Tension for 2 weeks. Rubber band feeling! Will it subside?

[cnote]

So about a month ago I'd have on amd off days of tension in my shoulders and neck, but not bad.

2 weeks ago I had an extremely stressful weekend! One family intervention with my parents (they were about to seperate, so me and my siblings had to drive over to their house and play "counselor". It was something I'd never thought I'd have to do. I've never seen my dad in such a depressed state before and it worried me.

Also the same weekend my wife and I had a huge argument and she brought up the thought of separation and it threw me into a panic.

It seems that after that weekend things got better. I thought I handled everything like a man.

Well the past two weeks I have slowly started getting the feeling of a rubber band across my head. At first I thought it was allergies, because it felt like pressure around my nose as well.

Now for the past week or so its been getting more and more intense and is basically a full blown tension headache 24/7 that doesn't end.

I know logically its nothing serious like a brain tumor or anything serious.  So I'm not fretting there.

However just the fact that my neck feels so tight, my scalp even gets shooting and stabbing pains all around. Feels like a vice is grasping my head and I have head pressure... 24/7.

It gets slightly better at times but full force at times too. But never completely goes away.

I do not take meds.

I've been benzo free for over 3 years however I will allow a xanax once every 6 months (if im having bad anxiety). Thats IT! I don't ever want to go down that dependency road again.

I also stopped taking antidepressants a year and a half ago.

I still suffer from anxiety. But I have chosen to just cope with it without meds. I have chosen this route because so far I only have about 3 to 4 anxiety spells a year. The rest of the year I have great weeks and months. Since my anxiety comes in cycles.

Do you guys think this tension will eventually lift?

I know the past is a good indicator of the future.

And what I mean by that is "YES, rationally this too shall pass!" Because I've never in my life had a symptom last forever. It eventually leaves.

But when your stuck in the irrational thinking phase, its tough to imagine that this will leave eventually.

Thanks for listening. :)

[cnote]

and im getting better. :) slowly but surely. I'm about 95%!

At least the anxiety is gone! Amen!

[cnote]

oh and I also got an hour and a half massage tonight. While it felt amazing, and i got relief, i feel it slowly tightening back up.

Regardless it will pass. I'mma keep up the massages every week for a few weeks.

[cnote]

I have that book on my tablet! ha! Great book! I'm currently reading a book by Claire Weeks called Hope and Help for Your Nerves. It's a good read.

Basically lots of reassurance that these physical symptoms will eventually pass. I know they will too logically b/c ive been through spells many many many times in my life as an anxiety sufferer. I'm a veteran. lol.

I broke down and went to the Dr. today just for reassurance about my neck tension and constant feeling of my head feeling in a vice, and vision disturbances.

After I explained my situation from 2 weeks ago he said "umm... that's definitely what it is from." LOL.

He's a GREAT doctor. Love that guy.

Things will get better. :)

[anxiety860]

Thanks man. All worked out. Just how everything worked out with you and those damn head aches.

[Nico_Ak]

I too struggle with extreme Anxiety and Physical symptoms (tons of them) that go along with it. I also have Panic Disorder so i get Panic Attacks, they are not fun at all, I am sorry for your situation, it can be a lot to handle and cope with.... There is this book I just started reading lately that has started helping me called When Panic Attacks. You can find it on Amazon for like 5$, might be worth looking into.

[cnote]

and im sorry your folks are going through a rough time too man. :(

[cnote]

I'm 32 years old man, I thought I could handle this crap in life. haha.

I will say today I am feeling MUCH better!! Amen!

Maybe i'll stop worrying now about it being something seriously wrong with me. lol.

Logically I know it's from a couple of weeks ago. DUH. But sometimes our brains can tell us differently... and you feel stuck! Literally stuck! And you can't believe the rationality when you are in that anxiety state! But DEEP down you KNOW rationally you are FINE and that it's all ANXIETY.

I hate anxiety. lol.