Anxiety Sufferer?

[kellylou89]

Hey all i'm new to this forum so i hope im posting in the right section lol
Basically i feel i may be Have anxiety .. i will start with what i think caused this as i think it started because of things happening as i was growing up such as, when i was roughly 8 my parents divorced, my mom then found a new partner who stopped us (me and my 2 siblings) from seeing my dad because he liked seeing us get upset .. my moms new partner then began to beat my mom while we was in the house, he would also get really rough with us! .. we then finally got away from him and moved where my mom met somebody else who again was heavy fisted and we witnessed this all over again .. again we moved where she got married and all was well untill they would continuously argue so they divorced and finally she is now married to a very loving kind partner thank god!.
However i feel witnesing all this may have given me anxiety and possibly panic attacks, sometimes i will have attacks really bad having symptoms such as:
*Shaking and shivering/trembling
*Suddenly needing to go to the toilet frequently
*light headedness and dizzy spells
*sweating and cold
*tight breathing
*tight band feeling around head
and then when the attack is over i am left feeling tired, Once i got tingling above the side of my eyebrow, which then travelled down too my cheek and for a minute the side of my face felt numb!!, this caused another attack!

I also am continuously (sorry about spelling) worrying about something!! either it be that i am seriously ill and i have a disease and im going to die .. or i will have a symptom so i MUST google it and i find other stuff and tell myself i have this!! .. If im not worrying about myself (which isnt often) i am worrying about my dogs (i lost my dog last year due to damaged spine and that really made me depressed) so i will tell myself that my dog isnt walking properly OMG he's damaged his spine! even tho he is walking fine but i cant help it!.

I started having bad attacks when i was taken into hospital due to not been able to breath, turns out i have gastro oesophagial reflux (or however its said) and because it was hard to breath i would have 3-4 attacks a DAY!!!
I get symptoms alot of the time such ESPECIALLY when i am tired or stressed which seems i am stressing alot because i am worrying about becoming ill or other things etc!!!. I am also (i think) suffering from dry eye!! they feel rediculously dry!! (going doctors about this) Which again means i google symptoms and find eye diseases which i convince myself i could be suffering from!!.

[Eduardo]

Man.
That was a moving story!
I'm no therapist but having this experience sure leaves it's mark.
have you tried going to psycho-cognitive therapy before?

[j2005]

Kelly,
You have classic symptoms of anxiety; read everything Forwells has posted on this forum...just do a search with his name..everything he says has been on target. See a counselor that specializes in CBT. They'll know what that means.
Learn to accept your symptoms and anxiety...don't fight it or run from it
Message me if I can help
James

[rchippex]

J is correct. Most of the symptoms you describe are the classic signs of anxiety. Try not to worry too much (i know it is difficult right now) and definitely go and talk to a professional about your issues. You will be surprised by how understanding they are. You are doing 100% the right thing by looking for help. It can be very difficult to make the first steps without a helping hand. Also j is correct when he says do not try to run from your feelings. Only by embracing your feelings and thoughts can you see them for what they are. The physical symptoms you experience stem from these thoughts and feelings and will fade once you begin to manage your anxiety. The mind is a very powerful thing and can make you think and feel a huge range of feelings, emotions and thoughts. Do not be afraid and know that you are not alone. We are all here for the same reason. We have all had some or even all of these symptoms at some time in our lives and are here to help. I too had a similar childhood to you and many others will have also so there is always someone to talk to. I wish you the best and hope that you can begin your journey of understanding anxiety and moving forward toward a happy anxiety free life. As j said feel free to message me or any others if you have any specific worries. We will always help where we can.

Rik

[danstelter]

You are doing the right thing by seeking help. From what I am hearing you have 2 core issues:

1) Panic attacks
2) Hypochondria (health anxiety)

Given the extreme difficulty you and your mother went through (domestic/physical abuse and probably the accompanying emotional abuse). Seeing a professional counselor right now regarding these issues is definitely the right route to go. You can learn and get through this on your own, but it is very difficult and will take much longer that way.

Fortunately, your conditions are totally curable and since you have identified them at such a young age, you have a great outlook for the future.

[kellylou89]

Thanks everyone for the replys!! .. sorry it took a while to answer my internet connection is terrible! ...
Thanks for all the advice!, i will deffinatly speak to my GP about this and see if he can refer me to someone who will be able to help me further as it really does effect everyday life!
Thanks everyone! :)