DustingMyselfOff
05-13-2013, 09:24 AM
I know all about health anxiety and suffered with it terribly when I was younger, but I just realized that for the past 10 years or so, my healthy anxiety is backwards from the standard health anxiety. Everytime I feel any sort of physical symptom or sensation I automatically assume it's caused by anxiety and I panic thinking that a panic attack may be coming!
Since anxiety presents itself in so many different ways (and I've probably experienced most of them) now when I feel bad physically I get very anxious and nervous thinking that my nerves are acting up and that I'm probably heading for a panic attack and of course I work myself into one. Sometimes it turns out that I really am "sick" and have a flu or cold or fever or stomach bug or inner ear problem, etc. About 6 years ago I was feeling really off balance and was trying to fight it (assuming it was anxiety) and within an hour I was unable to walk and was falling down trying to get to the ladies room. I called my husband from the floor of the restroom and asked him to come pick me up and as soon as I got home I called my doc and told him I was having the worst panic attack ever and could he prescribe me something stronger because the tranx weren't working. He said "What makes you think it's a panic attack? If you are falling down, you've probably got labrynthitis or something going on with your ear, not with your nerves!" He was right... it was labrynthitis and I was down and out for three weeks.
So of course, anytime I get the slightest sensation of dizziness I now have a double fear: "Oh no - I'm about to have a panic attack!" and then "Oh no, if I don't, it might be my ear again and the room may be spinning for the next few weeks!"
But honestly, I am so envious of people around me who can CALMLY comment that they're not feeling well, or that they feel like they 're coming down with something, etc. I can never calmly say that... each and every sensation, physical or not, makes me think I'm about to freak out.
I would LOVE to someday be able to calmly just feel "under the weather" without turning it into a major anxiety issue.
Sue
Since anxiety presents itself in so many different ways (and I've probably experienced most of them) now when I feel bad physically I get very anxious and nervous thinking that my nerves are acting up and that I'm probably heading for a panic attack and of course I work myself into one. Sometimes it turns out that I really am "sick" and have a flu or cold or fever or stomach bug or inner ear problem, etc. About 6 years ago I was feeling really off balance and was trying to fight it (assuming it was anxiety) and within an hour I was unable to walk and was falling down trying to get to the ladies room. I called my husband from the floor of the restroom and asked him to come pick me up and as soon as I got home I called my doc and told him I was having the worst panic attack ever and could he prescribe me something stronger because the tranx weren't working. He said "What makes you think it's a panic attack? If you are falling down, you've probably got labrynthitis or something going on with your ear, not with your nerves!" He was right... it was labrynthitis and I was down and out for three weeks.
So of course, anytime I get the slightest sensation of dizziness I now have a double fear: "Oh no - I'm about to have a panic attack!" and then "Oh no, if I don't, it might be my ear again and the room may be spinning for the next few weeks!"
But honestly, I am so envious of people around me who can CALMLY comment that they're not feeling well, or that they feel like they 're coming down with something, etc. I can never calmly say that... each and every sensation, physical or not, makes me think I'm about to freak out.
I would LOVE to someday be able to calmly just feel "under the weather" without turning it into a major anxiety issue.
Sue