What are your anxiety symptoms ?

[KatvonC]

Apologies if this has already been done. Just wondered what some of your anxiety symptoms were and if you were able to control them ? I find it helps me to talk about it and hear that others are going through the same thing.

Mine are some sort of 'impostor' feelings, that one day everyone will discover the 'real' me and turn against me.

Self-conscious when I speak because of a very, very slight lisp I have had which has mostly disappeared.

If someone at work just walks past and doesn't say hi, assuming that it's something to do with me or something I must have done.

Insomnia (only seem to get this when i'm working, not during weekends or holidays.

Headaches which last all day (luckily have vanished over the Christmas holidays)

Worry that i'm judged in my role as a teacher and won't be taken seriously because i'm very young-looking. Some kids placed me at 19!

I'm very good at doing celebrity impressions but would only do this in front of a small group of friends, same with telling jokes, I'm too afraid of being judged to even do this in front of family.

Worries about money, that I will have the bailiffs at my door or end up in court (even though I am not behind with any sort of priority debts so this is not likely to happen)

Worries about getting older and losing my looks and health.

Constant worries about my family getting ill or dying.

Seeing exes in town and them laughing at me or saying bad things about me to people.

That I have done something to upset people.

I have a massive irrational fear of going to prison even though i've not done anything to warrant it.

The list goes on ! It's a daily struggle but I just try to live with that. Has medication/different types of therapy helped others with anxiety ?

Another thing is that I have severe aracnophobia and I will sometimes see spiders or spider webs which are not there, mainly if I have just woken up.
My parents quite a lot so I obsessively check for them whenever I am there.

I have imposter syndrome, it’s not a symptom of anxiety, it is an anxiety.

My symptoms are palpitations, dizzyness, confusion and stuttering. If it gets very bad I have sleep paralysis and auditory hallucinations.

I hate feeling so anxious! I get physical symptoms - when DH & I were going to a Take That concert I worked myself up so much that I nearly passed out in the middle of Boots during the afternoon leading up to it. The worst thing is worrying so much about what people think or if I have upset them, even close friends. I analyse every little thing. It’s exhausting! And yet, I am very popular & always being told what a sweetie I am & how I can talk to anyone. I work in retail & get lots of compliments on the till, which is really lovely. But somehow I always seem to think that the worst is going to happen & that I annoy people, am boring etc. That’s another worry - I feel I have to think of funny stuff to say & of course I’m actually funnier if it happens naturally & isn’t planned. I can lie awake all night before a social event, planning what I’m going to say. Hoping to deal with some of this in 2020.

Hi OP I'm sorry you're suffering from anxiety - it really is the pits and I've suffered it since my teens. (Now in mid 40s)
I am also a teacher and I empathise with the imposter syndrome. Some of this was due to being treated terribly in my NQT year and is a kind of ptsd. I constantly worry about my dc and fret about them being abducted or something awful happening. I have very disturbing thoughts and constantly check things to a ridiculous degree. The physical symptoms include nausea, palpitations, sweaty palms and swallowing issues. I've actually found that mindfulness has helped a lot as has cognitive behaviour therapy, but I also find it challenging to keep them up. Exercise has also been extremely helpful.

My anxiety manifests itself as constantly thinking something terrible is going to happen to my family. My son has recently turned 18 is out in pubs and clubs and I can't relax till he's home. My brain just won't turn off, and the physical symptoms are starting to effect my health.

The nights when everyone is at home in bed, and the door is locked I will start to relax, but occasionally I will then start to worry about extended family, especially if I know they're not home.

If I can't worry about that, my anxiety will create something else. For example I spent the whole of Christmas Day worrying that I was going to lose my job. I'm really not even sure what sparked this, except perhaps recent money worries, but I shouldn't have been thinking about work on Christmas Day let alone not being able to sleep for this reason.

As mentioned by the OP I have also spent time being anxious about going to jail, and really feeling quite unwell about it

Imposter syndrome - I spend my entire life thinking I'm going to get caught out for the fraud I am

Palpitations - a very physical symptom that can be distressing, particularly when I can see my heart beating through my top

Sweating, particularly sweaty (and stinky!!) feet

Brain fog

Waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to get back to sleep / super vivid dreams/ sleep talking

Paranoia - everyone hates me / can see through me

Catastrophising - a simple mistake sends me into panic, because I can see it leading to me losing my job, then my home, then my relationship

Weird throbbing/pulsating/cramping sensation in my back - I am convinced it is my adrenals but the doctors don't think it is

I get super tearful

Feeling like I can't clear my throat/swallow properly (like I have something stuck in my throat) or feeling like I have a 'bubble' and can't breathe fully

Mine are mostly physical: insomnia, feeling like there is a lump in my throat so I can't swallow/ breathe, feeling like there is a brick laying on my chest, headaches, brain fog. It worsens throughout the day, even on medication.

Thanks for the replies. I'm sorry to hear that others are also experiencing these symptoms, have other PPs tired medication ?

I've suffered from imposter syndrome, I think it is more common than we realise as a lot of my friends feel the same men & women.

I have a fear of falling as I'm overweight, I was terrified to use escalators for a number of years and have only started using them in the last year with help from my DH & friends. I get paranoid when it rains that I'm going to slip over so I end walking incredibly slowly or if the floor is wet inside from rain. When it was really bad I wanted to take my shoes off and walk bare feet or sink myself to the ground so I didn't have to move. I would physically feel sick. I still can't use treadmills

I was diagnosed with depression in the summer and I was prescribed medication that is also used for anxiety. I didn't appreciate how bad my anxiety was till I took the tablets as it helped me so much. I realised I had stopped thinking about my fears constantly. I still have wobbles especially if I've had an emotional day or I'm low. I'm also having therapy which is helping me and I know people are scared of medication or therapy but it's been the best thing for me. I don't want to live my life in fear and I was tired of feeling like I existed only it that I wasn't getting anywhere in life. CBT is really helpful, I've managed to get my therapy through my work healthcare scheme as wait on NHS is very long and my GP described the sessions as boot camp style they're ok for dealing with one issue but not as great for long term issues.

OP my anxiety sounds alot like yours. Fear of debts and financial problems to the point I can't open my mail. Fear of going to jail but haven't done anything wrong. Fear of losing my job if I make a mistake. It's hard

For me it is physical symptoms such as heart racing, feeling dizzy, blood rushing to my head, feeling 'weightless' and unable to control my body. I tend to forget to breathe when I'm anxious which heightens all those feelings.

Mentally speaking it's ott negative thoughts.

I did try medication (citalopram) 15 years ago before I had my dc and it did help. I stopped it for ttc. I think meds are probably much better now than they used to be. I was prescribed propanolol to help with the symptoms but found that made zero difference! CBT, mindfulness and exercise are the most effective but everyone is different of course. It's worth trying different things to see what helps. It was good for me to admit to myself that I am an anxious person (and I always will be) and it is changing how I react to my thoughts which helps instead of trying to suppress the thoughts - which is what I used to do. Good luck op

Hi - I also suffer with imposter syndrome, I feel like a total fraud and as a result crave reassurance and get defensive at slightest hint of criticism.

I cannot gauge friendships at all, so if a friend I’ve known for 30 years doesn’t reply to a message that day I assume that I’ve upset them or they have decided to cut me out of their lives.

I have had to quit social media cos I assumed every post about cutting out toxic people was about me. Likewise if friends have met up without me i feel very hurt and will worry for weeks about why I wasn’t included.

I’m exhausted by all this. It is eating me up and making me a bitter person. I’m worried about seeking help as I assume all they’ll suggest is trying some antidepressants - if they work does that mean I medicate for the rest of my life. I don’t want that. I’m tempted to try private counselling but am a bit cynical about the profession as know a couple of people who have qualified and they are not especially inspiring.

Hi Op, yes a combination of medication and therapy have helped me enormously. I was getting major panic attacks, I was restricting how much I went out of the house, who I met, who I even spoke to. The anxiety was stopping me being the person I knew I was and after a huge panic attack before an important meeting, I knew I had to get help.

So I found a very experienced psychotherapist who specialises in childhood trauma (where I knew my issues stemmed from). After a few sessions she recommended I also went on a small dose of citalopram. The combination of the therapy and drugs has most definitely changed my life for the better- I can’t recommend them enough!

iheartart I could have written your post! This is totally me!!

Hi OP, at the moment my symptoms are feeling almost breathless, like a heavy weight is on my chest. I get intrusive thoughts and a fear that I have done something horrendous although I know I haven't. Feel slightly nauseous, no real appetite and just want to sleep all the time. I saw my GP for the first time about it a couple of weeks ago - he gave me some benzodiazepines to help cope in the short term but I don't feel they've had any effect. Going back today to talk about counselling and longer term medication. I know this all stems from my childhood - parental death, divorce, bullying and possible abuse (although I can't remember anything fully I have some memories which make my skin crawl) - so I need to address it rather than bury it all down like I have for the last 20 years. Hoping it gets better as I feel like I am only just functioning at the moment.

@Brusselpout Your back throbbing sounds similar to what I have had from time to time! So painful, but only lasts a few minutes? I also wondered if adrenals were involved as it comes on, for example, after a near miss in the car or something when I am a bit shaky with the adrenaline. But I could never find anything online similar sounding, and have never seen GP about it as it is so sporadic. Other possibility I suppose is that it is a muscular spasm from tensing rapidly maybe, and I have had back pain occasionally for a long time so probably a more likely cause. But interesting to hear someone else describe a similar thing.

Previously my anxiety had come out in checking behaviours (I.e. checking door is locked a million times before being able to leave, or having to turn back halfway through a journey as I cant remember doing something) and catastrophizing. This was treated pretty effectively with CBT.

In recent years it is more social based anxiety/ paranoia. And again, catastrophizing - especially with regards to my toddler. I'm so scared bad things will happen to him, especially choking. If I am feeling anxious, my stomach starts churning and I get restless feet. I subconsciously clench my abs and hold my breath. I also get palpitations which are probably anxiety related too. And sometimes I literally can't disengage my head from the loop of negative/ fearful thoughts. I haven't sought any treatment recently though.

It's really tough but I'm pleased that anxiety and depression are being talked about more openly now though.