Getting sick makes anxiety worse?

[chop]

I thought I was getting bad anxiety back after starting to feel a lot better.

One afternoon I just wanted to sleep and felt depressed and anxious and hard to breathe and tense shoulders up around my neck etc (typical anxiety for me).

Over the last few days I have felt worse and worse and now realise it is the flu I am getting.

Despite knowing this I still feel like it is anxiety and I dont want to deal with anything and feel I am whimping out.

It just feels like anxiety and I want to sleep all the time even though I know it is the flu.

Is this normal? I feel like my anxiety/depression is coming back full force.

Thanks
chop

Learning to under react

[a-little-room-to-breathe]

dont worry hun, i know how you feel. when you're ill you're feeling a bit low anyway, which seems to make anxiety and depression worse. if you were getting better before you got sick, once you're well again your anxiety and depression will probably fade back to what they were before your illness.
try not to worry about it hun.

love katie xxx

"If I can wipe from any human cheek, a tear,
Convince one man that hope and heaven are near,
Create more joy, more hope, less pain,
And though not one shall know my name nor drop a flower on my grave,
I shall not have lived in vain while here."

[jos]

hey chop
i felt like i was coming down with a cold or flu on and off for months as part of my anxiety symptoms - sweating and feverish but temperature normal, short of breath but could climb 5 flights of stairs, tired, dizzy so I know it is really difficult to tell what is anxiety and what is flu - I found on those days i repeatedly said "be nice to yourself" - only do as much as i would do with a cold but get on and try to be positive despite feeling crap

sickness does make anxiety worse as it is another stress on your system - it also can cause you to eat less and flush out essential vitamins and minerals more so I go for big doses of vit C and vits and minerals more than normal

A big thing that i have tried is to experience your flu symptoms and take it easy but don't react emotionally to them - Its the reaction that helps feed the anxity as well as the flu making you feel bad

I like your sign off thought - learning to under-react - a very valuable skill

take care jos

[Southern_Belle]

Chop,

I had the flu 2 months ago and I felt horrible. Everything is more extreme! Try to take care of yourself and don't worry that your depression and anxiety is getting worse that will only make things go in a downward spiral as if you need that with the flu! Hope you feel better soon. Take care.

Bel

[tulip123]

Hi

I'm getting over a nasty bout of flu. Its taking time to go. It takes a lot out of you and one tends to sleep quite a bit. To stop my anxiety levels going sky high, I'm trying to keep as busy as possible because historically the aftermath is always a vunrable time.

Tulip

[chop]

Thanks all for your replies. I feel worse today but I know its anxiety.

Thanks for the reassurance.

I am learning to under react but its hard lol

Cheers
Chop

Learning to under react