Adrenaline question

Shaky Susie · Post by **Shaky Susie** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:30 pm

When you are anxious do any of you ever feel like adrenaline is just pumping through your body? Like today I was anxious all day and then after a while my arms and my chest just got the most uncomfortable burning type sensation. It is really uncomfortable and scary to me.

How do you feel when you are very anxious - not a panic attack - just having a lot of "free floating" anxiety?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:43 pm

I get that adrenaline feeling too when anxiety is very high. I once described it as snakes coursing through my blood. I wouldn't really call it burning, and for me it wasn't localized anywhere like you describe in your chest and arms, just all over. My head gets really spacey and I start to feel kind of detached. My throat gets constricted.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:49 pm

I could see it as snakes coursing through your blood. Thank you for sharing that because I was wondering if I was the only one who felt that way. How do you get it to stop? How long does it last for you? I think what made it so bad for me was no matter how hard I try to breathe deeply and think positive I still have such a fear of wondering what is happening and if something very bad is getting ready to happen.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:05 pm

Are you doing Lucinda's program? She says that is the fear of what is happening, and that feeling that doom or something worse is just around the corner, that DOES make it worse because we obsess about our body symptoms. It's an upward spiral into acute anxiety. Some solutions: Vigorous exercise helps get rid of the adrenaline. Breathing and thinking positive all have a place. Have you tried distraction? Doing something else completely to get your mind off of it?

Mary65 · Post by **Mary65** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:12 pm

Sadly, no I am not doing Lucinda's program yet. I will do her program but before I knew about it I started seeing a psychologist and my husband would KILL me if I ordered the program now on top of paying for my psych visits.

I have tried breathing and distractions but I think with it happening at work today I just really felt trapped like I was going to be stuck at my desk for hours and couldn't get away from it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:36 am

When it happens, try to realize that this feeling is "just" anxiety, and nothing worse. The more you focus on your symptoms, the worse they will become. Is there something you can do, like listen to music on your computer while you work? Or look out the window and notice all the details in the trees, clouds, wind.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:12 am

Shaky Susie- Don't know if you're able to do this at your work or not but I used to go take a really fast paced walk around the block twice a day on my break times. I sometimes would get an almost claustrophobic caged feeling from being stuck at a desk all day. It helped normalize my breathing too.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:04 pm

Shaky Susie: Forgive me for being so exited about you question. It's just comforting in some way to know that I'm not the only one who's experiencing this feeling. I'm experiencing this burning sensation in my arms right now. Of course it's not our intention to dwell on it, however, it's difficult to talk yourself out of the "panic" of what it is when you actually don't know! AND professionals can't even tell either. I went to the doctor the other day and tried to explain this feeling and I felt silly when she act like she'd never heard of anyone feeling this way. That's the problem with seeking help today. Especially from someone who hasn't had anxiety. It's one of those things that I feel that if you don't suffer from it, then you can't possibly have a cure for it. Or advice for that matter.

Bees4me · Post by **Bees4me** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:27 pm

I truly thought that I must be the only person in the world who had this feeling. What makes it worse is the fact that it is so uncomfortable and so "scary" to me and that just makes it even worse. It is really hard living with an anxiety disorder. Nobody knows unless they have been there.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:45 pm

i know it is very hard to describe your feelings to someone who doesn't have severe anxiety. you have to realize that we all have various body symtoms when we are having high anxiety. you have to tell yourself its only anxiety, i've had these feelings before and they do go away. i know its hard,but you have to try not to dwell on those feelings. distract yourself and let them pass. i know its hard believe me, but you can do it. hang in there!
tom