constant worry..can anyone relate or give advice?
Hi I'm Angelo..Around the middle of December I was at the movies and I remember focusing on my breathing then out of no where I felt weird feeling in my heart and i started panicing and hyperventilating, thinking I was dying..After that I had more panic attacks and horrible anxiety..Over the past month and a half I have slowly improved...I have gotten a lof of tests done..From ekg, echo cardiogram, halter monitor, ct scan (headaches)..I have gotten better tho and i am not in constant panic like i always was..My anxiety doesnt keep me confined bc I still go to work and school (although I usually feel anxiety at both of these places) My main fear through all of this was and still is my heart..I started feeling these skipped beat feelings that would scare me so much...I still feel my pulse often and worry about a lot of what ifs...What if my heart stops? What if it's not anxiety and some illness? What if I die? I know your probably thinkin how have I improved, but the thing is I really have..A month ago I was feeling way more symptoms and was way more panicy and nervous..Its not that I don't see my improvements its just I still fear dying..The fear of death enters my mind on a constant basis..Like I said my biggest fear is my heart, and since the heart is a very important organ, obviously this scares me even more..If anyone has any suggestioins or can relate please respond..Also if anyone wants to ask me anything else so to understand my situation more please ask..Thanks, Angelo..I am in the program and in week 4
Its the pollution in New Jersey, just kidding. I am from NJ as well.
I think that heart racing is the biggest for us with anxiety . I was ok for a few weeks but i recently started waking up again with my heart racing, feeling as though i am having a heart attack ect. I went through all of the same tests as you , and everyone was fine. My father died from a heart attack, my mother had open heart surgery and pretty much all of the family had heart problems. So I worry alot about that. I have noticed that mine come from things i eat , and that time of the month .... we live with a lot of stress, and with all the diseases out there , who wouldn't worry.
Try not focusing soo much on it. If we do that, we just create more panic and more feelings. I know easier said than done. I am on the last week #15, it will get better. Just try and keep your mind off of the feelings, that is what scares you. I am sure if you had some illness , with all the tests the doctors would have found it. Good luck to you
I think that heart racing is the biggest for us with anxiety . I was ok for a few weeks but i recently started waking up again with my heart racing, feeling as though i am having a heart attack ect. I went through all of the same tests as you , and everyone was fine. My father died from a heart attack, my mother had open heart surgery and pretty much all of the family had heart problems. So I worry alot about that. I have noticed that mine come from things i eat , and that time of the month .... we live with a lot of stress, and with all the diseases out there , who wouldn't worry.
Try not focusing soo much on it. If we do that, we just create more panic and more feelings. I know easier said than done. I am on the last week #15, it will get better. Just try and keep your mind off of the feelings, that is what scares you. I am sure if you had some illness , with all the tests the doctors would have found it. Good luck to you
"Common things occur commonly. Uncommon things don't. Therefore, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." -- C.J. Peters
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Guest
hey angelo, im angela? we definetly got alot in common, first off, our names> lol, im trying to lighten the moment, but seriously. what u wrote, its right on the exact dot for me. its like u read my journal and put it down. exactly what u said, i dealt with, and sometimes still deal with. i fear of heart attacks, heart disease, stroke. wondering, maybe its not anxiety, its something serious this time, this is it, im dying, and i too am affraid of dying.. i too am on week 4, according to lucinda i should be on 9, but hey, like she says, who cares, if ur a bit slower learning, as long as ur learning. im taking my time cause i wanna make sure i can get all i can. before my next step. i was doing really good, then chest pains came along, another unknown symptom. tightness, and bloated feelings, and gas, constantly, for 1 week straight, there i am back in the ER. but u know what. it feels good in a weird way to know, IM NOT ALONE, AND U ARE NOT EITHER. ur no crazy, and ur not gonna die, and ur not making up these symptoms. its a freakin weird way how the mind works. find a hobbie, i write in my journal, and i like to walk now. with headphones. and even though, i shake, and get nauseous, and anxious. i tell myself, 'IM GONNA BE FINE," ITS JUST ANXIETY. ITS GONNA PASS. life change is strange and its gonna make anxiety occur. but will get through this, im gonna continue to believe that. cause i want too. good luck, and if u ever need to chat, im here..k..
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Angela, your words were very nice..it's nice that our minds work in similar ways..well it's not nice, but ya know what I mean..I also write in a journal every night and I even carry one along with me most of the time when I can so I can note anxious moments and all..Well keep in touch..since we have similar feelings and symptoms we should...Thanks , Angelo
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ANgelo, I have had a lot of the same worries. My biggest problem is that I have not had a lot of tests run, only a few, so then i worry that maybe something is there hiding and we just haven't found it yet. I have secretly hoped that I could panic bad enough to go to the ER and have them run all the tests. However, I have noticed a few small improvements lately and it helps my outlook and worry. A small vacation with my family started off kind of worrisome and blah for me, but as I got more into it and more distracted with our activities I felt better. I have slowly been noticing that certain pains I have I can make go away if I worry more about something else, or if I get wrapped up in a project. That makes me see the power of my mind, and so I am starting to have more faith in how it can help me instead of making things worse. I also have felt better from Chiropractor visits and massage. My chiropractor is the one who told me about this program, and has also helped me understand how my muscles work and what they can pull on and effect (explaining some of my pains). Massage has also helped similarly, as well as just relaxing me. As I learn more and notice little things, I am starting to see some improvement. So hang in there and believe in the power of your mind.
Hey Angelo! It sounds like you have recieved a lot of good advice thus far. I have times when my heart races still and I am on week four as well. I know a lot of people are afraid to take meds. but I started lexapro a couple weeks ago and it has helped a lot. I worry a lot about what others think of me or dissapointing people. But if you give in to the "what ifs" then it'll make you more anxious. Really try to give yourself lots of positive self talk during those moments and remind yourself that anxiety will pass. I hope this helps.
Katie
Katie