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Is this a Mental Health Issue?

14 replies

RocketQueen79 · 28/09/2015 12:00

Some days I wake up and there's this sinking feeling in my chest and it feels empty like something is missing. Something is wrong. it's like a feeling of dread but there's nothing to dread. Sometimes it's there for a few hours, sometimes it's days. It's been happening since I was a teenager.

OP posts:
Tinfoiled · 28/09/2015 12:03

It sounds a bit like anxiety. Can you expand a bit?

RocketQueen79 · 28/09/2015 12:14

It's so difficult. I just feel an emptiness in my chest like there's something missing but there's nothing to fill it.

Another way I could describe it, you know when you were a teenager and you really liked someone and they weren't interested? The hurt you would feel, like a physical pain of rejection? It's like that.

OP posts:
Room101isWhereIUsedToLive · 28/09/2015 12:16

Definitely sounds like some kind of anxiety symptom to me.

RocketQueen79 · 28/09/2015 12:37

Can you do anything to get rid of it? I don't really want to take medication if I can help it.

OP posts:
Tinfoiled · 28/09/2015 12:39

How long does the feeling last Rocket? Can you recognise if it is linked to anything or does it just occur in isolation?

RocketQueen79 · 28/09/2015 13:01

It's seemingly so random and i can't think of anything that triggers it. It can last for a morning or it can last for days. It tends to be shorter spells though.

OP posts:
Candlefairy101 · 28/09/2015 13:11

I to experience this and it has been going on since I was about 11. I now know that it is anxiety, I have no triggers so there's nothing to pin point to it. My mental health nurse said I'm only do using on the physical symptom I.e my chest feelings and I'm not thinking about what's going on through my head, I can have loads going on in my head and any one time

RocketQueen79 · 28/09/2015 14:22

How do you deal with it Candlefairy?

OP posts:
IDontWannaBrag · 28/09/2015 14:29

I have had this for as long as I can remember, and for me it is anxiety. I have some triggers - (I have learned that alcohol, lack of sleep, too much caffeine or generally not taking care of myself properly can trigger it, so I avoid those especially if I am already feeling angst. Being ill or premenstrual can bring it on, too, so at these times I am extra gentle with myself) - but at other times it is seemingly random - generalised anxiety is the term used by the medical profession, I believe.

It did spill over into some more serious mental health issues for me for a while, but I am better now, yet still experience this. I have come to accept it is part of me, really, but lots of little things help.

Mindfulness has helped me a lot. It doesn't stop the feeling from coming on, but it seems to help me keep it under control, so that it only lasts minutes or hours and doesn't (often) spiral into days.

When I do have longer periods of feeling like this, I try to be kind to myself and just accept I am having one of my 'dark spells'.

Exercise also helps massively, although it is a real effort on days when i feel like this.

RocketQueen79 · 28/09/2015 16:52

Funny you should mention alcohol. I rarely drink any more and don't often have this feeling as much as I used to. I was out on Saturday night and drank quite a lot and now this feeling is here again so maybe it is linked to that!? I'll keep my eye on that because I could happily live without the drink.

OP posts:
YesICanHearYouClemFandango · 28/09/2015 16:58

I always feel the way you describe when I've had a lot to drink recently. Anxiety sufferer here too.

amazon75 · 28/09/2015 20:21

I have those symptoms too and have lived with them the past 20 years. When I found out it was anxiety and was medically recognised I was so relieved, I just thought I was crazy.

Things that help me:

Getting enough sleep

Avoiding alcohol

Deep breaths and just focusing on breath if feeling overwhelmed by symptoms

At times I have found medication incredibly useful, but understand it's not for everyone

Talking about it, letting close people know that this happens to you, it can be a relief to not have to pretend you are fine when you are not

Cognitive behavioural therapy can be very helpful for anxiety and can usually be accessed through gp

Hope this helps, you are not alone SmileThanks

RocketQueen79 · 29/09/2015 12:24

Thank you so much. I feel better just knowing it's "something" if that makes sense?

OP posts:
Sheepymooves · 29/09/2015 19:35

I had all kinds of weird stuff like this.

Once after one of my children I had something similar when I just felt emotionally in pain. It's so weird but that's the only way I can describe it.

Quite scary at the time.

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