Spiritual Failure

[Defenestrator1]

Hi! New to the site. I've got a weird and specific form of anxiety: I will have an acute sense of dread come over me, mostly in the solar plexus. It's very physical and emotional at the same time, but mostly I'd say it feels spiritual. The feeling is that I have somehow failed something - something specific - and will somehow suffer in some important aspect of my life due to this specific failure or 'mistake.' For example: Sitting in Denny's, eatin' some french fries when BAM! I'm hit with it, my stomach drop, the feeling overwhelms me: I have made a mistake, and some path that was laid out for me in my life (say romantically, or career-wise) has been closed off. It feels quite real, and at this point, I believe in the truth of the feeling. It feels like intuition, like a spiritual message. These feelings are the primary source of pain in my life. Are these feelings real? They seem to come to fruition. Or is this a common form of anxiety, simply chemicals in my brain?
Anyone have something similar? Thanks and good luck to you all!

[wreckingball]

Hey,

Often during a panic attack, I can convince myself a lot of things, like this I suppose. At those stages, I feel distanced from reality, it's a very disturbing occurrence. It's not real. It's anxiety taking things you may be aware of in your life, and warping them. This is what I tell myself, when I am experiencing these feelings, and I hope you can take something from it too :)
Best of luck

[dazza]

>my stomach drop, the feeling overwhelms me: I have made a mistake

Forget all the spiritual nonsense... that's just some weird excuse for what's actually going on in your head.

This was a wave of depression or worry, brought on by "some" thought about something you've done / will do / are doing that you contentiously believe that perhaps you shouldn't have / do.

Such contentious thoughts can cause what feels like a sinking / heavy wave throughout your body, especially the chest and stomach region as it passes through.

Perhaps you were sitting there thinking... "look at me now... chewing on these greasy fries when I SHOULD BE <insert contentious thought>"

[Defenestrator1]

If I could get myself to believe that the feelings were not 'real,' it would revolutionize my entire life. Really, it would. But I cannot help shake the feeling that the intuitions are real!

[Defenestrator1]

I need to listen to you all more often. I hope upon hope that it is just nonsense. Are these common symptoms of a panic attack? The physical parts I mean? And thanks for the responses!

[wreckingball]

If by your stomach feeling as though its dropping and the overwhelmed sensation, then yes. Although there are many other physical related symptoms also. It's a rush of adrenaline. Your body's 'fight or flight' response to a non existent danger.
And that's the trick, dazza is right, it's all nonsense anxiety trickery. Talk yourself through it after you've calmed down, and tell yourself that they were unrealistic thoughts. That sometimes helps me!