What If

[girlwithhope]

Do u ever wonder what if this time it's not ANXIETY. Like your gonna really die this time. Everytime it's a new symptom or u haven't had it this severe for a long time. u try to calm yourself down by saying it's just anxiety it will go away soon.Than that 30 minutes passes by and your still feeling very uncomfortable thinking to yourself.I'm really gonna die this time and it's not anxiety.I always think that my doctor is wrong even though i had ALL the test done already. It's so hard sometimes how this uncomfortable feeling can just take alot of control over u.It just feels so real that it CAN kill u. I'm so scared that i stress about it so much that i might die of stressed. thanks for reading

[bronxborn72]

First off, thank you all for your insight and advice its absolutely a big help.  Most people facebook, or myspace it or even twitter, but we sit here on this website, and try to help one another with this vicious infliction we call anxiety / panic disorder.  I feel im not alone anymore.  Its so helpful to know im not the only one feeling all these weird sensations.  I believe talking about it, and comparing my symptons with other people helps ease my mind.  I hope one day we can all get rid of this horrible disease, but for now I must embrace it, and accept it cause its been with me for 10 years now.  I'm just going to learn more about it.  Keep fighting towards getting better, and try to reprogram how I think, and maybe one day I can get back to some norm in my life.  Thank you all

[Haych22]

i too cant drink anymore, im turning 21 nex month and everytym i drink my heart races outta conrol...this was one of my first symtoms of what i think is now anxiety...befor 5wks ago i was fine and able to drink now i feel like im going to hava stroke or my hearts gunna give out...scary and dissapointing, i  hope one day itll pass but im scared to even have a glass of wine...

[footylad]

yes, i feel like this all the time.

i could write a book on anxiety and CBT in theory, just can't seem to apply it.

[girlwithhope]

Thanks for that great website.I wish i can just believe that it's just anxiety when i have the panic attack.It's so hard to believe it sometimes cuz it just takes over u.I always have that in my head when it is so severe the what if.This is it i'm really gonna die this time.I hate that thinking my anxiety has been really bad for a month now.I have anxiety everyday if it's really anxiety who knows see there goes my negative thought and the what if.i just have it so severe right now it's really hard to focus. I hate having this can't concentrate feeling so bad also.Sometimes i feel like i can't talk like my words are stuck.When will this terrible body symptoms subside for me i use to be able to float with most of the sensations but it's so bad i have a hard time right now,Too much stress n thinking too much. K thanks for reading..I hope u guys the best and hopefully will beat this mental illness together.Take care

[Dustyanders]

That's exactly what I talked about with my councellor and she said you have to get that "what if" thoought out of your head. It's hard for me to do that but I try.

[kellykel1124]

Greenlydia... Thank you for telling me about "hyper-vigilant, I did not know that..So thank you.. The strange thing is sometimes I feel better knowing that other people can understand how I am feeling, my family thinks that I am crazy at times...

QUESTION>>>> Do any of you seem to get it worse if you drink alcohol?? I feel like my heart wants to give out the next day... I can't enjoy wine like I used to because I am so scared all of the time...

girlwithhope.... You have very similar symptoms like I have.. I have had the stroke like symptoms that they call "complicated migraines" ... I have the tingling in my hands and feet the dizzy spells, the numbness, palpitations, chest pains, you name it I have probably felt it.. I try to forget the way I am feeling, but instead I make it worse by paying too much attention to it.. I am getting stressed out now thinking about them so I will talk with you guys later so I can try to get this off my mind. I will post this website for you to look at it actually helped me for a while..

http://www.anxietynetwork.com/diff.html         copy and paste this to you browser

[girlwithhope]

I too have same symptoms as u guys right now. Tingly body, hard to concentrate,light headed,nasea sometimes.The one that is really bothering me right now is AM I BREATHING. My heart or chest feels cold, I hate that tingly sensation all over from head to toe makes my vision REALLY weird. Can't focus makes it hard to drive. kellykel1124 i know what ur saying also and i also do overly become VERY overly sensitive to EVERY symptom that i have on my body. And i also sometimes bring it t myself sometimes.I can't help it i have anxiety EVERYDAY. So how can i not think about it.UGH this *****.I just want to feel normal and just enjoy life with my kids and families i hate being scared all the time. And greenlydia i guess that kinda eases a little bit just a little tiny bit lol.That i feel relieved that it might be anxiety cuz u had it for that many years.I hope we can all over come this soon..Thank you all for reading

[RubyWitch]

girlwithhope...............your fear is very common for those of us with anxiety/panic. I have had panic attacks for 40 years and you'd think they'd be like old friends by now! But just like you, at some point during every panic attack, the thought crosses my mind that just maybe this time it ISN'T a panic attack! Maybe THIS time it really IS a heart attack! I wish I could tell you that I've learned a way to stop this kind of thinking, but obviously I haven't. The fact I'm still here perhaps should tell me something............

Nelly.................as I wrote above, the fear of stroke usually crosses my mind during an atttack as well, especially if I get an odd sensation in my head. Then there are those really special attacks when I'm sure I'm having not only a heart attack but a stroke as well. Go to the ER if that is what you need to do for peace of mind, but DO believe that anxiety can create hundreds of extremely frightening symptoms and if we get into the cycle of  anxiety=fear=symptoms=more anxiety=more fear=more symptoms......then we are definitely on the wrong ride at the fair!

Kelly.....................you wrote:  "now I have them (panic attacks) all of the time and I have anxiety from the thought of having more panic attacks.........."

That is known as "anticipatory anxiety" and is VERY common in panic disorder. In fact, it is one of the criteria they use to dx panic disorder.

You then write: "Now I have became OVERLY SENSITIVE to the way my body feels and I sometimes bring it on myself when I think about it."

THAT is known as being "hyper-vigilant," being super tuned in to every little pain, twitch, tweak or sensations we feel anywhere in our bodies. What most people wouldn't give a second thought to, for us we latch onto it and worry it like a dog with a bone until we've talked ourselves into heart attacks, strokes, cancer, brain tumore..........you name it, we can give it to ourselves!  

I would suggest for all of you, if you haven't already, to schedule thorough physicals with your doctors to rule out any organic reason for your symptoms and if all your tests come back negative, and anxiety is the only card left on the table, to really consider asking for a referral to a good therapist. Medications can help, and they may be helpful in the beginning, but they just mask the symptoms of your anxiety/panic and what you need to do is find the root cause of that anxiety and deal with that.
There is help out there for those of us who suffer with this and there is no reason we should give up any more of our lives to this insidious disorder. Please think about seeking help. You've nothing to lose and everythng to gain.
Peace
Greenlydia
  

    

[kellykel1124]

Yes anxiety works in the strangest ways and it can actually change what it does to your body as well. Mine started off as yours did I went to the hospital 8 years ago thinking I was having a heart attack and plenty of times after that and every time I went everything came back fine they told me I had anxiety back then, so it eventually went away, but I would have panic  attacks every now and then through out the years, now I have them all of the time and I have anxiety from the thought of having more panic attacks (hope that makes sense to you) panic and anxiety are a little different, I have both. Now I have became OVERLY SENSITIVE to the way my body feels and I sometimes bring it on myself when I think about it. I have everything from chest pain, tingly arms and lips, feelings of almost passing out, lightheaded, nauseous, dizzy, cold sensations through my chest, confused feelings, you name it I feel it. I have been to cardiologists and ERs since I was 20. I went to a mental health doctor and she explained why I feel this way.... When you have anxiety or a panic disorder your body naturally goes into a flight or fight mode which makes your adrenaline increase and makes your blood go to the center of your body so you can protect yourself like they did in the caveman days, and when all of your blood is in the center of you body, that will make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, like you feel like you are going to pass out. I have been talking my self out of these panic attacks the best I can, but it is a struggle everyday. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Good luck you you all

[Nelly34e]

I fear about this all the time.  And every time I feel a different symptom I think its something else.  Like right now, my head feels really light headed, i feel like its hard to concentrate, and my body feels tingly, so I think i'm having a stroke.  I'm contemplating going to the ER.  Better to be sure then sorry.  I just cannot believe anxiety can cause all of this, its hard for me to take that in.