Topic: what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?

I have not really figured out if I have anxiety or not, but whatever it is the response usually includes following:

• clenched stomach / nauseousness
• dizziness / blank mind (this feeling when meeting new people without having my safety person beside me, like husband or good friend who do the talking. I don't know what to say whenever I meet new people, feel horribly awkward and out of place, and imagining that I am judged as cold, arrogant, rude or complete weirdo)
• lump in throat and chest
• physical and emotional exhaustion and headache following after calming down
• urge to run away, but I can't because there is no real predator to escape from, and as a 'responsible adult' I should be able to deal with whatever problems arise
• in the past I used to experience tingling and numbing in hands and feet, and 'seeing' red an black patches, but fortunately this does not happen any more

Hi maccaz

i agree, recently I’ve been trying the acceptance approach and feel it helps somewhat better than previous approaches

I too get a lot of tension headaches which drive me crazy I sometimes feel as though my head is in a vice lately and stressing about it is making it worse .

i need to practice more acceptance

hearing you mention that has been helpful thankyou

Yes!

this has been me for the past 5weeks

although I have been feeling anxious lately I’m wondering if it’s from this or my hormones as this has never happened to me before

it’s interesting to hear you have felt the same

Hi Dakota

i have just been scrolling through the posts and came across yours and I can’t believe how close your feelings represent mine

fir the past two months I have been experiencing days of feeling lightheaded and dizzy and this feeling of pressure inside my head, almost like a tight band trying to squeeze my brain out!!

my neck muscles are so sore and upper trapezius muscles that I can’t even push my head back . Like you I have tried massages but am yet to see an osteopath I know it’s from some sort of underlying anxiety that I can’t seem to shake. I worry constantly about the uncomfortable feelings in my head . Have your symptoms subsided?
Thanks for sharing

The physical symptoms that I experience with anxiety include a heavy chest, shortness of breath and headaches (not necessarily all at once). They can range from mild to more drastic at times.

I find some relief through regular exercise and balanced nutrition!

Same here I am feeling the same

Hi all. My symptoms have slowly evolved and changed over the years. Just when you get to grips with how to deal with them, the anxiety throws you a new one.

Dearealisation has always been my biggest issue. Most of the other things I can deal with, but derealisation really scares me. Recently, and what brought me here was heart palpitations, more specifically, my heart skipping a beat. I had never experienced this up until a couple of months ago. I have had a stress test, ecg’s and a 24 hr Holter monitor, all which showed nothing out of the ordinary, and my doctor therefore concluded that it is the anxiety. I am a healthy 40yo with no prior issues. It’s seems to happen in the evenings, after dinner, and can happen once, or repeatedly every 5-10 minutes. I felt like no one believed me, and I was starting to doubt myself until my wife actually felt my pulse and caught one of the skips.

I decided to check out the forums here to see how common this is and was surprised at the amount of times I read people noting heart skips as a symptom.

I guess I need to accept it, and re-examine what’s happening in my life. It’s just so frustrating as the palpitations seem to come out of nowhere, I don’t feel anxious or stressed! Though if I’m honest I have been under a lot of pressure lately.

thanks for listening!

B

I only seem to struggle with digestive issues physically. Lately I’ve had a sensation of a lump in my throat that makes me feel like I need to gag (think when you’re brushing your teeth). If it’s really bad, I’ll feel like I could throw up, but not usually. The gagging sensation is very annoying. Sometimes I get an upset stomach. I’ve also noticed I tend to breathe a lot faster than I need to lately, but it’s the digestive stuff I deal with more.

Hi everyone, it's great to see everyone sharing their physical feelings.

I have noticed/realised some new ones for me:

When in panic mode: tingly nerve feeling in my hands, breathing changes and my stomach drops... like going down a rollercoaster. I can almost feel a wave of panic or anxiety wash over my entire body and tainting it. I am then hyper aware of my surroundings. I don't know if this would be classed as a panic or anxiety attack. These feelings will usually happen due to a negative stimuli. But I really don't like diagnosing it, I prefer to do my breathing exercises to get through it.

My eating habits sometimes change when my anxiety is high and ongoing. I don't get hungry, I find it hard to eat decent portions - almost to the point where I feel sick and can't continue. Sometimes I would not eat for over 12 hours. Then of course I lose weight. It is very hard to put the weight back on it takes months, so that is what I am trying to do now is get back to my preferred weight which is about 1-2 kg more than I am now. I try to make sure I eat 3 meals a day and also snacks. Also use ensure drinks which are good for increasing nutrients. This really frustrates me the most as I wish my appetite would just stay the same all the time.

Thanks for reading :)

I experience exactly the same problems as soon as i feel i have my physical symptoms sorted i also get thrown new ones it is extremely frustrating, lately i have been getting random surges of adrenaline out of nowhere which frighten the daylights out of me! My eyesight changes i get dizzy and feel really off for a few minutes then i calm down and talk myself out of it with the help of my wife lol

Hi Everyone and thankyou for contributing to Annabays thread topic! You are helping people know they are not alone where anxiety symptoms are concerned

Hey dadsgripe.....Good on you for mentioning the heart palpitations....(skipped heart beat feeling) You are proactive with your health by having your doc involved! Adrenaline flow (even through low level stress) can cause heart palpitations...This is very common to experience....I have had these since 1983 and understand you!

Hey Mactedbelmax...qfskies18....Baljeet...summer girl....Yellow Hope...and jemma09 for your helpful input :-)

Happy Friday everyone!...(my own anxiety symptoms are listed in the first couple of pages of this thread)

Paul

I did not know I had anxiety

i have had muscles twitching and thought I had a serious disease, also pain in my tummy

each time I think I have a serious illness and it just fuels the anxious thoughts, it’s like being stuck in a maze and I can’t find my way out

its tiring and I felt it was only me

If you have any good resources for the acceptance approach I would appreciate it

Hey guys I right this sick have muscle pain in my hands and legs as well as tingling in in face and hands. I normally no my anxiety is coming on my GERD flare s up but this is first time with muscle pains is this normal?

I have health anxiety, so my anxiety will often take form from a physical ailment, such as chest pain or just not feeling well. Usually I'll have a panic attack and rest for a little while. I also think philosophical a lot, too. However, just because I have it doesn't mean it is the same for you. Anxiety is such a broad topic that it's impossible to pinpoint it to one occurrence.

Hi Everyone and thankyou for contributing to Annabays helpful thread topic!

Hey Nett01....great to have you as part of the forum family! Using 'acceptance' can take some time yet just for myself the best reference I have found is..'Self Help for your nerves' by Doctor Claire Weekes...Yes the title is somewhat dated yet this small paperback has been a huge help for my own anxiety symptoms...Its written in plain english without any jargon....Its about $15-00 and is still an excellent self help book

Hey Greeny570 and welcome! Yes....anxiety can represent in so many ways...including our muscles too

Hey Girlinda...Welcome to the forums and thankyou for your post! Health anxiety is very common...My anxiety symptoms are posted early in this thread if anyone wants to have look :-)

Girlinda mentioned 'Anxiety is such a broad topic that it's impossible to pinpoint it to one occurrence' ...Good1

I hope today has been good to everyone

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hey all,

im completely triggered tonight. Had an appointment with psychologist this arvo & it was one of those sessions where the topic of conversation was hugely uncomfortable & I ended up in tears in the session. Now I’m just emotionally drained & have a headache.

i know this will happen sometimes but it makes me feel down in the dumps 😢

The most prominent physical symptoms of my are feeling like I am going to throw up, choking, and when I peak a feeling like I am high on psychedelics and having a bad trip.

Hi Everyone and Thankyou for being a part of the discussion

Hey TheBigBlue.....you have done really well with your counselling session...seriously. You have done seriously well by having the strength to cry in your session...I wasted 13 years of my life by holding back the tears

I understand that you felt awful doing so at the time...like myself...Crying in front of our counsellor/GP is a sign of strength and recovery. We do feel drained afterwards for day or so...I remember feeling the same after crying

Great work BigBlue

my kind thoughts......Paul

Hi Bulus Shabbaz

Thankyou for being a part of the forum family!

Our digestive system is the most sympathetic to anxiety for sure.....queazy....nausea..bloating ...loose stools

You mentioned ''a feeling like I am high on psychedelics and having a bad trip"' Im not sure what you meant yet you are always welcome to explain and help us understand no worries!

Paul

Hello Nett

I have been suffering with health anxiety for over thirty years..... I know a long time hey! I have many months where I am ok and cruise through life, until I have some form of pain... be it stomach, legs, throat whatever I always think this is it and I’m dying! I have tried many ways of dealing with this but unfortunately have not found the right ways of coping, however will keep trying

Hi everyone!

Having a bit of trouble with my anxiety lately - It’s all very new. Currently experiencing hot flushes, facial numbness and tingling going in my arms. Anyone else experience these?

Hi Everyone and thankyou for being a part of Beyond Blue

Hey Tugboat....I hear you loud and clear with your symptoms and 30 years is a long time to have them...My symptoms are back in the 1st/2nd page on this thread topic...My symptoms started when I was 23 in 1983

Hey Trixie A....Welcome and thankyou for your post...! Subject to your GP's thoughts....these can be symptoms of anxiety. When we have difficulty coping on a daily basis....its always a good to see our doc

Paul

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and have found this forum so helpful and comforting if that's the right word? My anxiety has recently become unmanageable again and I am finding physical symptoms worse than they ever were. My legs start to feel weak and heavy, headaches, dizziness, sweaty palms and feeling like I can't breathe. Sometimes I feel like my body freezes and if I move I will become physically sick. I think a stressful new job has brought this on and I am wondering if it is worth continuing the job or if I will be able to manage this with some help from a Psychologist. I have seen one before but I have never experienced my anxiety this bad so I am really struggling to manage it. I feel thankful to have a community thread where we can post our feelings, it makes me feel better.

Hi rubyroo123

Welcome to the forums....and thankyou for the super helpful feedback too!

you mentioned that your symptoms have increased since commencing your new job. I understand your situation as I had the same symptoms before and commencing a new position as well

I have no doubt that you are more than qualified for your new position....Your symptoms are very common..yet horrible to experience

Sometimes we undervalue our GP....I still see my doc for support with the same anxiety symptoms as yourself....Our GP can be a huge help prior to seeing a psychologist ..Any questions are welcome

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hi All , I love this forum it helps so much to read symptoms that are the same as mine and that I'm not alone , chest pain , rib pain , shoulder pain , tingles and the rest . The worst thing I think I did was get a Fitbit as now I currently check my heartrate a million times a day and if it is elevated then anxiety kicks in. I have had all the tests with my dr and am fine blood pressure was slightly up and take medication for that , see a psychologist but doesn't seem to help , the fear is 24/7 that something is wrong , has anyone tried hypnosis and if so has it helped , feeing desperate for some relief

Yes I’ve been very anxious the past few weeks and yes I’m still getting those night sweats although I’ve been sleeping with two blankets and a jumper, so maybe I need to change things up

I am new to Beyond Blue so I hope my responses are not repeating what others say.

These are my anxiety symptoms:

Helplessness.

A knot in my stomach.

Headaches.

Sometimes a strong urge to cry.

Sometimes a strong urge to run away.

Sleepless nights.

Great sadness.

Breathlessness on occasions.

Hi Everyone

Hey GCkathy..Welcome!.Thankyou for your super kind post! I have been on the forums since 2016 and any anxiety feelings are awful to have...I understand the pain you are going through with these awful symptoms...I havent seen any posts about hypnosis being helpful...yet

If our anxiety symptoms have a negative impact on our ability to function on a daily basis....seeing our GP on a frequent basis is crucial...Any questions are always welcome GCkathy!

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hi Everyone hope you are all well and keeping safe.

I havent posted in a while but wanted to say before l got anxiety l had a bout of vertigo and from that l have been left with persistant dizziness/pppd....its been worrying me alot lately ...lve been doing really well with my anxiety that lm scared it will flare up again due to this dizziness. Am l alone in this.