Health anxiety panic attack at work

[Nogodsnomasters]

Hi, I've posted about my health anxiety and emetophobia before but this post is more just a vent as I'm stuck in work with anxiety all day today and I'm really struggling. First this morning I thought maybe my glands were swollen, I wasn't sure. Then I got a headache around lunch time which tbh isn't abnormal as I get so many tension headaches from stress and lack of sleep, but then after lunch I just started to overheat, it's not a warm day outside and im not usually a warm person and none of my colleagues have mentioned feeling hot so I've started freaking out that I have a fever caused by an infection of some kind, which is now causing a panic attack fs. I've put the air conditioning on which has helped a bit but I'm just so on edge today and I have an hour n half left of my shift. Just feel like crying, it's so hard to act normal in front of colleagues and customers when Im literally dying inside.

Deep breaths!

If you have an infection, you have an infection - try not to worry about 'ifs'.

Hope you feel better soon

OP, panic attacks can be so scary.

Maybe try the 4 7 8 breathing technique? If it's new to you, concentrating on this might distract your brain to allow you some calm.

Focus on the pattern of breathing and do this four times.

• breathe in through your nose for four seconds
• hold your breath for seven seconds
• exhale for eight seconds, purse your lips making a 'whoosh' sound as you expel air.

Do this about four times and you should feel calm washing over you.

If you can't manage those numbers reduce in half, so 2, 3.5 and 4

Thank you both for responding. I am now home from work, had a bath and relaxing with my ds, feeling a good bit better if not 100%.

Worry of infection or illness are nearly always on my mind so if I get the slightest hint of something starting my anxiety just goes completely bananas. I took my temperature when I got home and it was normal, my headache has passed, though the jury is still out on the swollen glands but that's not important it's just my anxiety talking as per.

Glad you're feeling a bit better.

My mum always says to drink more water when I get a headache so maybe try that! 😀

Thank you, I'll try that. Since mine mostly always seem to be tension headaches I try a few stretchs and that sometimes helps but not always possible to do that in work obviously lol. Let's hope for a better day today but it's an ongoing battle.

You poor thing. I really hope you're feeling better now.

Health anxiety is just awful. Mine started the day after I gave birth to my first child and I think is related to my dad dying suddenly at 36.

If I can give one piece of advice it's to stop googling. Just do not do it at all, not even NHS websites.

I suffered a panic attack at work and ended up being taken to a&e by my boss because I was convinced I had a brain tumour. It's horrible isn't it?

I just wanted to stop by and say you're really not alone. Not sure if that helps much but you're not x

unusualusernames thank you for replying. Health anxiety is really all consuming. If I'm not worried about my own health, I'm worried about my ds's. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad, I'm in a similar situation where mine started when my sister was diagnosed with a life threatening illness at the age of 27, she ended up passing away from that illness at age 31 and that just compounded things with my mental health because she died the same year I became a mother. I've had counselling 3 times and it helps at the time and for a few months after but then it slowly creeps back in. And my anxiety will not allow me to take medication because I literally couldn't cope with the initial side effects they cause so it's a perpetual cycle.