Anxiety disorder it should I get checked out?

[Jude84]

I'm writing this after suffering a panic attack but only because this time it felt kind of severe. I awoke from a very lucid but crazy dream. Nothing violent but just extremely odd, odd enough to just jolt me awake. I would've been fine and would've attributed it to another panic attack but this time I had the idea planted in my head that I was going totally nuts. That this time it was it, I'm officially going psychotic and I need meds. The dream was just too off the wall and this uncontrollable fear was making me experience symptoms of schizophrenia. I got online and started researching it and thought that I had the symptoms but I don't think I do, I think I'm just going into another one if those hypochondriac states where I think I have something. After several glasses of water, I calmed down and felt fine, but that was just too scary. I also want to add that this was after a night if some drinking and smoking, and for some reason these bouts are usually brought on by those things or when my stomach just feels really uneasy (I think I have bad IBS-Anxiety).

As I write this now I'm feeling fine and I know I can go back to sleep just fine but my goodness was that a fright! I don't know of it was due to dehydration lack of oxygen or what but it was frightening to experience. Had anyone ever gone through this? I've had my share of moments where my anxiety had me thinking I had severe stomach ailments, cancer or other physical diseases, but this was the first time I ever experienced a bout where I literally thought I was probably going insane.

Please advise.

[Jude84]

Hello? Anyone there?

[alankay]

You will feel more anxious the day after drinking. No doubt related.
I can tell me you writing you are distressed/anxious not at all schizophrenic IMHO. Alankay

[Jude84]

That's good because I kept looking back at my writing to make sure it didn't read like a schizo's. Can anxiety produce that much fear that you think you're actually experiencing a mental breakdown? I've had panic attacks before brought about by fears that i had a physical ailment but this attack was so great that I actually thought I was experiencing the symptoms of something severe like schizophrenia. Can that happen? I am but of a hypochondriac in that regard.

Also how can you tell by my writing that its anxiety and not the latter?

Thank you for your response btw

[Jude84]

Anyone else?

[Cricket]

I think you should yes, I've been feeling bad for a lot of years, hoping that someday it would get better, it didn't, I feel worse than ever and I'm going to see a psychologist as soon as I can, I just can't handle it any more. You have nothing to lose by asking help, wish I had realized that earlier :)

[Jude84]

But get some help for anxiety or for something worse? The thing is that I'm trying to distinguish between my anxiety driven panic attacks and something much worse like schizophrenia or psychosis. I feel fine as of now and cannot believe I had that level of fear/stress. I'm thinking that deep psychological stuff like the latter mentioned above doesnt just go away and come back once in a full blue moon. Most of the time my anxiety is tied to my IBS and diet.

[trinidiva]

I don't think you have to worry about schizophrenia. Most people with that issue don't realize when something is wrong. It sounds like your dream might have been caused by the smoking/drinking....i sometimes get bizarre dreams sometimes and even racing thoughts at times when trying to force myself to go to sleep. I think its all tied into your anxiety issue.

[Jude84]

Ok good because that's what scared me the most; the racing uncontrollable thoughts. Coupled with the fear I was going crazy, I just thought I was battling a severe mental disorder not just anxiety. And yes I've noticed this usually hits me hardest when I drink heavily and have no water and I'm having stomach issues.

[trinidiva]

Ok good because that's what scared me the most; the racing uncontrollable thoughts. Coupled with the fear I was going crazy, I just thought I was battling a severe mental disorder not just anxiety. And yes I've noticed this usually hits me hardest when I drink heavily and have no water and I'm having stomach issues.

Ive mentioned this on a few other posts that I drink chamomile tea about an hour before going to sleep and it puts me into a nice peaceful sleep. It has a calming quality....you ought to try it. I gave a few teabags to a friend who was having trouble sleeping a few months ago....and she messaged me to ask the brand and name because it helped her sleep better.

As far as drinking, I used to enjoy a few drinks while out but since developing this anxiety issue...I've stopped because I ended up feeling worse afterwards.