making up stories for your anxiety?

Holly J · Post by **Holly J** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:34 pm

Has anybody ever made things up or lied while having anxiety? Like today i was having shortness of breath but knew no one would think it was a big deal or not really that, maybe they would think i am lying or something so i said i have asthma so it seemed like i was really going through something since people don't understand anxiety and the physical symptoms that go along with it. so i just felt it was easier to say i have asthma. . or when i was going through this period of being nauseous all the time i used to say i had an ulcer and that why i feel sick all the time. Now i wouldn't say this to everyone. just to the people at work because thats when i get my anxiety the most and they always saw me sick and i really didnt know how to explain to them because they probably think i am making it up. I don't know. Am i the only liar here? LOL it's not that i lie anywhere else. its just at work. anyone want to share their sories? ha ha I may be the only one who does this.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:51 pm

No Holly, you aren't alone in doing this. It's hard, because people who don't have issues with anxiety do NOT understand and if we say "I have anxiety." to people without anxiety, it's like saying, "I have dry skin." They simply do not understand. Sometimes people will relate because they may have a family member or a friend with anxiety, but unless they actually suffer from it, or have suffered from it, they have no idea. I think it's common for us to come up with things that seem socially accepted. I know for me a big thing is low blood sugar. My anxiety becomes an issue if I haven't eaten and working in retail it's hard to take breaks at the scheduled times, because everyone else who is working wants their break and you can't all go at the same time! Also, if you are working with a customer, a sale can go on for over an hour at my job. I've found little ways to deal. I carry a granola bar in my pocket and I say, "Oh gotta go to the bathroom!" and I eat the granola bar in the hallway where the bathrooms are. That works well for me, but everyone I work with knows I am "hypoglycemic" and that my blood sugar cannot be too low. I feel instead of saying, "Oh my anxiety... I need to eat" I say, "My blood sugar is low, I need to eat" is more accepted. For me, it really is the same thing. My blood sugar does get low, but it's not a life or death emergency, it's more of a "ahh panic attack?" emergency! Same thing to me, not to them. Just keep an eye on lying, because it can get you in trouble. I honestly do not blame you for doing it, because I know how hard it is, especially at our age, to find people who can relate and it does help to turn it into something that is "acceptable" in the eyes of society.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:45 pm

yeah exactly. i mean i never lie outside of my work and i don't do it all the time iv done it like twice and one of them was today. .it's a little funny, no? lol. . or sad. lol

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:10 am

ya I have I hated it but my bigger is going places out of my comfort zone.I work can drive there okay but can't drive anywhere else.

where I first started getting panic attacks in 1977 I became afraid of fog it scared me because I felt lost still do then wasn't driving riding with a car full of people but could not face my fears if I got up and it was foggy and I went to work at 4:00 in the morning it was always dark that was worse,I would stay at home or have my husband take me to work and be late I would say I missed my ride when I did't go at all I was sick I am not proud of this now it is going some where just recently I was suppose to go to a town for training well I said my husband had a dr app. then asked the quality personnel person to go in my place just slipped right thru that one.now I am constantly afraid I will be asked to go some where even if I could take someone with me I still couldn't go this is something I have got to work on it is driving me crazy!!!!!

I don't like to lie I am a christian and this is un acceptalbe behavior.It looks like in your case you wouldn't have to say anything how is anyone to know you are short of breath or that you are nausious,if some one does coment you could say I don't feel good you don't have to explain everything.

I have people at work who do say they had or have anxiety one lady said she had them and her mother had them she used to take medicine but doesn't now she didn't go on and say how bad she was I told her I had them too but didn't go any farther I would have loved to tell her more but you don't want it to work against you people talk behind your back and I don't want no one to make fun of me or feel sorry for me so I could not tell all.but I don't see why in a case like that how you would have to lie don't say I am short of breath dizzy are anything just suffer in slience it will pass

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:21 am

i totally do this too. when i was in high school and would go out with my friends, if i started feeling a big panic coming on, i'd go to the bathroom and call my mom to come get me, then i'd just tell my friends that my mom called and said she had to pick me up early! it was just easier, because they didn't understand why it was so hard for me to stay out with them sometimes.

like karilynn, i'm also "hypoglycemic" which is probably true because i get all weird when i don't eat or my blood sugar is low (like dizzy, shakey, and disoriented which of course lead to panic) but i've never actually been tested. but it does help to have a "real" excuse, especially in situations where it's not always ok to be eating to avoid a panic, like at a doctor's appointment or in class. plus i drink a lot of water because i "need to stay hydrated" and then i have to be able to go to the bathroom a lot beause i drink all that water, so it's a built-in time-out if i need one.

i personally don't think there's anything wrong with this. it's not lying with malicious intent, it's not hurting anyone, it's just a way to feel more comfortable.

good luck!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:11 am

exactly. i dont see it hurting anyone and its not to be hurtful or anything. it just makes me feel more comfortable. . and I want to feel comfortable. my other co-workers are already care free.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:23 am

I can really relate to all this!!I don't feel as bad,because I've lied to get myself out of situations that cause me to panic.wen I have tried to expalain honestly that I'm not feeling well because of my anxiety they just give me a look and say you'll be fine Iill make you do it. They don't understand how uncomfortable I feel and physically ill I feel.Especially my husband whom thinks I exaggerate how I feel. my dizziness and sense of normal balance is also bad because I lost more than half my hearing four years ago and have ringing all the time(I'm 31 and feel 50 years older) I also get low blood sugar,so that adds to how I feel then along with the anxiety what a mess I feel I am.
it's hard to always know what is causing what, but most the time the anxiety is always in full gear. So I go on what I think I can do and other times I don't do the things I should. i do feel relieved if I know I have the option to back out and sometimes that requires lying.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:50 am

I think I can do and other times I don't do the things I should. i do feel relieved if I know I have the option to back

I totally understand what you are going through. I felt that way the last year because I am afraid to drive over bridges. I felt like telling people I had a seizure disorder, so then they wouldnt be like why cant you drive to work. It sucks people just dont understand the disorder. You can wreck your car because of the anxiety, you know. Hang in there.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:46 am

About a year and a half ago, I suddenly got very dizzy during an interview and I feigned a coughing fit! The interviewer went out and got a cup of water which was enough time for me to re-coup and the cold water helped to 'ground' me.

Don't worry, it's hard because those not suffering with anxiety don't understand, although there are A LOT of people who have it and don't tell anyone due to the fear of rejection.

take care,
Ocean

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:21 am

I have had anxiety for over 20 years and no one ever understood and looked at me crazy, but was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease a couple of years ago and now I tend to blame things on that b/c that "sounds more real" to most people. I drive b/c I get dizzy and nausea due to panic, but I tell most people now that the dizzy spells from my Lyme disease cause me not to drive (which I do have dizzy spells but they have gotten better and do not cause me too many problems anymore). When I get real sick to stomach or anxious about going somewhere people just assume now that it's my Lyme disease - sometimes it is, but usually it's anxiety. I just think people can relate to a real issue easier. I once had a psychiatrist tell me after trying me on tons of different meds that my anxiety was so bad it was like I had cancer and I needed to treat it that way and so did my family and friends. Good luck with that huh?!?!

Blessings,
Leah