Symptoms...

[MillaaMercer]

So Im 19 and have been suffering from the physical effects of anxiety for 5 months now. First it was nausea, and then recently it went towards constipation, abdominal pains, but Ive also experienced temperature fluxuations, dizzyness, bad dreams, blurred vision, fatique, weakness and also the general feelings of anxiety - nervous, worry, and sick.

Im seeing a psych, which feels like its helping although slowly. I have also had bloodtests and recently a colonsocopy to make sure there was nothing serious that was physical.

I was just wondering if anyone else with anxiety has had these feelings and experiences and if so, what did you find worked?

[1970]

Hi Milla
welcome to the site, sorry to see you here though only meaning your here cause your suffering anxiety

they sound like very common symptoms of anxiety and as it sounds like you have had other tests to rule out anything serious i would say anxiety is your problem

many people cope with it in different ways, i just learn to accept those feelings as anxiety and try not to worry that its anything more, sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt , i think understanding it is a big step to help you in the healing process , as they say knowledge is power

stick with it and best of luck

[danstelter]

Im seeing a psych, which feels like its helping although slowly. I have also had bloodtests and recently a colonsocopy to make sure there was nothing serious that was physical.

You have tremendous courage and this is the best step you can take...but if he doesn't help in the way you'd like him to, keep in mind it is okay to see someone else.

This is undoubtedly anxiety. I will get physical symptoms such as intense back pain (so bad that I can't walk for 2 days), tension in my back and neck, and illness such as a cold or flu. It certainly sounds like your symptoms are caused by anxiety, and no matter how hard doctors look, they'll never find any physical cause for your symptoms (you proved by this by getting a colonoscopy and finding out you're okay).

Personally, I believe that the recipe for people to get better is slightly different by person, but here's what worked for me: seeing a counselor, exercising regularly, journaling, discussing my fears with supportive friends, a small amount of medication which I no longer take, and taking risks by putting myself in situations that scared me. It wasn't easy, but I continue to get better and now I'm married, have a supervisory role at work, and am on track to get a Master's degree in August this year.

I just encourage you to experiment with these things and see what works for you; I do know they will all help to varying degrees, but how you get better is really up to you. And, of course, always be sure to ask questions - I'm more than happy to help.

[JeffB]

Physical symptoms are very,very common with anxiety. They can be so severe that it's hard to believe that there isn't a physical problem causing it. Chest pain is one of the more common symptoms (people think they're having a heart attack) but anxiety can affect any part of the body. I found a list of some symptoms at http://www.panicattackrelease.com/sympt ... tacks.html (http://www.panicattackrelease.com/symptoms-of-panic-attacks.html)

One challenging thing is that having physical symptoms can start a vicious circle. That is, you get the symptom from anxiety, worry about the symptom, which makes the symptoms worse, which heightens the anxiety, which...

Obviously you don't want to get caught in that circle.

Your doctor is doing the right thing by ordering tests to check everything. You can then remind yourself that there isn't a physical problem and focus on calming yourself down. Deep breathing is a good first step. The things that work well for me are cognitive restructuring techniques I've learned and the emotional freedom technique.

Good luck, and realize that most people do overcome their anxiety with time.

[maryrose999]

I totally understand what you're going through. I'm 21 and have been dealing on and off with anxiety since I was 12. I've gotten a lot better at dealing with them lately though. So here's what I've been doing, first off, make sure you are talking with someone besides your counselor about this, either a family member or close friend or two, just someone you know you can trust.

Second, when you are feeling at your worst and your head is spinning and your heart is pounding etc. Sit down crosslegged, and force yourself to breath really slowly for a good 10 minutes, or at least until you heart slows down a little. Slowly start with your toes and clench them for 5 seconds, then relax them for 10, do this and work your way up through each muscle, it takes your mind off of your other symptoms and helps to relieve your tension.

Also what I find helps me is to write down everything that I'm feeling and what I think the worst case scenerio is for my symptoms. Then I take that piece of paper and rip it up. For some reason its really satisfying.

Sorry for how long this post is, I'm hoping and praying that you feel better soon!