Unusual Panic Symptom

[r3x]

I've been dealing with anxiety for 6 months now, gradually less and less, but today I reexperienced a symptom I first thought to a side effect of marujuana. My first panic attack occured smoking marijuana, in which I got a feeling of extreme jitteriness and a weird perception where the depth of things makes me uncomfertable. It's a feeling where things feel like they're at a weird distance when you look at them, it's so hard to explain.

Anyway, I got this a second time months ago after smoking a cigar, in much less intensity but still the same weird depth perception issue.

Today, 5 months later, randomly when sitting in class I recieved the same symtpom. I wish I could explain it better, but it's like everything becomes uncomfertable to look at because you feel as if the depth of everything is off. What I do when I experience this is try look down at things close to me to ease the feeling. It lasts for like 2 minutes and is accompanied by rapid fast heart rate.

Has anyone ever heard of this before? i've been suffering also from slight GAD from the beggining but as time is going on im getting less and less of it.

[hurley21]

I have had high peaks of anxiety where my vision blurs or distorts for a bit, which is most likely a symptom of the increased heart rate.

I have recently tried acupressure to tame the feelings. On your forearm, if you feel 7 finger lengths upwards from your wrist, there is a spot that will feel tender, almost painful, when you push on it. Press on that point and rub in circles with your thumb. I do that for about 30 seconds on each side and 9 times out of 10, it calms me down.

[hesson81]

i felt this before, it's like you could look at your own arm and thinks it's much further than it actually is. I'm no expert, but i would all it maybe a slight out of body sensation.

Google abdominal breathing, when it happens try the abdominal breathing. When it happens don't look down and don't fight the feeling. If it makes you feel good just think that when it happens, think that it's just like being high. We drink, we smoke (i don't), it disorientates us. Almost like a loss of control, but that's okay because we control when we do it. When it happens when we are sober, we freak out.... Why?? Breath and enjoy the free high... :)

[Steve_P]

I've definitely had symptoms like the ones all of you have described. Obviously I can't diagnose you guys, but I can speak to my experiences.

Once I was able to get past my anxiety problems, all of these worrisome weird thoughts and sensations disappeared from my life. The way I view it is that when you are suffering from terrible bouts of anxiety, it puts an incredible load of stress on your body and mind, causing all sorts of weird side effects.

Try to think of these weird feelings as just symptoms of your anxiety, and that there is nothing more to them. This can help you get over fearing them, and once you do that, you may be amazed to see them disappear from your life.