I feel like I don't have enough stress to have so much anxiety.

[VictoriaLeigh]

I don't know why I feel this way, but I feel like I should have many more stressors in my life to have so much anxiety. It makes me feel like my symptoms are "real" and not caused from anxiety. Then I worry that I have a brain tumor, MS, a heart problem, or some other health problem.

I go through cycles where I feel pretty good, and then I'm back to worrying about brain tumors and heart attacks.

I know I have plenty of stress, I'm an art school student (much more stressful than regular college…just trust me on this), I also run my own business where I'm responsible for the day to day care of 6 horses. There is a saying about horses "horses wake up with one decision, to commit suicide or homicide." So that's stressful too. Then my health anxiety has me constantly worrying. Oh, and money problems, and my friends, and my sort of maybe kind of bf…except he's not, because of my social anxiety.

Vision disturbances, heart palps, fatigue, shakiness, twitching, zoning out, major mood swings, random spurts of adrenaline followed by extreme fatigue, feeling like I'm going to choke or pass out or both, sleeping excessively and then having bouts of insomnia…etc

I feel like I'm dying sometimes, I want to scream, sometimes I feel uncomfortable in my own body. I'll zone out randomly, feel like I can't handle normal everyday tasks. I'll hide out in my room whenever possible because it's just "easier" that way…easier than being social.

I'm only 20, I've dealt with various forms of anxiety for TEN YEARS. I just want help, I don't want to feel this way and I'm really worried I'm seriously sick.

[Steven Daws]

I can sympathise with your feelings, I have had health anxiety for a number of years. Mine however, is associated with germs and illness in the main part.

Therapy will hopefully help you to resolve the cause of your anxiety, although, like me, having suffered for such a long time, it can become difficult to shake.

I wish you every success.

[rhar]

I suffer daily debilitating symptoms also. Mine are all head related. Dizziness, off balance, feeling faint, feeling out of it. Unable to focus my eyes the list goes on....
It sucks

[Lee Grant Irons]

Victoria,

Hang in there. I agree with forwells that ten years of your childhood spent going through this is plenty of stress. You effectively don't know what it is like to be an adult without this problem. But there is hope. There is always hope. You just need the right people, the right tools, and some effort on your part.

I agree with the others that finding a good therapist is very helpful, and I would say an absolute need in your case. You also need to go work with a primary care doctor to get some testing done to see if there is anything evident that might be causing or contributing to your anxiety. Have you seen a doctor yet? If so, has the doctor found anything?

[gemma1788]

I suffer daily debilitating symptoms also. Mine are all head related. Dizziness, off balance, feeling faint, feeling out of it. Unable to focus my eyes the list goes on.... It sucks
I am exactly the same, throw in some major heart racing and I'm complete. It's horrible isn't it!

[jemmaax]

Ahh, I feel like this all the time too... :/ it's comforting to know you're not alone and to just remember it is anxiety.