Anxiety spikes with illness? Anyone please :)

[WhyWhyWhy]

So these last few weeks I have been 'Ok' thanks to this place, 5htp, Claire weekes and nothing works. Not cured but certainly in a much better place than I was, that was dark and I'm terrified of going back

So this weekend just gone, I could feel a cold brewing. Yesterday it came, a typical head cold, nothing serious, sinus, sore throat, coughing and feeling a tad lousy. With this has come a small spike in anxiety

Is this normal? I'm scared this is a slippery slope. Will a small physical illness produce these feelings? Is this just a blip, can anyone offer any advice or similar? Xx

[Abi-Skinner]

Hiya,

I too have been doing okay the last week, after a few weeks back on my medication and reading Claire weekes.

I'm currently waiting to be seen at hospital about some stomach problems, which haven't been to bad recently, up until the last few days. They got quite bad last night and today and my anxiety has also spiked..

I believe it quite common for illness to trigger a bit of anxiety.

I'm sure once your cold shifts you'll be back on track again.

[cokesmyth5]

I agree, I'll being going alone fine, thinking I'm really stable when suddenly I become unwell (typically bad headaches or IBS)and the old catastrophic thinking starts, swiftly followed by anxiety symptoms.
it takes me a few days to work through it and out the other side, annoyingly.

Hang in there!

[WhyWhyWhy]

Thanks guys day 4 of this awful head cold and I'm still feeling slightly more anxious, silly thoughts popping up and I keep having to remind myself that it's anxiety and not just 'instinct or intuition'

I get silly thoughts then think 'well it's obviously my subconscious warning me and I should listen to my gut instinct. I'm so messed up! A couple of months ago I was feeling about a 2/10 up until a few weeks ago I was feeling up to about a 7/8 and now I'm feeling about a 6

Can feel intrusive thoughts coming back... Feeling very uneasy

Thanks for the replies

[Annie0904]

I am the same, as soon a I have a physical illness my anxiety levels rise. I just have to remind myself that it will pass again soon.

[WhyWhyWhy]

Thankyou so much for the reassurance, it means so much to know I'm not alone and hopefully not cracking up xxx

[Tanner40]

Why, I think that this is a very normal feeling. I know that when I physically am unwell, like with a cold, my anxiety levels rise. I just keep telling myself I'll feel better mentally when I feel better physically. Don't let it get you down.

[HoneyLove]

My GP once told me that when your stress levels are generally high (like when you're suffering with anxiety) that even a small illness is enough to add into all of that and make you feel worse. It's very normal for anxiety sufferers to feel bad when they're sick, so just be gentle with yourself and work on some relaxation techniques to help you get through it. Hope you feel better soon

[Catherine S]

When I get a cold I hate the stuffy nose that comes after the runny nose, I hate feeling bunged-up and having to breathe through my mouth

[GingerFish]

When I am ill especially with something like a virus or ear infection that makes me feel sick or dizzy, my panic attacks go through the roof too.