What the hell is anxiety?

[Gee_88]

So, after nearly a year now of constant anxiety and fear that I have some horrible underlying issues I am only now beginning to accept that maybe I do have some mental health issues I need to sort out.

I have always insisted that my symptoms are the cause of my anxiety and not the other way around. For example, pains in my chest, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, pains, dizziness, etc., you know them all.

Case in point: about a month ago I was concerned with my heart rate being 90-100 all day long. On that evening it went up to 100-110 and I was feeling short on breath and my heart would race every time I got up or changed position. From my point of view, something was seriously wrong. I ended up having about 3 severe panic attacks and I could only see one way out: on an ambulance stretcher! I ended up going to hospital (no, not on a stretcher!), got sent home obviously and when I got out I realised my heart rate had dropped to 65 at rest and only 90-100 when I got up to walk somewhere.

I am amazed that at my age (21) I have such fear that my heart is under strain or I have somehow escaped diagnosis when every test I have had is designed to detect pathology. I saw a cardiologist yesterday who said I sound like I have anxiety (I WISH I hadn't told him I have a history of it) and he has ordered an echo and a 24 hour monitor, both of which he thinks will be negative.

Since seeing him, however; I have noticed my heart rate has typically been slower. I dunno how fast it's going because knowing it makes me feel even more anxious about it, but I can feel that it's slower. To any one observing this, the cause is clear: anxiety, yet I can't think objectively like this about myself.

My tests show negative, yet I still don't accept them. If I was a doctor, a patient like myself would seriously annoy the hell out of me. I'd want to tell them to get a damn grip and get over it. I even tell myself this, but nothing works. I'll never take drugs because I'll get more anxiety about what they're doing to me (because I took antibiotics once and ended up with Crohn's disease the day after). and I also feel that taking drugs is like letting the anxiety win, and I can't let that happen. Although that doesn't really make sense, because the anxiety is not a seperate entity, it is part of me. So that'd be kinda like letting myself win... uhhg, well you know what I'm saying.

For the last couple of days though, I have been trying this thing called passion flower. It's an anti anxiety/sedative herb and it's been working, but it makes me drowsy and light headed. I don't have the same feelings towards taking it as I do with drugs, something about it being "natural" and for some reason I don't feel like I have given in by taking it. I'm not sure but I think the reason my heart rate has been down is because I've been taking it. It has no effect on your heart directly, so I can only assume the reason for it slowing down is because I've been midly sedated.

So yeah... anyone else like this? Can't accept they have anxiety? Post your stories because I'd like to hear other peoples experiences.

[maryrose999]

I totally understand. I've had anxiety for many years, and I am only 21 too. I don't understand why I always assume that I will drop down dead from the slightest thing. I had an echo and a monitor put on last summe because the doctor thought that there might be something else going on. Of course both came back negative, but I still think there is something wrong with my heart.
My advice to you, which is so much easier said than done considering I'm writing this and barely follow this myself, is to stop concentrating on the symptoms that your anxiety causes you to have and focus more on the mental aspect of it. Like, don't look up heart attack symptoms the next time you're having a panic attack. Instead try to sit down, think to yourself that the chances that you are actually having a heart attack and a panic attack at the same time are virtually nonexistent. Just keep telling yourself that you are not feeling those symptoms, try to trick your mind into making yourself feel better.
Hope that helps you a little. Good luck with everything!

[jma1024]

hi im 19 so around your age anxiety sufferer of 3 years now all started once my pap died and then my gram died just this year my anxiety is most days i have the same thing i am always aware of my heart and when i get up change positions my heart will flutter and i think im pretty healthy about 110lbs 5'6 not a smoker nor ever done drugs had heart tests years ago but to this day i still think im having a heart attack or stroke something serious and it is scary i hope u can win ur fight with anxiety like i said i still have it constantly like someone said just dont look up anything on google i used to it makes it 90 times worst when u have panic/anxiety disorder sorry not much help but sometimes when u can relate to people it makes u feel some better that you are not alone

[MikeJsimon]

There are a thousand reasons that give rise to anxiety disorders; anxiety is the natural reflex action to deal with stress and to some people by default, worrying is second nature to them. Little do they know that it is what may eventually lead to an anxiety disorder or perhaps an attack.

Fear is instilled in the mind of man due to situations that cannot be changed - it is much like a demon that eats away the confidence of a person. Each person is designed differently to cope with stressful situations and sometimes being anxious in a moderate fashion is heavily as opposed to being excessively anxious. Many times anxiety gives a person a rush of energy that he or she may need to get a particular job done. Now that helps one in a positive manner.
There is no valid reason that one should be dominated by anxiety. Sad to say these disorders are brought upon oneself unknowingly. There are stress anxiety relief treatments with a high success rate that one can resort to. Of course overcoming harmful anxiety in its initial stages is the best way out. It is no use worrying as this gives rise to many physical symptoms and problems. Just in case you or someone you know is suffering from symptoms common to anxiety disorders, refer them to a professional as a general practitioner will not be able to handle the problems. A professional that is trained in cognitive behavioral therapy is better equipped to handle the condition.

Whatever it is, never allow any of these anxiety disorders to get the better of you.

Quoted from:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Anxiety-Disorder---A-Natural-Reflect-to-Deal-With-Stress&id=3830651

[madhatter]

I have the same problem with my heart as well. Some days when i'm really anxious, i'm constantly nervous that my heart rate is up high. Usually I'll spend those days just sitting in the same position, due to the fact that i'm too afraid something will happen. Even though I do have to admit, on those days if you just go outside, or for a short walk in a park, you'll feel alot better. Take someone with you to talk, get your mind off of what is troubling you.

[AnxietyCure]

Anxiety is the the unconscious mind's way of letting you know to focus your attention on the things you want rather than the things you dont want.

We all have strategies we run for everything we do. For example when going to the supermarket we all go around in exactly the same way each time.

When we get up in the morning we pretty much have the same ritual we follow eg: get up, brush teeth, go toilet, have breakfast, get changed leave house, run for bus etc etc..

Now the interesting thing is we also have a strategy for having anxiety attacks. The main thing you have to do is work out when you are most likely to run your anxiety strategy and then you need to break the pattern. If you break the patten in the right place the change will become part of the behaviour.

So taking the supermarket analogy, if the strategy is:

get trolley, buy fruit, buy vegetables, buy dairy products, buy meat, buy milk, buy chocolate, buy cerial, buy eggs, buy biscuits, buy crisps, buy detergent, buy soap, buy toothpaste, pay for goods, pack goods, leave supermarket.

lets say you intoduced a new element after buying eggs - at that point say you took out a mirror and looked at yourself and someone told you you were fat. Chances are you would avoid the buiscuits and crisps.

Now if this happened everytime, you would eventually avoid the buiscuit and crisps altogether - i.e. the pattern has been broken and you now have a new strategy for shopping.

so if you identify the triggers of the anxiety i.e. the point just before you get the anxiety attack, you have a chance of breaking the cycle. The panic attack would never start as the strategy never gets a chance to complete.

I hope this makes sense, if not let me know and I will try to clarify.