Does anyone else get these uncomfortable anxiety feelings?

Does anyone experience the burning in the chest, or a feeling like an elephant is sitting on your chest, back aches and muscle tension when they are feeling anxious?  I'm on Effexor 37.5mg, for a few years it worked, however; I am not experiencing more physical pain associated with anxiety then ever before!  I don't think the burning in the chest is heartburn because if I take a Klonopin, it goes away within 30 minutes.

I'll sleep well during the night, mornings are fine, and then by noon time the physical pain of anxiety sets it.  I never knew that anxiety could hurt so much!

Do you feel the physical pains of anxiety?

Hugs,

Karen

hekofaride said...
Does anyone experience the burning in the chest, or a feeling like an elephant is sitting on your chest, back aches and muscle tension when they are feeling anxious?  I'm on Effexor 37.5mg, for a few years it worked, however; I am not experiencing more physical pain associated with anxiety then ever before!  I don't think the burning in the chest is heartburn because if I take a Klonopin, it goes away within 30 minutes.

I'll sleep well during the night, mornings are fine, and then by noon time the physical pain of anxiety sets it.  I never knew that anxiety could hurt so much!

Do you feel the physical pains of anxiety?

Hugs,

Karen

Oh boy, do I ever.  I have a pressure from my upper stomach area all the way through my chest.  A feeling of the elephant on the chest and impending doom.    Last spring, I suffered a 45 day bout of incapacitating anxiety that felt just like you describe.  In fact, I was hospitalized and basically out of it for a week. 

Hey there,

I agree, physical pain is a real part of anxiety.

I will get headaches, back and shoulder pain and it is not in your mind, it is truly physical pain.

You are not alone.

Kitt

Physical therapy and massage has helped with my back and shoulder pain. My massage therapist tells me I'm very "knotted up" between my shoulder blades. It does hurt a bit when he tries to massage the knots out, but I always feel better afterwards. I think we are so tense our back and shoulder muscles get out of wack and cause pain. The Klopin does work b/c it relaxes you. I guess the key is getting the muscles to relax throughout the day. Try using exercise bands and breathing techniques.

Anxiety is a stress response which triggers a reaction. Once the body reacts to the chemicals released from anxiety, pain is usually the symptom.

Picture it like going to the gym and lifting very heavy weight. Your body releases chemical in order to repair the muscle you just tore, hence the pain. That pain is lactic acid build up. The same thing happens when the chemical responses are released with high stress/anxiety.

Pain should and can be viewed as a positive thing b/c it's telling you it's time to stop.
The best way to relieve the pain from anxiety is to off set the chemicals with breathing and exercise. If you get chest pain from anxiety, do some push ups. If you get back pain, do some stretching along with breathing.