Can anxiety make you feel THIS bad?

[Whatalife88]

Hey everyone. I've suffered with anxiety for as long as I can remember. I have social anxiety, agrophobia, and health anxiety, mainly emetophobia. This week has been extremely stressful for me. I have been having a lot of issues with my sons school, my cat went missing (back now), I had a job interview, my son was sick on Monday so I've been worried all week I might catch it ( although he did start a medication just over a week ago where common side effect is vomiting), it's just been a lot. Randomly this afternoon my legs and back started to ache and pins and needles were attacking my whole body, mainly legs, I've also felt extremely nauseous and light headed and granted my mouth is dry. I've been feeling freezing and shivering for hours. I don't think my anxiety has ever felt this bad. I didn't get the job and everything else feels resolved as of today but I feel so poorly. I'm panicking I have a bug. How likely is it I'm severely anxious?

Unfortunately yes, anxiety can easily trigger physical symptoms

How can I stop it? I've tried breathing properly. I can't even eat.

Speak to your GP if you can. Ask for some propranolol. If this doesn't calm down the physical symptoms (caused by adrenaline) then it's probably not anxiety.

Absolutely yes
are you on any meds?

I'd not be around without them.

if not, try something herbal like Kalms till you can get to a doctor.

Honest answer is I don't know because we are all different For me one way I started managing my pain response was cognitive behaviour therapy but that certainly isn't for everyone

Also get checked out - there might be a cause for some of your symptoms and maybe ruling stuff out might help you

Someone to talk to that gives you a different perspective- though that can be hard sometimes for the folks listening as well,

Speak to the practice nurse there might be local groups that don't necessarily mean you have to go out

Break it down and look at only one thing at a time - might be less overwhelming

Be kind to yourself

Hi there, I’m so sorry you are having such a difficult time. I also suffer terribly from anxiety so totally understand how awful it can be. With regards to your physical symptoms you may benefit from taking Magnesium.

I also find reading really helps as it can really help to focus your attention which really helps to stop the spiraling of negative thoughts/anxiety.

Yes anxiety can make you feel like this.

You can also have anxiety and a bug. Most bugs will just make you feel yuk for 48 hours or so.

Breathing exercises, you should know - the five seconds in, 5 seconds hold, 5 seconds out, 5 seconds hold can help with the anxiety; so can 5 star jumps - and then laugh at yourself. Look after yourself, take advantage of the placebo effect and take a multi vit whilst having a stern word with yourself.

Channel the inner hypochondria, if you O2 levels and temp are OK, you are probably OK. If you are anxious then your heart rate will be raised, that's fine, consider it free exercise.

If you still feel shit, you can go see a doctor.

You may well have a bug and that's just adding to the mental load. For a detailed understanding on how, and why, stress affects the body have a look at this video;

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Yes that's exactly how severe anxiety and / or panic can feel.
When your body is fight or flight mode it sends off all sorts of signals in your body.
If you are on Instagram @anxietyjosh account is quite helpful. Also worth looking up Dare method.
Basically - accept the sensations so that you don't add extra layers into the anxiety.

Have you tried counselling/medication? You don't have to suffer with anxiety. Sending

It could be anxiety. It could be a bug. It could be both. I often used to catch bugs during periods of heightened anxiety- I expect the stress lowered my immune system. Anyway it would really annoy me that people would say I was just anxious. Last time my parents did this was when I pulled out of a big family party, anyway turned out I had covid. So now they believe me.

Hey everyone,

Thanks for your responses. Turned out I did have a stomach bug and despite my emetophobia, the lead up was way worse than the act and I'm now 98% better! Appetite not 100% but I survived. X

Yeay, glad to hear you are almost mended.