Stress Center Peer Support

I am recently experiencing anxiety/depression. I can usually "kick it" when its not to bad but this time It has come on strong and won't go away! I mentioned in a previous post, I had a bunch of tests done (ct scan, chest X-ray, blood work keg) all of which came up fine. However, I am still experiencing a sense of being "off". My head feels woozy and lightheaded. I constantly feel like i'm in a bubble and things aren't' real. That won't subside! I have a constant feeling of depression that won't go away. I start to feel better then it comes back later in the day. When i'm feeling better, i get this sense like my pressure dropped and my heart flutters, and get this woozy feeling throughout my body but my head feels weird. I prob sound like i'm over reacting but has anyone else experienced this? I"m starting to feel like the dr missed something and maybe something else is going on??? Anyone?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work through this besides taking meds?

Well you just described everything that I'm feeling. Also, sometimes I feel like I can't conecentrate or remember very well, but I think that may be from stressing about the symptoms you just said. But yeah the heart flutters, bubble, woozy, all that. lol And I went to the doc too and had the same tests done. My cat scan was about 10 months ago though, so I worry that something could have changed since then.
Lets see, what I have been doing in focusing on my breathing, my mind may wander, but I focus back on the breathing. Then I usually start drawing, watching tv, play xbox, pushups, anything to keep my mind off of it.
As for the depression I'm sure something is going on in your life... I don't know. I read/watch/remember positive things.
Hope that helps. Its funny. I feel better that some one else has been going through similar things, so thank you

Yes, actually a lot is going on! I recently just had a 2nd kid, my husband lost his job, our benefits and this all happened while i was still pregnant. Having a kid in itself is stressful enough let alone everything else on top of it! For me, something could happen then once everything starts to somewhat settle down, BAM it hits me! I went in for all kinds of tests and still think they could be missing something or maybe didn't check a specific thing! I started to try natural supplements but again, i hate taking ne thing so i prob bring on the symptoms. I use to be able to distract myself and "fight" it out by getting myself busy w/ something and/or trying distract myself and within a few days it lifts but the more i try to "fight it" the more i realize how i'm feeling No one understands how i feel and just keep saying "your just stressed". yes, i am stressed but now i'm focused on my "body" and how i feel not so much the "root problem". I am starting to feel depressed too. Its a horrible cycle! I too would try and distract myself like you said by doing something then i just revert right back to how i was feeling. For instance, a few nights ago i felt great, went to bed, actually had a really good nights sleep, woke up and automatically thought about my "symptoms" and within 1/2 hour they were all back again I understand how you feel completely! I'm hoping it will just go away on its own

I totally understand how you feel pixiedust. The last few months I've always felt like I'm not really there/very spacey and sort of in a bubble like you said. I just feel.. off. Like somethings not right. I try to distract myself and sometimes I try and stare it straight in the face and think, "Well, what's off?" I think of all the things going on in my life and nothing is going to harm me, I'm not sick, things are okay and I'm just making myself feel weird! It takes a long time and sometimes it comes back, but the more you let it bother you the more it will. I also try and say to myself when I'm feeling very spacey or not present, "Who says I feel this way? I'm only making myself feel this way. Everything around me is actually fine, so I can forget about it!" and that helps me a lot. We are the only ones making ourselves feel this way, and we can work on ignoring it and getting back to living :]

I get it! I have similar symptoms. I call it "dazed" - wobbly legs used to accompany these symptoms but they have gone away. Wobbly legs are a part of the list of anxiety syndrome symptoms. When I read that, every time I got wobbly legs I told myself, 'oh right, this is a part of the anxiety thing' and they went away -for the most part. Isn't that a negative/positive technique? We focus on symptoms so much. It's a way of distracting ourselves from what is going on in our lives. Pick anything! I used to have other symptoms - a long time ago. I got over those AND the anxiety. Now with the new stressful issues in my life, it's all back again. It's curious how we choose different things to zero in on. They are awfully uncomfortable - I hate them - but somehow I know I will get over these too.

Carol

I noticed you said you felt the same thing! How did you get the symptoms to go away?? Yo mentioned you got over the anxiety?? How did you do that w/out meds? I started to take "natural" stuff and i swear i got a reaction from him but it could be my anxiety! It almost feels like my throat is "numb" and it closing up! its the strangest feeling and i never felt that b/f! I sometimes feel so much better, i get a good night sleep and as soon as i wake up i automatically think of my "symptoms" and how i feel and bam i'm back to feeling like crap! i just want my life back. Its consumed it and i can't enjoy my kids! Granted yes there is A LOT going on in my life but now these bodily symptoms have taken over so bad that i rush myself to the ER

Hi Pixiedust - it sucks, I know. Been there - done that. Are you working in the program? I'm in session 3 and I think it's going to be the biggest hurdle for me. I never knew I was such a negative thinker. I find it difficult to write down the negative thoughts and then the hardest part is to counter the thought with a positive thought. Especially when we don't know why we have certain symptoms. All I can tell you is that your mind will pick something to focus on and focus it will! The wobbly leg thing is part of the whole anxiety thing. Right now, it appears your throat is what you're focusing on. There is something going on in our heads that is hard to deal with and rather than do that we pick out something else to worry about. That's pretty simplistic but it about sums it up. I've had other symptoms in past times when I was dealing with a lot of stress in my life. All the symptoms went away along with the anxiety - that's about 10 years ago. Now, I'm dealing with having my mother move in with me and been here for the past 3 years. It took me that long for my "garbage bag" to begin to overflow. Now, it's spilling over - that's the anxiety. I have other female issues - like hormones - that add to the problem. It just makes it harder to get over it. STOP - LOOK - LISTEN. That's what I tell myself. STOP the negative thougths. LOOK at what's going on in my life - could be something that happened 2 hours ago. LISTEN to the postive, reasuring things I say to myself. It's really hard to do but I have to say that dealing with these symptoms isn't any easier.

I completely agree w/ you on how our mind picks things to "worry" about! But it just won't go away. I"ve tried to tell myself STOP...knock it off..ur fine, but then a few mins later or even hours later, when i feel the same i get all anxious/depressed again b/c i feel like i will NEVER feel normal again! And it makes me even more anxious. Do you take any meds for your anxiety? i use to but i'm scared to death to take them again. I'm very sensitive to meds. I also agree with you 150% on how we let things build up until it feels like we are overloaded. That's what happens w/ me. I go through ALOT of stress and BAM it hits me. For instance, i have been dealing w/ a few personal issues for the last 1 1/2, then i got preg, my husband lost his job etc etc...and now i'm feeling everything! Having a 2nd child in itself is stressful enough let alone everything else on top. so mine also could be hormonal. all i know is i just want it to go away...ALL OF IT...and i'm SO TIRED of feeling this way, not being able to function, concentrate, constantly feeling in a "fog" that i'm missing out b/c i'm also becoming mildly depressed. its a big evil cycle

I am not doing the program as of now. I did it a long time ago, but i need to dig it up and start it again

Yes, I take meds - xanax. I've been an anxious person all my life - and I've dealt with it and moved on. I don't take it consistently - only when my S (symptoms) are way up there. They just help me cope and give me an opportunity to "think straight" and be able to tune in on the negative dialogue and what to do about it. I don't recall ever having been on the depressed side until recently. That's why I think it's hormonal right now. I'm working on that also. One step at a time. I can't stand to feel this way and I will do what it takes to "fix" it.

I too have personal issues: my mom being here (we never did get along) and she isn't going to move out because of her age and fragility; my own expectations of myself not to mention my husband's expectations - he thinks she and I should be frolicking together (not going to happen); house under water, to name a few. I think those stressers are probably what tipped the scales.

You MUST understand YOU WILL feel better. Realize, it probably took a while to put you in this state and it may take a while to feel better. (Have you talked to your OB-GYN? Can he/she help with hormonal issues?) Think about it: two small kids, your husband lost his job?? Wow! That's huge!

I heard someone in the program saying when he got the negative thoughts, he would just say THOUGHT ONLY THOUGHTS. I tried it and it seemed to work - especially in the morning. Mornings will really set me up. I start anticipating the S and when I do that they just get worse - you know the drill.

The other thing I realized is that anxiety is energy. That's why we are so exhausted at the end of the day - or even during the day. It takes a lot of energy to be anxious. SO, I have started riding my bike again - to burn off that energy. It helps. Whatever. I'm going out now. I'll check back later.

You are absolutely right with the "energy". It does take alot of you. I keep trying to tell myself "i've been through ALOT the last year 1/2, then all this other stuff on top it just really drained me. Then going back to work was hard. I keep hearing exercise really helps alleviate symptoms of anxiety but i have no energy to do so My friends try to get me out and i have no desire to. That is not like me at all! i usually love to be out of the house. And your right, it took AWHILE for it to hit me, it will take awhile to go away I just can't help but thinking something else is going on. My husband keeps telling me once this "nightmare" of unemployment is over, i'll feel better. Granted, I may, but for me i feel like that is not the problem right now..its how i'm "feeling" and its not just going to 'go away". I'm glad i have someone that understands.