Just joined, losing my mind and I really need help! :(

[Grimmjow.]

Hello everyone, I am a 21 year old female and I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety/health anxiety.
Ive been experiencing massive panic attacks for about two months now after an incident happened to do with illicit drugs.
I've been experiencing face pains, ear pains and migraines all on the left side.
My neck is so stiff and I've also been getting some nausea.

I basically have convinced myself I have a brain aneurysm and I'm driving myself insane. I've had a CT scan, bloods done and a neck/head xray and all have come back fine.

Does anyone else experience this? Is it normal? I really think I'm going to die :(

[jessed03]

Hey Grimmjow. I'm Jesse.

21, huh? That was the age I had my first panic attack. A few years ago now. It's my anniversary in a week. LOL. Illicit drugs weren't the cause. Just a bad reaction to a vitamin. Rock 'n' Roll, right?

What you're feeling now is normal. Not good, but normal. Given the circumstances. Feeling as if you're going mad, losing control, or as though you may die at any moment is kind of part of the illness. As is hypochondria. And pain, tension, headaches, all that jazz.

Education will help reduce a lot of the fear, which will help reduce symptoms. I know a substance caused your attacks, but there are things you can do to reverse the process. Right now you're going deeper and deeper into it. That's not your fault. Knowing what is happening physiologically and even psychologically kind of makes you less afraid of dying. Because what you're going through is very different to ACTUALLY dying, as I'm sure you know.

My anxiety was brain related too! A lot of people suffer from heart anxiety. Brain was always my kryptonite. Took a while to get over, but you do get over it. As long as you do the right things.

What have you done so far, to help your condition? If you're struggling, I have some cool material I can email to you that has been really helpful to me. Ebooks, that kind of stuff. If you're looking for something good to read, The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook is great, as is Hope and Help for the Nerves by Claire Weekes. Both dirt cheap on Amazon. There are some stickies above that document some peoples journeys out of hell.

I hope you can take a little positivity from this post, even though you're struggling, in the fact that you're still there, healthy and well, underneath this crap. You'll also battle through this if you get yourself on a good path. Trust me on that! At one point your amygdala (fear centre in your brain) perceived danger. It looked around for a lion, but didn't see one. Instead it saw a symptom inside of you, and assumed the danger wasn't a predator but an illness. All you have to do now is chill that over-active little fucker out. It takes a short while, but you'll do it.

[Grimmjow.]

Hello Jesse, my names Chelsea :) your reply has been comforting I am glad to know that this is normal and that you have taken the time to write such an awesome reply to help me!

The doctors assured me that if it were aneurysm related it would've happened by now, but you can't really get it out of your mind can you? :(

(I want to make it very clear that I am not a substance user my drink got spiked and I reacted very very badly to it)

Would absolutely love for you to send me anything that would help! I am too sensitive to the medications so I can't be on any. I don't have much options unfortunately. Thanks again!

[Grimmjow.]

I might also add that I lost my closest Uncle earlier this year to cancer and that has also played a massive part for the health anxiety.
I haven't dealt with it yet, even 8 months later its as if he went yesterday.

[jim79]

That would def add to that
One of my childhood friends passed away a few years ago because of a very rare form of cancer.
I must admit that even though its been 5-6 years I still think about it and how unlucky he was and that it might happen to me as well...
I just try to not pay too much attention to those thoughts

good luck!

[Grimmjow.]

Yeah I went through a "omg I'm going to die of cancer" thing when it happened I couldn't even watch adverts on the tv about it and no one could mention the word to me or I'd freak out.

Now I'm just obsessed with this brain aneurysm theory because of the horrid neck pressure I've been getting for the past week and a half. It's really making me depressed and having suicidal thoughts. Kind of like I might as well do it before it kills me. I feel as though people are bumping it off as anxiety.

[jessed03]

Hello Jesse, my names Chelsea :) your reply has been comforting I am glad to know that this is normal and that you have taken the time to write such an awesome reply to help me!

The doctors assured me that if it were aneurysm related it would've happened by now, but you can't really get it out of your mind can you? :(

(I want to make it very clear that I am not a substance user my drink got spiked and I reacted very very badly to it)

Would absolutely love for you to send me anything that would help! I am too sensitive to the medications so I can't be on any. I don't have much options unfortunately. Thanks again!

Sure. When your post count gets higher, send me a message. Or feel free to any time you wanna talk.

It can take time, unfortunately. These 'breakdowns' can be pretty intense. Have you ever had any psychotherapy, like CBT? That's usually the best option for those who can't take meds.

[Grimmjow.]

Sure. When your post count gets higher, send me a message. Or feel free to any time you wanna talk.

It can take time, unfortunately. These 'breakdowns' can be pretty intense. Have you ever had any psychotherapy, like CBT? That's usually the best option for those who can't take meds.

Yeah I've had one session so far, I'm supposed to be hearing from someone who actually specializes in panic disorder but I haven't heard from them yet.
This neck pressure is driving me craaaaazy I can't wait to long to see someone or I'll absolutely lose my mind.

[1Bluerose68]

Have you seen any type of psychiatrist? That would help you to ask a professional specializing in this topic area and who also has the power to prescribe any meds,If Necessary. Not everyone who visits a shrink is a candidate for meds. Some people see him or her 1 time and they may decide that you would benefit from seeing a regular counselor, perhaps 1 specializing in whatever you and the shrink decide is best???

Good luck, and I do hope you see someone for this painful problem. Perhaps even a dentist for TMJ, that's jaw pains and headaches, associated with teeth grinding, and or poor alignment of your bite???

Also around this age the 3rd molars start to grow in and some may be impacted and require Emergency extraction to save the rest of the teeth from shifting and overcrowding.....?

[Grimmjow.]

Have you seen any type of psychiatrist? That would help you to ask a professional specializing in this topic area and who also has the power to prescribe any meds,If Necessary. Not everyone who visits a shrink is a candidate for meds. Some people see him or her 1 time and they may decide that you would benefit from seeing a regular counselor, perhaps 1 specializing in whatever you and the shrink decide is best???

Good luck, and I do hope you see someone for this painful problem. Perhaps even a dentist for TMJ, that's jaw pains and headaches, associated with teeth grinding, and or poor alignment of your bite???

Also around this age the 3rd molars start to grow in and some may be impacted and require Emergency extraction to save the rest of the teeth from shifting and overcrowding.....?

Yeah I've been to one session already I'm supposed to be hearing from a specialist but no luck so far.

I've suspected TMJ so I might have to ask my doctor about that one, all the pain seems to radiate from the joint in my jaw and my ear blocks up and I get a terrible headache from it. I am also getting my wisdom teeth, so you might be right in them adding to the pain. Yay! Wisdom teeth haha