beating quick and a bit of chest tightness. I then thought I wonder if the vitamin has something in it that might give me palpitations. That made my heart beat quicker. I'm now thinking because there's some weird chemical reaction going on which is encouraging or worsening a "real" heart problem.

I started getting symptoms almost before I noticed myself thinking the thoughts.

Unless it's the biggest coincidence in the world, it's clearly anxiety but my question is - how could I have stopped it? My brain seemed to go straight to worrying before I knew it. Has anyone got any tips for improving their brains first thoughts or improving the body's reaction?

Thanks

Have you done cbt before, that helps you to retrain your thoughts and examine negative thoughts using evidence. For example, have I felt like this before.
It also helps challenge your thoughts and breaking down negative behaviours.
Other than that, I don't know what else to suggest. I totally empathise with you, I've been there, I remember when swine flu was going about, I went on and on until my gp eventually gave me the vaccine as I was terrified of contracting it, got home after vaccine, went into full panic mode thinking what the heck have I let them inject into me. Can't win with anxiety I'm afraid, that's why we need to tools to prevent it. Xx

I have done CBT and I try to challenge the thoughts. Doesn't always work though because the situations are always slightly different!

Well you know that other than an allergic reaction, there is no way anything that isn't a drug is going to reach your blood and organs so quickly to impact on it like this. They take time to be digested, reach the bloodstream, do their work, etc. Some people have issues with certain b vitamins but this is probably because they stimulate energy in us so too much can mean feeling on edge when you are trying to sift your way through symptoms to recover. It's all in our food anyway and we need it to survive as well as some of these b vitamins & others being directly related to brain function and reduction of anxiety & depression.

I have been through this with supplements. I was starting off with GAD but it wasn't too bad then. I was still lifting weights and taking many supplements including several stimulating ones (all legal). I decided to try a new one, stronger and for seasoned lifters, and I added it on top of some similiar lesser strength ones. I had a massive adrenaline rush and spent over 30 minutes trying to stop my heart pounding and my muscles felt like they were bursting. This set the stage for a long time of being unable to take the most innocent things that won't have side effects like vitamin C or paracetamol. I even stopped taking my asthma meds which I only restarted because I had a mild asthma attack one day which was resolved with my reliever, hence it wasn't a panic attack.

I was left with deep feelings about all exercise being bad and all things you take being bad. I've had to reintroduce them starting with the ones I was taking daily e.g. vitamin C, paracetamol, asthma meds, etc. Then I started moving onto other things that were more of an unknown to me. I don't takje any of the stimulating stuff or bodybuilding supplements but plan to take a few non stimulating ones when I get back into lifting. Introducing a new one can be avoided for a time and then it can take a few days to get used to it but thats all the stuff that is in the mind. It's much easier now as I've worked through some of that but it's still an issue as I haven't tried things that could have more of an immediate impact.

So, I wouldn't judge this based on that one event. Think about how you felt hours later. If you felt ok, then thats what yo have to remember because vitamins will be working over longer periods of time. Then take it day by day and hopefully you should find this exposure makes you ok with it and the anxiety will go.