Question

[raychel]

How are you ever sure that anxiety is really the cause of your problems. What has helped you come to that conclusion and accept that? I really need help with this!

[sportybears]

for me, i went to the dr. and had a full physical. She sent me for some additional tests based on my symptoms so i had an echo, ekg, stress test, thyroid scan & uptake test, and some blood work.
After everything came back pretty normal (i had nodules on my thyroid, but she wasnt concerned, and some antibodies for arthritis in my blood test, and a mild heart murmur) I did alot of research about anxiety and panic disorders. The list of symptoms caused by anxiety is massive, and I pretty much found all of my symptoms can fall under the anxiety umbrella. Even though at times I feel fine mentally, and it's really just physical problems I feel, I have learned that the scary symptoms i feel physically can be cause by poor coping skills, negative thinking, and everyday stress.
So, how I accepted what I have as anxiety is by first getting a dr. to rule out a physical cause for my symptoms. Then doing ALOT of research and educating myself on anxiety/panic disorders via the internet and books. Realizing that even though it FEELS like I must have something seriously wrong with me, that all of this can be cause by anxiety.
Another thing that has helped is by reading other peoples posts and seeing how they are going through the exact/similar things as I am, and they too have been told or believe its anxiety.
Finally, I have been dealing with this for 10 years, and if I was truely dying or had something wrong with me, I would have been dead by now.
Oh! and stop googling symptoms! The mind is a powerful thing and u will start to feel every symptoms to the extreme if you start googling!
Hope this helps!

;) ;)

[raychel]

Wow, thank you for your reply. I have hadbloodwork done several times as well as a neck xray and brain mri. I have to go for a neck mri today. That area is where most of my anxiety seems to exist. I feel like I am not really where i am and kind of like I'm floating. When I try to do deep breathing it feels like all the blood rushes to my head and it makes me panic rather than relax. I do have really bad tension problems but its hard to believe I can feel this bad constantly with no break just from that. My eyes also seem terribly out of focus now, and i have had them checked. Sorry to complain so much but i'm just very frustrated. I have been given meds but refuse to take them becuase I don't want to be a victim of meds. I've been through so much in my life that i've had to fight through i feel like this should be easy. It gets depressing after a while and my family seems to be tired of dealing with me.

[sportybears]

I know what you mean totally. At least you are taking the precautions to have the tests done to rule out anything serious. Really, thats all you can do. I know how hard it is to accept that it's "just" anxiety, I am still dealing with that myself. I get that weird/floaty feeling, kind of like a lightheadedness as well. I also get floaters (like little black specs that somtimes float across my palne of vision). I too have a Rx for Xanax but have never taken it cause meds scare me. My husband has tried to be very supportive, but he too seems sick of dealing with me. It is really frustrating because unless people actually experience anxiety for themselves first hand, they can't relate and they wonder why we cant just pull ourselves together.
I hope everything turns out ok for your mri today. I'll keep you in my thoughts. You are not alone.

[raychel]

Thank you so much. I get floaters too. They stink when I am at work on the computer the most. I really just want to get back to being myself. I have an 8 year old son and I am supposed to get married in October. We are planning this big wedding and I don't even know if i will be able to show up for it!! What else has helped you with your anxiety? It's good to know you are not alone. I had very managebale anxiety but 2 months ago I had the first attack I've had in a while, then I went on vacation which was stressful because I had to fly and i'm terrified...plus I went out of the country which was a first for me. I actually was ok down there but ever since then it has gotten unberable. the past week has been a nightmare. I don't know how i am still functioning. i just am trying to refuse to give into it and end up in bed! thx for reading!

[ebony]

So, how I accepted what I have as anxiety is by first getting a dr. to rule out a physical cause for my symptoms. Then doing ALOT of research and educating myself on anxiety/panic disorders via the internet and books. Realizing that even though it FEELS like I must have something seriously wrong with me, that all of this can be cause by anxiety.
Another thing that has helped is by reading other peoples posts and seeing how they are going through the exact/similar things as I am, and they too have been told or believe its anxiety.
Finally, I have been dealing with this for 10 years, and if I was truely dying or had something wrong with me, I would have been dead by now.

that last bit really made me laugh! too true!
i've gone to drs and finally an endicrinologist (and i do have a thyroid autoimmune disease and nodules).
since anxiety is rather common in my family, i have quite a few siblings that know what it is and traveled that path before me {i can't believe they survived this crap!}
reading other posts here really helps me feel like i'm not alone or weird.
it's comforting just to know there's so many others dealing with this!
i was always kind of shy or quiet and realized i had some social anxiety.
when anxiety took over my life and inhibited much of my enjoyment, that's when i knew it was a problem.

[Shanti]

when you read aboutr anxiety, good literature, you understand if you fit in the description or not, right?

now, if you see a good doctor he will help you further understand it!

it is important to find a way to solve the cause...

greetz