Topic: what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?

I get the whole tightness in my chest, I can't breathe, shakiness, knots in my stomach, and sweating under the arms and on my palms. It's absolutely horrible. I am absolutely miserable and ashamed of myself that I can't function normally like a normal human being. And I feel like it's going to take me a lot to catch up to everyone else my age in terms of life experiences. And then I get depression when I think about that as well.

Tight chest, mild cold sweats thinking about anxiety itself, feeling helpless, mild body ached, tense upper back and neck muscles that does not go away or comes back after stretching, broken sleeps, dreams, fatigue. It's tough, rough, annoying and it never seems to end. Wears you down.

Hi Cee I feel your pain and understand exactly how you feel. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you ThomasJakeLim.. It's tough isn't it? Wish there was a cure for this horrible affliction.

Hi isabelle21

How are you feeling now? Have you found any answers? I am experiencing the same thing and it causing major health anxiety . I have seen a neurologist about it and in the end he said it is anxiety. he is doing an mri for my sake to help my anxiety but he said he 100% doesn’t need to do it for him. So I will let you know how I go.. otherwise all I can say is I was on anxiety meds and it helped dramatically and once I got off them I feel everything 10x more I feel worse! Also I went to physio and she worked on my back and that helped some of my symptoms too. So it could be a mix of things I hope you feel better soon as I know how scary it can be.. I am convinced I have MS

I am with u.

The worst for me is the anxiety l still get even yrs later over the regrets of something l did during anxiety, some go back 10yrs, some even more. But l can't change and undo a thing or apologize or explain to anyone.

lt's the absolute worst part of anxiety for me. rx

Yeah that is not easy at all.

Hi Rach, thanks for the reply!
Honestly... I don't think I have gotten to the bottom of it yet.

I went and saw a physio and we suspected it was a muscular thing in which he started to get to me work on strengthening my glutes and thighs.... but it wasn't doing much... so I went to see an osteo and he thinks that it has something to with my legs being hypertonic and not "switching off"... I am still not convinced because I find I still get weak/stiffness in the legs from time to time. I am really struggling quite a bit with it all... and probably going to request to do some scans for it...
I am also wondering whether this is just my anxiety? Very stressful because it plays on my mind all day... and I justwant an answer... :(

I don't deal well with anxiety at all. I chain smoke, which in turn has an affect on me physically. When the fear takes over I sometimes can't get out of bed because the anxiety is too overwhelming. I have tried self-soothing and that seems to calm me down a bit but the negative thoughts are just too much sometimes.

Have been dealing with spasms/twitches in all sorts of places on and off for almost 2 years, but the last few weeks I've had a return of chest and pectoral spasms and a weird spasms/twitch near the bottom of my sternum. It was originally a spasm like feeling in my chest that triggered my first panic attack and ER visit.

They're not painful and might happen a few times every few days but it's frightening as hell. It's hard to describe. They can come out of nowhere but tend to happen when I'm sitting or standing, not moving. I might actually go back and get some blood/electrolyte work done at the GP, but everytime they've come back fine and the GP is left scratching their head. Frequently I'll get twitches in my calves, arms, back, and chest, never had them before my first panic attacks.

On another note, I'd recommend the DARE app and its exercises. That app has really helped me to cultivate an attitude to just stop caring so much about what might happen to me. Plus just also a really nice thing to listen to.

In my low level panic attacks I get tingles in my hands and arms, have this drop feeling in my chest and may get the feeling if needing to do a number 2... At my worst I have been dissociative, I couldn't walk, couldn't feel my arms and literally felt like I was going crazy. Like I needed an ambulance. It was after that I decided to do on medication. I still get some physiological symptoms, but definitely not as bad.

Looked at a computer screen and though I could see the words on it, it’s as if I could read it over and over again but it wasn’t going in. Got worse as I panicked about it. A bit different for me as I usually feel anxiety through stomach upset.

I notice too a massive drop in energy level when anxious. Like I suddenly feel a desperate need for a sleep but was fine 2 minutes ago. Then that stresses me out because it’s hard to feel confident completing tasks with no brain power.

Hi Annabay!

I’m a bit late to the party as I’m only new to forums but here goes

My physical symptoms of anxiety can include

- a warm burning sensation down the back of my neck or through my arms + chest

- a lump in my throat like I’ve swallowed a large piece of food and can’t quite get it down, which turns into me stressing about choking

- heart palpitations and racing pulse

- blurry vision and the feeling I’m going blind. (Thinking vision is cloudy or getting tunnel vision)

- nausea and stomach problems

- headaches, mostly down the back of my head and into my neck

- I’ll get the shakes, my muscles will twitch and spasm

I don’t usually get all these symptoms at the same time unless I’m having a major panic attack but even then I usually will cycle through them with 1 or 2 at a time. Anxiety is such a strange thing but we have to remember, it’s HARMLESS!!!

hope you’re all well!

Chest tightness, pins and needles over my whole body, the shakes, dizziness, hyperventilating, “cotton wool” brain where I can’t think.

I’m so glad there are other people on here who I can relate to. I don’t know too many people who’ve had similar symptoms to me but reading through the comments makes me understand otherwise!

When I first got anxiety 11 years ago my symptoms were:

- lump in my throat like before you start crying but it never goes away and it makes you freak out about feeling like you’re choking.

- all over body shakes and muscle spasms

- racing heart

- anxiety attacks where I couldn’t breathe

- nausea

- diarrhoea

- heart pain/chest pain

- increased gag reflex

Now, I still get symptoms but they’ve sort of narrowed down and worsened in my opinion and feel more long term.

- lump in throat still

- gag reflex really sensitive

- swallowing reflex

- heart palpitations

- sudden and random pain in lungs lasting a few seconds

- false sense of asthma onset

- IBS

- panic and especially in crowds when it never used to happen

- fear of heights

i hope this helps anyone struggling and feeling like their symptoms aren’t valid or understood. I think everyone has different symptoms and they’re all valid ❤️

Hey everyone! and to Annabay who created this excellent thread back in 2019

Lucyyy mentioned 'Anxiety is such a strange thing but we have to remember, it’s HARMLESS!!!' Good1 Lucyyy

Hey GG224....Welcome and thankyou for taking the time to post your symptoms...I used to have the same and yes anxiety is an awful set of symptoms for sure

Just from my own experience....If our anxiety begins to interfere with our ability to function on daily basis...whether at work school or personal life seeing our GP can reduce our anxiety issues

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hi Guys! I am new to this and very excited to get involved!

I would say when I get anxious, the number one thing I experience is the sick feeling in the stomach, the tight chest and sometimes my body shakes if I am really anxious about something. Although, it is good to tell yourself that these symptoms are okay and it is just your body trying to keep you safe. I know from my therapy sessions I have learnt that it is a safety mechanism, therefore tell yourself that your safe, your okay and you will get through it. The body and mind can do amazing things to protect us.

I hope this has helped some people,

Thanks,

Brooke :)

Hi Brooke

Welcome to the forums and thankyou for helping other members with your own experience! We are usually quick when replying to new members.....oops!

Brooke mentioned 'I experience is the sick feeling in the stomach, the tight chest and sometimes my body shakes if I am really anxious about something. Although, it is good to tell yourself that these symptoms are okay and it is just your body trying to keep you safe"

I really hope you can continue to post Brooke....only if and when you wish of course :-)

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hello everyone!

Two years ago, when I was first diagnosed with anxiety, my main symptom was dizzy spells.

This time around, I have been experiencing the "sick to my stomach" feeling, shaking and coldness (especially if something/someone has just upset me) and, weirdly enough, forgetting words when I am speaking or even thinking by myself!

But I just noticed that GG224 mentioned gag reflect and I have been experiencing this for the last few months. I didn't think it would be down to anxiety but thought it was weird that out of the blue I was struggling to take my morning tablets.

Thanks for listening and hope to learn from others.

hi i am new on here i have bipolar disorder and major anxiety i have ended up in hospital several times now with anxiety.

Main symptoms for me are

.Dizziness

. Heart palpations with pain in chest and in arm (like a heart attack)

.shaking

.feeling sick in the stomach

. headaches

. Dry mouth

. concentration problems

. blurry vision sometimes so bad its like looking into a kaladescope

Of course if any of the major symptoms happen i just stress more making the attack worse the other night my vision just suddenly went i panicked so much i was admitted to hospital with a heart rate of only 35.

Sorry for the long post im just hoping to connect with people in a similar position its very scary for me at the moment. thanks for reading

I completely understand this feeling. Especially the lack of concentration.

How do you manage it? I've tried just about everything.

I'm just feeling very shaky... The anxiety has been coming and going for days. I feel it in my centre... I never feel like I'm good enough for anything. I feel like I'm an imposter and people are going to find me out. And then I'm going to be humiliated. And ashamed. I just feel like it's only a matter of time before they realise how bad I am. I'm afraid of having to bear the looks on their faces, the annoyance, disgust, contempt. I don't want to face that. I'm really scared of it lol it's crazy. Why should I be scared of that?

Hi Rach93

reading your post, I feel exactly the same, I am convinced I have ms.
what kind of symptoms have you been having?

I am in a constant worry :( I’m also waiting for MRI on Monday.

I have read all of the replies to the question and I can relate to most of them,

palpitations

pacing up and down the hallway or outside in the garden

agitated cant relax

spending more time in the bathroom

then the big one chest pain which makes me more anxious, I have been to emergency many times they do all the tests find nothing and say try not to get stressed and anxious.

it always seems to happen at night and then I can't sleep and lie awake worrying even more

but after reading all the responses I realise I am not alone with what I suffer and I am trying to get control, people say keep occupied and get a hobby.. I find doing crossword puzzles helps but I get stressed if I don't know the answer so perhaps that not the best thing to do.

Hi everyone!

I am really hoping to be able to have a lot to give, in the hope of learning to be open to receive.

I’ve always been “the strong one” while equally coping with a tortuous mind.

I appear almost normal.... even successful...

But I’m not.

I’m on a mental battle for my life. My weight is skyrocketing, my obligations feel overwhelming.

Hi Lyly,

Welcome to the forums - we are glad that you have chosen to reach out to our valued online community. It sounds like you're going through a lot at the moment and we're sorry to hear it. We can hear that you have a good community spirit. Please know that you are not alone in this and we are reaching out to you privately to offer some extra support.

If you'd like to speak to someone tonight, Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. You can call them 24/7 on 13 11 14, or chat with them online 7pm-midnight AEDT - https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/

This is thread that you have posted on is a shared thread on the topic of physical feelings of anxiety. If you would like to seek support from the community, we would recommend that you start a thread of your own so that the community can respond to you there.

Mine are presently snacking and, the one that bothers me immensely because of how visible it is, is facial ticks (eg half smiles, raising eyebrows, clenching teeth, scrunching nose, popping ears, blinking/winking, tensing my muscles). It happens more when I'm in stressful situations or where I'm aware it'll be most obvious - eg when talking to someone face to face.

Sometimes I find anxiety symptoms disappear when they are replaced by new ones. But I can't seem to shake this one.

I find the same thing...As soon as I stop worrying about one of those physical symptoms, it will disappear - usually to be replaced very quickly by another. I have had physical symptoms hang around for months on end, before vanishing, though, so just because your latest one is hanging around does not automatically mean it’s real and true.

RSI after a hard day of being a computer addict?

Earlier this week I uninstalled an online game I have been addicted to for the last 4 years/~10k hours. That game consumed ~98% of my time that I spent on videogames over those 4 years.
I also blocked Reddit and Twitter this week as the endless feeds were built for degenerates like me.
I have also managed to more than halve my cannabis consumption this week and feel confident that I can take a break from it completely in the coming days after every day smoking for 6 months and then vaping for 6 further months.

All of these changes were spurred on by my first NewAccess appointment that I had 2 weeks ago.

In spite of these small wins, all of my nervous energy has been re-directed towards my long running writing anxiety and it's connection to a thoughts/feelings diary I have to write for my NewAccess coach and resume writing I need to complete in the coming weeks. I have not been able to keep up with the diary and have nothing written in it for my NewAccess appointment next week outside of some posts here. I have been napping during the day in the absence of playing video games and using social media, and high levels of anxiety has made me go outside and walk alot more to try to clear my mind