Anxiety or something more??

[doworkson]

For the past few weeks I have been having a feeling of vertigo. When i sit still, it seems as though everything around me is moving still. Its not severe but enough to notice. My eyes also feel heavy a lot and burn when i close them. I have had problems with anxiety in the past and always worry that i have something more serious wrong with me, such as a brain tumor. Are these symptoms of anxiety?? since vertigo is an uncomfortable feeling, i constantly think about having it happen because i dont want it to happen and since i constantly think about it, maybe i am making it happen just by worrying about it... does that make sense?? Sometimes when i am busy and my mind is distracted, i dont notice it at all. Thanks in advance to anyone who has any advice or is feeling the same type of thing.

[northstar]

hi there :)

some people with anxiety do mention feeling dizzy, but if i were you i would go see your doctor. with the heavy eye feeling you have it sounds to me like you may just have a problem with your sinuses which could explain the dizziness. i get dizzy and drousy like this when i have sinus problems, it can also be quite painful around your face and head but i don't know if you've had that.

regardless of wether it's a sinus problem or not you shouldn't be afraid of visiting your doctor to make sure everything is ok :)

for help with the irrational worries, like the brain tumour, you might like to consider seeing a therapist. things like cognitive behaviour therapy can help with these kinds of problems. while you're with your doctor you can ask them about it. the brain tumour worry is actually a really common one with anxiety, you are not alone so don't feel embarassed, but if you want to solve the problem you'll have to reach out for some help.

i hope you feel good soon! :)

[doworkson]

Thanks for replying. I actually saw a doctor about a month or two ago about the heavy/burning eyes thing because it was a lot worse back then and he thought it sounded like depression. Its not as bad now as it once was which is why i attribute this to anxiety/depression instead of sinus problems. the whole vertigo thing is new, but i used to get lightheaded whenever i thought about being lightheaded and eventually i got over that so I'm hoping i can get over this also. I have been to different doctors in the past when i had different problems and the tests always came back normal so I feel like if i make my parents send me back to another doctor they will just tell me that im 100 percent fine. Again, thanks for replying. The advice always helps.

Also, on the lightheaded thing, it may sound weird but i can make myself feel lightheaded whenever i think about. i dont know if this is a panic attack but I did learn to control it and now it doesnt bother me anymore.

[Robbed]

for help with the irrational worries, like the brain tumour, you might like to consider seeing a therapist. things like cognitive behaviour therapy can help with these kinds of problems. while you're with your doctor you can ask them about it. the brain tumour worry is actually a really common one with anxiety, you are not alone so don't feel embarassed, but if you want to solve the problem you'll have to reach out for some help.

i hope you feel good soon! :)

Beware, though. The whole idea of 'reaching out' and seeing a therapist may have a basic appeal. After all, whether we are willing to admit it or not, most of us like to sit down and talk to people. BUT, from my experience, most therapists could not help a rock roll down a cliff. And it seems to me that most therapists (and virtually ALL doctors) are probably going to try to push you in the direction of the medication. I just don't think this is a good way to go, especially if you have not tried anything else to deal with this problem. The pitfalls of medications are many. And, from what I have seen, the results leave ALOT to be desired. So be careful with therapists. In fact, it might be best to ask the therapist whether they are a big advocate of medications before seeing them.

[doworkson]

I agree Robbed... I dont really feel that medication would be the answer either. i want medication to be a last resort. if i can get through it without any medication, then that would be my best bet. I dont feel that i will need any either.

[Snufkin]

hey, this sounds very much like what i have. it almost feel like youre falling right?

i think this has to do with hyperventilation.. you might not even notice that you are breathing faster than normal. but try and time yourself. i think if youre breathing more than 17 breaths a minute you are constantly hyperventilating.

try breathing slower.

[dtrotter]

Well, medication is suppose to be like a waking stick, that assist you to stand up again. Not the solution or cure to your anxiety or your problem :)

[northstar]

Beware, though. The whole idea of 'reaching out' and seeing a therapist may have a basic appeal. After all, whether we are willing to admit it or not, most of us like to sit down and talk to people. BUT, from my experience, most therapists could not help a rock roll down a cliff. And it seems to me that most therapists (and virtually ALL doctors) are probably going to try to push you in the direction of the medication. I just don't think this is a good way to go, especially if you have not tried anything else to deal with this problem. The pitfalls of medications are many. And, from what I have seen, the results leave ALOT to be desired. So be careful with therapists. In fact, it might be best to ask the therapist whether they are a big advocate of medications before seeing them.

robbed i think you should know at this stage that i'm not into telling people to go get medication for it and in fact say quite the opposite. i'm a firm believer that diet and lifestyle change will most likely help the majority of people who suffer with anxiety, i wrote a massive post about all the things that you can do to help without medication if you remember?

when i said to doworkson to reach out for help i meant for him to get help with the mental side of irrational worrying not to go to his doctor and get medication, in my experience this kind of problem does not go away on its own and needs hard work through therapy to get better. not all doctors and therapists will push medication and will be willing to work with what you want, mine did, they let me try it my own way. also you have the option of seeing a counsellor who can't prescribe medication or going to a cognitive behaviour therapist. this problem needs to be worked on, ignoring it is only going to lead to cycles of fear - i know this from what i went through myself.

i know in your experience most therapists didn't help, but that doesn't mean the same will happen to any other sufferer and it shouldn't be a reason that someone doesn't go out and ask for help. in my experience therapists are 100% helpful and really pulled me through the dark times i went through, it's best thing i have ever done for myself and i will always be proud of myself for the things i worked hard on and managed to achieve through therapy.

so when i say to someone to reach out it's because it worked for me and countless other and i know it can help. and it's much better than doing nothing at all.

[Joie]

if anyone understands what youre going through its me.. i have dizziness every single day. my husband and friends all say its only anxiety cause it really starts the second i get to work but i cant help but think the worst. so one day a few months ago i went to my doctor and she found fluid in my ears and put me on antibiotics and some other medication. well, the dizziness is still there..not like im gonna faint but like theres water swooshing through my head. in fact, im dizzy right now and will be all day. I also am terrified its some terrible thing wrong with me but i know that i think about it and anticipate it coming on so I add insult to injury. I feel your pain.

[rejanette]

My head was driving me nuts because I felt headache and a little dizzy at times .... I went ot my therapist and she told me it might been an allergy like sinus or something well since i put saline in my nose and my headache is nearly gone so feeling clearer and less dizzy so it's only been 2 days and I' m starting to see clearer i thought it was anxiety.... but it was not not all your symptoms have to do with anxiety.
Rejane

[doworkson]

Thanks everyone for the replies. They really help and I really appreciate all the help. It feels good to know there are other people out there that deal with some of the same issues that I go through. For a while, I was also having headaches when I woke up and my neck was very stiff and sore in the morning. This could be a totally different thing and not be related to anxiety at all but I tried sleeping differently every night with more or less pillows each night and my neck is always sore upon waking. It even wakes me up really early some mornings. I figured the whole neck thing was why I was having the headaches, but there is always the second thought that it could be something more serious... which is where my anxiety comes in :)

[Robbed]

robbed i think you should know at this stage that i'm not into telling people to go get medication for it and in fact say quite the opposite. i'm a firm believer that diet and lifestyle change will most likely help the majority of people who suffer with anxiety, i wrote a massive post about all the things that you can do to help without medication if you remember?

when i said to doworkson to reach out for help i meant for him to get help with the mental side of irrational worrying not to go to his doctor and get medication, in my experience this kind of problem does not go away on its own and needs hard work through therapy to get better. not all doctors and therapists will push medication and will be willing to work with what you want, mine did, they let me try it my own way. also you have the option of seeing a counsellor who can't prescribe medication or going to a cognitive behaviour therapist. this problem needs to be worked on, ignoring it is only going to lead to cycles of fear - i know this from what i went through myself.

i know in your experience most therapists didn't help, but that doesn't mean the same will happen to any other sufferer and it shouldn't be a reason that someone doesn't go out and ask for help. in my experience therapists are 100% helpful and really pulled me through the dark times i went through, it's best thing i have ever done for myself and i will always be proud of myself for the things i worked hard on and managed to achieve through therapy.

so when i say to someone to reach out it's because it worked for me and countless other and i know it can help. and it's much better than doing nothing at all.

I don't know if things are just different in different countries. But here in the US, the whole system is HIGHLY biased toward medication. If you show ANY signs of depression/anxiety around a doctor, you get meds. No ifs, ands, or buts. If you go see a therapist or counselor (neither of whom can prescribe meds here in the US), you get a referral to a psychiatrist or GP so that they can prescribe meds. VERY few therapists here in the US approve of dealing with problems like depression and/or anxiety without medication. Sorry to say, but that's just the way it is. If things are not that way on the other side of the Atlantic then, well, I envy you.

As for therapists, maybe they are just better over there as well. I just felt that therapy was a complete dead end for me. When I look at the things that have REALLY helped me get through anxiety disorder, NONE of these things came from those therapists who were so willing to part me from my cash and try to get me on meds. And, when it came to the problems that have REALLY hurt me and caused me to go into anxiety disorder in the first place, I am well aware of what they are. I certainly didn't need to pay $100+ per hour to have someone tell me what they are. The HARD part is trying to find ways to deal with those problems (which, for the most part, I have yet to do). And on this front, none of the therapists I saw could offer anything better than the FREE advice I have gotten from friends and family. I guess I just have to admit that the idea of therapy kind of pisses me off when I think of how I basically got NOTHING out of it, despite spending thousands on it. Then again, I guess there is a reason why therapy is the butt of SO many jokes over here in the US.

One more thing. People like you here in this board have been INFINITELY more helpful to me than ANY therapist I have seen.