Sudden sense of dread today and trying not to panic

[AlwaysAnxious32]

Anyone else get a sudden sense of impending doom? I've had this wash over me today suddenly and it feels horrid. I just have this sudden sense of dread and I'm finding it really difficult to explain. I have suffered anxiety and panic in the last and I have OCD. But this doesn't feel like the kind of panic I would normally get. After a quick Google, it says could be a heart attack or PE. I don't have any chest pain but not I feel like I've got pain iny shoulder but I don't know if I'm making that up. I've started to really panic some more. Anyone else had this?? And been ok?. Working myself into a right state, also feel.silly going to A and E and I saying "I feel a sense of dread". On the brink of a massive panic attack. Can anyone calm me the hell down. Hand hold needed.

I completely understand. I tend to focus on the ‘what if’ too, and it has led to me feeling anxious in the past. Remember though- the feeling of dread isn’t your only symptom. You’ve also been shivering, feeling hot, racing heart, feeling panicky. All of these are common symptoms of anxiety. If you can try to calm yourself you’ll probably find that you feel a lot better (easier said than done I know!).

You would be surprised how many people aren't aware of water toxicity.

Glad you're feeling a bit better and made it through the night.

You mention your son has autism - are you autistic too, or neurodiverse in another way? Anxiety is strongly linked to Autism and ADHD from having to mask and cope with everyday life which is 100 x harder for us (I am AuDHD). I am probably telling you stuff you already know but if not maybe you should get yourself assessed? Many people especially women are on anti depressants and anti anxiety medication when what they need to be on is ADHD medication instead. And if you know you are autistic you can have therapy to help you cope better in everyday life / understand yourself and what overwhelms you better x

@AlwaysAnxious32 sincere apologies OP. I should have taken your anxiety into account before I posted about my own experiences. That’s so out of character for me and I’m truly sorry x

Had an evening much like last night. You would think by now I would accept im probably not dying. I'm shattered but too scared to sleep.

Let’s think about this rationally, OP. My therapist always asks me ‘What’s the benefit in this belief/behaviour for you?’ There’s always a reason why we stick to a pattern. It might be that you think you’re alive only because you worry so much about it, maybe? That it’s a protective pattern of behaviour?

You have a stressful life OP. Any parent of a child like yours would struggle. Add to that the impending separation and move and the idea of being a single mother.. I'd be surprised if you weren't feeling additional stress. It manifests itself differently and this is your way. But thats all it is. Remember you are healthy and safe and your beautiful child is peacefully asleep and all is good. Everything will be OK and you will deal with the challenges life throws at you as they arise.

This is the thing. I don't know. I've had lots of therapy in the past, and when they ask what im gaining from feeling/behaving like this I can never give an answer. Rationally, I know that I cannot control these things, that they will happen inevitably. But I spend so much of my time worrying and getting myself in a state. I don't know what the answers are. I wish I wasnt like this.

Well you need to find a new therapist and consider a change in medication (you are on meds?) because this is no way to live, and it sure as heck isn’t a good environment for a child to grow up in @AlwaysAnxious32

OP what did you do that day? Did you get out for a walk/keep yourself busy? It was quite a cold wind where we are so if I hadn’t been moving most of the day, could easily have felt cold.

Always best to call 111 if you feel you have out of the ordinary symptoms and are genuinely worried. But please remember its very easy to get the worst case scenario on google. If I have a bad headache, google will tell me I could have a brain tumour.

Exercise is one of the best things for mental health so if your feeling ok today, get out and about.

Thank you.

I got some sleep and I've woke up and i still feel that dread and heart racing. Coming into the third day so I'm guessing I'm not having a heart attack..

Sound silly but I think I've been worrying about taking a vitamin D supplemt. I'm meant to take five tablets all at once, once a month and it just seems a bit excessive to me. I'm not sure if I've been worrying subconsciously about it and it's given me the dread feelings

Are you alone today?

@AlwaysAnxious32i haven’t managed to read the replies since my last post, but wanted to ask if you managed to get in touch with gp/111? I had something similar happen (I won’t repost my whole experience), but i was prescribed beta blockers to stop the racing heart- just thought I’d mention it in case it’s something you’d like to ask your doctor about.
Hope you feel better soon

Yea just me and my son. I think that's why I'm anxious about it, in case jm allergic, bad side effects etc but I know I need to take it, I've been putting it off for weeks. I imagine my low vit D is actually contributing to my anxiety and issues

Thank you. I've had bisoprolol. It slowed my heart down so much I thought I was dead. So my anxious brain now has a massive phobia of taking it again.

You dont need to worry about a Vit D supplement. That will only be a positive benefit to you.

Hope you manage to get some fresh air and feel better. Health anxiety is real (I encounter people in my job who have it) but hope you can get on top of it as life is so precious and too short to let these things worry you.

Please also remember that every single medication/supplement has to list every teeny tiny possible side effect. I dont think ive ever done more than glanced at a medication info sheet as I know it will list everything under the sun.

As long as you know to call 111 if you felt very unwell, you really dont need to be worried.

I think its cos I'm mostly by myself with my son and I worry if something happens, what about him.

It's a symptom of a number of conditions such as hypoxia, serious infection, etc. If there's any possibility this is not just due to anxiety then calling 111 could be worthwhile.

Op - this can’t be a good environment for your child. For instance, what’s your plan with him today? Could he stay with his dad until you have sought help for your anxiety?

You need to get up, showered, dressed and out. For his sake.

And you need to contact his father and explain the state you’re in and ask him to have residency until you have sought help

You could take two of the vitamin d tablets today, which wouldn’t be at all excessive. One more tomorrow, one more the next day etc until you’ve taken all 5. Or take them over the course of an entire week. That would be better than not taking them at all, because you are right in saying that low vit D could be contributing to your symptoms. Low iron also does the same

I sympathise with you. I can identify with everything that you are saying right down to the allergy fear. It started for me as post natal depression when I was 22 and peaked through my late 20’s to late 30’s. I am now in the later half of 40’s so hope that I can give you some advice.

I learned to accept that I suffer from anxiety disorder and that I was a highly sensitive individual. I am hyper sensitive to environmental changes, fluctuations in temperature and my body reacts strongly when there is an insulin or hormone imbalance.

Once I accepted this (and it took 20 years to recognise)’ I started to work with the issues. I struggled with panic attacks for so long that they no longer presented as the typical hyperventilating for a brief period and instead began presenting and a feeling of doom, a completely overwhelming fear of not having control. They would last all day and the pain attached to them was so bad. Chest pains were very painful and physical which convinced me I was having a heart attack.

Once I began working with my anxiety, the pain subsided as I wasn’t trying to battle my bodies warning system.

And that is exactly what anxiety is. It is your bodies warning system that something is affecting you on a deeper subconscious level. Now think about it this way, you are someone who is able to recognise anxiety as you are so sensitive to it. This means that you probably don’t store stress in the body as much actually making you less likely to have stress related heart problems.

So now, when I feel that impending doom or general feeling of breathlessness or pain, I journal and spend time working out what my body is telling me that I need to do. Once I have named the worry and recognised that is is having a physical effect on me, the anxiety leave since I have bought the fear to my consciousness. It is like my body says “okay, I can turn the alert system off now because it has done its job”.

I hope this helps. I still have anxiety and I suspect I always will but I frame it as being a highly sensitive person. I appreciate that my body is able to warn me when my emotional balance is out of whack and I am inspired to act upon it.

His dad is off galavanting all day, as per usual

And as for the vitamin d, this is my process.

Lick tablet one day. Place half in mouth the next and spit out, swallow the tiniest piece the next, half a tablet the next (now you know you are not allergic) then take a full tablet the next day.