Topic: what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?

My oesophagus just clamps shut and I can’t swallow, not even clear liquids will go down.

I could be eating soup and all of a sudden something will trigger my anxiety and I have to stop. At times I must bring it all back up as I feel like I am choking. I pace up and down until the feeling passes.

I have seen a gastroenterologist specialist about it and she confirmed that under stress, my stomach and food pipe clench shut. The feeling of drowning from a glass of water is simply awful.

And of course the very common tightness in the chest and hyperventilating. My lungs don’t want to inflate at times.

I get tingling down my arms and legs, get dizzy and must lie down.

I have had MRI’s on my brain and neck and inner ear which were inconclusive.

hello I read what you said and it sounds just like me, and yes the big 1 is chest pain and palpitations for me 2 and I dont sleep at night either I just think 24/7 that I am going to have a heart attack and die, its like a living hell and the docs meds dont help. I think I have death anxiety also known as thanataphobia. like you said its good to understand we are not alone so try to stay strong and live in the now instead of the future. but it is easier said then done.

Not sure if all of these are related to anxiety but I do experience

- sweaty palms

- uncontrollably shaking my leg when I’m sitting down

- racing heart

- sudden bursts of worry

- eating nothing in the morning and overeating at night

- racing thoughts

- avoiding going out and social interaction

Hello,

Despite my poker face, my physical manifestation of anxiety are:

- Constant jittery feeling with waves of panic washing over me that make my heart race

- Can't concentrate, words meaningless, stuck in a loop, no direction

- Insomnia, toss, turn, stare, wriggle

- Feeling hunted, like everyone wants something

- Finger biting, hair pulling

I see a lot of my same physical manifestations in this thread, in no particular order:

• Sleeplessness and hypnagogic jerks, including feeling my throat close up just as I'm falling asleep
• Tension in my arms and shoulders that tires out my muscles and then fatigue after sensations die down
• Tightness in the chest, lightheadedness, some tingling
• Loss of appetite
• Distinct lack of concentration, motivation and a general inability to enjoy anything

Hi Acca

I suffer with the dizziness too , I really get quite scared to stand up sometimes bc I think that I will pass out , I would love to know what you do for the dizziness xx

cheers MiloTiger

Hello,

I also find anxiety can trigger my asthma, especially if I am feeling panicky or emotional. What a completely useless reaction by my body. I've always thought asthma just the stupidest way for the body to attack itself! One thing it does do though is bring your focus to your breath.

Yes to some not all

I also get

- a stammer

-light headed

-panic attack

-inability process people talking to me

-inability to move physically

hang in there

finding triggers help because it helps to understand your physiological responses

HI everyone,

I get heart palpitations which is the most bothering physical symptom.

The other night I thought it would be my last night, my heart didn't feel right and my head started tingling but here I am even the worst heart palpitations I've survived so I guess they can't kill you, but I'm still scared if they get worse as to what will happen to me.

Jumping back in here again as I seem to be more anxious at the moment. My feelings are as follows:

I put ** next to the ones that are constant and don't really ever go away. These are the ones I need to consistently try to self-help for.

• overthinking and obsessive thoughts **
• muscle tension **
• headaches **
• fatigue and tiredness **
• trouble sleeping and staying asleep **
• dizziness
• panic attacks
• a sort of de-personalisation where I feel a little 'out of it' or 'disconnected'
• sadness and feeling 'fed up' so to speak
• hyperawareness of breathing, therefore making breathing seem hard, shortness of breath
• loss of appetite
• Sometimes can't be bothered to maintain the body --> I try to be really careful if I feel like this so I don't have negative impacts from it.

Take care everyone & stay safe :)

To those suffering from dizziness, know that I had dizziness for about 3-4 months at one stage. It was constant, and I do mean constant. I go through stages of it still but not as bad or scary as it once was.

A few months ago I was dealing with spasms and twitches all over which have subsided.

Now I've got indigestion, stomach cramps and not going to the toilet very well. I don't feel stress more than usual but in Melbourne so during lockdown my diet and activity were poor the past few weeks. Hopefully resolves soon.

Anxiety sucks, the physical manifestations of it are remarkable.

Hi Jemma!

You basically just described my feelings.. apart from the no appetite, I eat when I'm anxious!

How long have you experience headaches? I have suffered from chronic daily tension headaches for about 13 years now :(

Hi I understand how you feel. I feel like this alot. I have found a part time job the first in two years and I hate it. I feel like its hard to get out of bed. Its 3 am now and I am wide awake. I cant sleep and just bit off my co workers head because he told a junior staff member about my complaint I made of them. The manager just said she did not want to discuss this over a text. I dont want to goto work and I dont want to go back. I hate it. I will feel like a failure but I have to quit. I am worried about what they will think and its just waitressing.

I will now not sleep tonight due to anxiety and have had enough. I have to quit tomorrow and dont want to. I am scared about what they will say.

Dizziness

Sleeplessness

I have just had an operation to remove a melanoma and I was ok with that at the time but now am obsessed with checking my lymph nodes, it just doesn't end.

The Only plus is that I found taking ginger tablets stops the nausea

Sometimes you wonder when it will ever stop and you can feel normal again

G'day GCkathy,

Your last line there above does make me wonder about normality.

Am I going to keep feeling like this for so long it will become normal? Is the absence of how I felt prior to 10/6 (bad event) me missing that old normality, on the way to a new normality?

Which is better, emotionally flat or intense emotions? I'm flopping around all over the place, each emotion so strong my body is reacting to it... or nothing at all.

Where's the optimal middle ground? I want me some of that please!!!!

-chest tightness

-restlessness

-excessive crying(sometimes)

-lack of concentration

-fatigue

-loss of apetite

-if i try to distract myself to manage it , fir eg watching netflix, i dont enjoy it

under attack

jumpy

easily startled

being too open or disclosing too much

head aches

Hey Lacie,

I've been feeling the exact same way recently. Your post has helped me understand my situation and realise that other people are feeling the same way. I hope you're feeling better now and I am confident that I will be feeling better soon as well.

Thanks Again!

Michael

Hi

Three things are familiar to me from your 'anxiety'. As a site manager of a 24 hour remote site I had these feelings (mainly due to pressure of meeting production schedules.), over many years. I am now 'mature age' and the results of this anxiety over a long term are now evident (heart disease to which stress aggrevated.)

Firstly, this seemingly simple anxiety (part of life, some say), can turn into depression. Its simpler to 'manage' it while its anxiety and before it develops.

Secondly, don't ignore the physical aspects. Many of the 'symptoms' you describe are similar to heart condition symtoms. If you think your anxiety is caused by 'stress' ( as mine was) keep a close eye on your heart with your doctor (I believe the two are linked).

I found that my anxiety reduced as I reduced (or managed) the stress in my life. I mainly did by this practicing deep breathing, visualization, meditation, and yoga (Lots of info on this site, but also Zen buddahist sites), I also personally use hypnotherapy.

Hope this helps (to know your not alone with this)