General/social/health anxiety

[TheWorstWeek]

Sorry, it's a long one.

I've had anxiety of some form for over 20 years. It started in the last year of primary school, so when I was 11, but I only realised what it actually was about a decade later. When I was younger I would get headaches and nausea most mornings before school/college alongside the feeling of impending doom, occasional panic attacks with heart racing and uncontrollable crying. It was mostly tied to being deeply unhappy at school, feeling like I didn't fit in despite having plenty of friends, and fear of doing badly in class.

For a good few years of my twenties I managed fine with my anxiety, only really struggling with big social events, and having the odd episode where anxiety would stop me doing things or make me feel miserable.

Since having kids (oldest is now 7) it's progressively getting worse again. I struggle most with health anxiety. I'll get a minor ailment and worry it's a symptom of something much bigger and full on spiral into being terrified of dying. I recently had to stop reading a book because one of the characters was terminally ill and I suddenly became worried about myself. I also worry about something happening to my kids or husband. I also will just feel very anxious about nothing whatsoever, just a sense of doom and feeling really uncomfortable in my body.

I feel like it manifests with so many more symptoms now too. Everything from headaches and nausea, to muscle pain and tingling, to heart palpitations and a strange feeling in my chest, all with racing thoughts and an inability to calm myself even though im aware of what im doing. I've even woken up in the middle of the night incredibly anxious, heart racing and struggled to fall back asleep as it would feel as though my heart was skipping right as I started to doze off. It's absolutely horrible. All of which doesn't help with the health anxiety.

Other than going to the GP (it's on my list) are there any tips and tricks you can recommend to help? Im in a particularly rough episode just now and would like to feel like I'm being pro-active in trying to sort it myself while I wait to see the GP.

Yoga nidra videos on YouTube.
The anxiety guy either YouTube videos or podcast.
Definitely see GP but don't expect too much help from them tbh.
Have you had therapy, CBT or tried medication previously?
I also suffer health anxiety, PTSD and phobia's.

Blood tests may reveal some underlying problem...for me it was an under active thyroid and vitamin D deficiency (the latter I must have had every winter for several years until diagnosed and supplemented)

So start with gp and blood work to rule out the obvious

Vitamin D deficiency can really creep up on you. It was horrible. As was the hypothyroidism.

I haven't needed any anti depressants to solve the problem
I still get some social anxiety but I have evolved strategies to dial it down.
Gardening and walking, trying to focus on small things around me as I walk, reading, enjoying simple things, have helped spiralling thoughts immensely.

I have three kids, now in twenties and I think it's very natural to feel consumed by worrying about them. There is always something to worry about that's for sure!
And with a bitter laugh I can say you will be worrying about something entirely different next week, one crisis succeeds another. Which is why you will suddenly say the magic words "this too will pass", because you are actually coping really well, remember that.

I worry MUCH less now than I did when they were seven and under, if that's any consolation

Also remember "fixing" this is not the way it works. You can't "fix" yourself or fix worrying. You can only look after yourself and heal yourself and give yourself some compassion.

I have the worst anxiety / GAD / health anxiety. I would recommend the GP. I’m on antidepressants, the highest dose actually. I put on a brave smiley face most days, mainly
for my kids but if I allow my brain to “think” I can’t get out of bed. Not helpful granted but just wanted to say you’re not alone. Hugs

Here's a good video to help you understand that what's happening in your body is a completely natural reaction to what's happening in your mind;

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And here's another on why anxiety is also a necessary emotion that can be understood and controlled.

Neither will 'cure' you but they will give you a level of understanding that you can start to build on. The first thing to consider is what happened when you were 11? Were you bullied? Was there a change in your home life? Figuring out why something happened is the key to making a change.