Anxiety while sick

[aclockworkrystn]

So I have been stuffed up for about a week now. My head has felt very congested and the last 3 days I've had a very runny nose/sneezing and having to blow my nose A LOT. Today I woke up and don't feel nearly as much sinus pressure and my nose isn't stuffed up, which is good, but now I have a sore throat. It's making me super anxious and I don't know why. I just feel like I'm not getting better I guess. And of course my mind is racing with all kinds of things because of my hypochondria. Also my anxiety is just do much worse when I'm sick. Does anyone else have heightened anxiety when they're not feeling good?

[em1]

Yes that's Perfectly normal to have frightens anxiety when you're not feeling very well

[raggamuffin]

When you're anxious you're perception of danger and things that could be wrong with you is sky high. The slightest issue will set you off, whether it be an ache or pain, dizziness etc. So now think about the current situation - ill for weeks. Feeling ill already affects your mood, you feel drained, grumpy etc. Pair this with an anxious persona and of course there'll be anxiety. You probably didn't feel it at first because the symptoms were being dealt with and they were taking over. But now new symptoms present themselves and started to create some fear and worry. Fear and worry is what anxiety feeds off and hey presto you feel anxious.

Colds and feeling run down can last for weeks. It stands to reason you'd get a sore throat having a stuffy nose. Whilst you do blow your nose etc some of it is going to be swallowed and this bacteria has clearly upset your throat a little.

Remember don't let fea rand worry take over. Rationalize everything. Don't respond emotionally and anxiety has nothing to feed off of.

Ed

[aclockworkrystn]

Thanks Ed, that was very helpful :)

[jessed03]

^ Mr RM with some informative posting as usual.

I'm typing on the iPad in the sun, so I hope my spelling is ok, I can't really proof read... :)

The physiological part of being ill can trigger anxiety. When you sneeze it can start your heart beating faster, when you sniff it encourages hyper-ventilation, the tiredness can prompt your body to release adrenaline to compensate. All of which in sensitive people can turn into a bit of an anxious moment.

You know the worst bit about it? Anxiety can make the illness happen in the first Place. I felt fluish regularly until I kinda realised anxiety was causing me to feel that way. What a sucky condition!

[aclockworkrystn]

Thanks jessed, my fiancé and daughter have both recently got over a cold so I guess I have the same thing they did. Although I'm sure I have worried myself sick many times before.