Need advise with anxiety

[BrokenGirl]

Can someone please advise me how to work through my latest fear, from an anxiety point of view

It feels as though my fight or flight response is permanently turned on, always in a state of panic. I've been like this before and it is so hard to get out of it.

I'm going from one fear to another and my latest one is now my armpit. I noticed in the shower this evening that my left armpit is larger than the right one, as in it feels like there's something bigger in that one. It doesn't feel like a lump, but whatever is in there is bigger on the left side, if that even makes sense.
I know we're not symmetrical, and it's not like it's a hard lump I can feel. But every time I try to talk myself down, it's as if the panic just takes over and won't allow me to be ok with it.

For anyone who has beaten or is in control of their HA, how do you deal with issues like this? How do you stop things snowballing and just learn to get on with your life?

[Catkins]

I haven't got HA but I definitely understand how anxiety can spiral and have been in that awful state of continual anxiety.

Start simply with grounding techniques, the 54321 method helps me (5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, 1 deep breath), I do this every morning when out with my dog. Guided meditation helps me a lot with anxiety, there's an app called Insight Timer which has a lot of good free guided meditations. Yoga has also really helped me. These are all things you can do on your own to help manage your anxiety.

Are you having any counselling or CBT?

There are people better at advising on HA than me on here, so I'll leave that to them.

[Cptdebbie]

Hi Broken Girl,
I don’t know what’s happening with your armpit, but I have breast tissue under both armpits. One side is noticeably bigger than the other. There is a rather large area on our bodies where breast tissue can grow. Strange, I know.

Having said that, I would get what you are describing checked by a medical professional. It probably isn’t anything at all. I just think women should err on the side of caution when it comes to anything in their breasts or close to their breasts.

As for coping strategies. I just posted the following in response to another query:

I have a lot of things that I do to cope. Sometimes I try all of them and nothing works. Other days are better.

Probably the thing that helps me the most is to try and “make the good” in my life. My depression, anxiety, and ptsd tire me out, but I usually feel better when I do small things for other people. I send cards and notes to my grandchildren, friends, and even my doctors (thank you notes).

I used to crochet and make hotpads to give to neighbors, friends, and even nurses. Alas, I’ve got wrist problems and can’t crochet right now.

Nevertheless, doing these kind of things usually provides a nice distraction for me, doesn’t require much energy, and gives me something to smile about.

My therapist also started me writing in a gratitude journal everyday. This has turned into a beautiful thing for me. I find I have much to be grateful for. I forget that when I’m stressed.

When I’m worried about some physical symptom (which is most of the time), my therapist has been having me make a mental list of all the things that are working well in my body. I’m amazed at how many things my body does well - I digest food, I blink, I swallow, I think, I breathe, etc.

I also have religious beliefs that I’ve been turning to more and more. Instead of thinking of death and disease with fear, I’ve been reminding myself of how beautiful heaven will be. I think of seeing my mother again along with so many other people who love me. I think of the overflowing love that will be there. It actually makes me grateful that I will die and get to go to such a place.

These are just some of the things that help me. I think we need a whole Arsenal. I’m far from cured, but I’m grateful for the things I’ve learned. I’ve finally found a therapist that makes me feel empowered. ( I encourage all of you to keep looking until you find that. ) And, I’m actually having some moments and even some hours filled with peace. I’m making progress. Yay!!!

Best to you BrokenGirl ❤️

[BrokenGirl]

Thank you both for your replies.


Catkins - I have tried grounding techniques like the one you mentioned in the past. Unfortunately when I'm in a HA spiral it never does anything good for me. If I'm feeling a bit generally anxious it can help but for HA it has absolutely no effect on me.
I'm not getting any counselling at the moment. I would love to be in a position to get it but sadly haven't got the money for it


Cptdebbie - I like the idea of "make the good" and it's something I will try. I'll go through your other suggestions too and see how they work for me.


I know I only posted yesterday about my armpit but I'm fairly ok now about that. I think I knew deep down that it was just my HA latching onto something. But something new always comes along and I'm worried about my son now (who's 20)
My HA always seems worse when it's about my children.
I thought I saw redness in his eye tonight but can't be sure. Not in the white part but like the redness you'd see in a photo sometimes. I know if you see one red eye in a child in a photo it's a bad sign. But I don't even know if I saw it.
And that dangerous red thing I'm thinking of, does it only happen in a photo? (maybe caused by the flash or something)


I just wish I could stop my HA jumping from one thing to another. It's as if it doesn't want to give me a break.

[Heather1234]

Can someone please advise me how to work through my latest fear, from an anxiety point of view

It feels as though my fight or flight response is permanently turned on, always in a state of panic. I've been like this before and it is so hard to get out of it.

I'm going from one fear to another and my latest one is now my armpit. I noticed in the shower this evening that my left armpit is larger than the right one, as in it feels like there's something bigger in that one. It doesn't feel like a lump, but whatever is in there is bigger on the left side, if that even makes sense.
I know we're not symmetrical, and it's not like it's a hard lump I can feel. But every time I try to talk myself down, it's as if the panic just takes over and won't allow me to be ok with it.

For anyone who has beaten or is in control of their HA, how do you deal with issues like this? How do you stop things snowballing and just learn to get on with your life?

Oh BrokenGirl, so sorry you are going through this too! I can say I have what I've always thought is breast tissue under left arm & not the right. My left side does look bigger as well. As I said in my post, my mammogram is tomorrow and ill know for sure. And I too am trying to navigate the fight or flight. I always think my current battle will be the last then I can relax, but its definitely been on repeat these last few years.

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