Mostly only physical symptoms?

I am wondering if others have more physical symptoms of anxiety versus thoughts etc...
For me my anxiety seems to be 90% physical symptoms. Is this normal? Pain in my neck and base of skull, burning sensations, tightness in my chest, shortness of breath, vision disturbances, dizziness, and lightheadedness, to just name a few.
I rarely get intrusive thoughts and if I do, it is after I have a bunch of physical symptoms. Recently the most prominent symptom I am having is vision disturbances and light sensitivity.

Anyway, just wondering if this is common or if I'm out of the norm! Lol

Thanks :)

BeRock

Glad to hear there are others that are experiencing things similar to me. It helps me to understand.

Thanks for responding.

You are so right SC, I recently had a hum dinger attack and it had been 2 years without one, then from
my blind side, I get hit with a fresh bucket of crap (nicer word than I was thinking) I almost took a xanax
but decided to ride it out, I got by but it was touch and go for a while. Funny I know first hand what a HA
feels like and I let PAD BS me into thinking the worst. Spielberg can't make a movie scarier than I can
come up with in my head. Love youall I'm going nitenite!

Larry ***

SC
That is how I feel somedays. That everything is "okay" but still have constant physical symptoms. I find that most of the time my coping skills work, but on days like this past Wednesday....it was a struggle. I think I need to trial and error some more coping skills. :) you can't ever have too many right?! I also am going to talk to the doc about a benzo at my next appt.

I have noticed as I do the therapy that I will feel mentally less anxious and actually feel like I am ok and then all of sudden a bunch of physical symptoms hit me. And not the ones I would normally have. These are strange symptoms I have never had before. My theory is that it is anxiety clinging on to the last remnants of its control, try to pull me back by making me feel disturbing physical symptoms...or that is at least how I am going to look at it right now. I am noticing also that the less I use xanax (which I have been using more than I ever have before) the more physical symptoms I feel. But I do not want to use the quick fix anymore and am working on reigning in the physical symptoms naturally.

I think there are also some subconscious triggers, things you may not even be aware of. So you think you are fine but your subconscious sees something it doesn't like and it physically hits you. Just keep holding on and it will all pass!

Mommy

This just puts me in awe as there are other people that have the exact symptoms as me!!! I really am not alone!! And to hear ur perspective on them is very helpful.

Thank you!!!

Berock,

The skin sensitivity i'm talking about for example is when I brush my hair, I get this tingly feeling for a few seconds on my scalp area after I'm done brushing, or even when I scratch which is a normal feeling obviously but with anxiety the sensitivity is more and lasts longer. Don't think it's related to dry skin. I tend to get more goosebumps and shivers as well. I have a really annoying problem too where my nipples, especially my left one gets hard for no reason.

MommyBrea,

You're right, I can relate to what you're saying as well. I try to minimize the amounts of Xanax I take and I never over medicate myself. But when I'm not feeling the effect of it, the physical symptoms start to feel more obvious/painful/annoying. I range from .25 mg to .75 mg per day. It's a small dose. It's just difficult sometimes when even though I could be distracted with something else, I am constantly feeling it 'subconsciously' i guess.

The thing is for me is that I'm not sure if it's purely anxiety. The headaches I get are daily and the heaviness in my left arm is always there. I'm starting to think it could be ulnar never damage as I hit my funny bone hard a couple weeks ago and I always feel my left shoulder and chest muscle cramped/sore. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist on Monday and will most probably do an open MRI scan of the brain and hopefully get my left arm checked as these two symptoms are the ones that bother me the most.

Best to everyone!

Post Edited (Mark_K) : 5/25/2013 3:58:36 AM (GMT-6)

Oh nice,

I'm getting my brain neck mri done on monday. It's more of a tightness feeling on my left arm shoulder neck and chest area. I saw a neuro too and he's like don't worry about it. But I just need to make sure nothing is wrong and I will insist with my psychiatrist on getting it checked out. I also tend to have migraines and headaches as well as visual disturbances but it's not so bad.

Mark,
Keep us posted on ur MRI results!!! I hope u get some answers!!!

I'm not sure if I do indeed have some kind of damage in my arm, once I get that properly diagnosed I guess I will too. The neurologist I saw was a specialist in headaches. I guess I will also begin physiotherapy if I have some kind of muscle/nerve damage after I discuss it with my psychiatrist :).
Yoga might help you, it did slightly for me.

Oh my gosh! This thread has been so helpful. I have seen so many people posting symptoms that I have as well, but didn't know were linked to my anxiety. The excessive goosebumps and sensitive skin along with strange sensations of the skin after say. .. just scratching my face or arm, Not to mention the tingling sensations in hands/feet.

So sorry to hear how much you're suffering Lilred.

If you read many of these posts you'll identify with much of it and it may bring assurance that you're not alone.

I think it's because the physical symptoms *seem* to begin before the mental feelings that makes one feel so incredibly scared. I often say to my hubby that this is the case, that I wasn't feeling anxious but now I cannot breathe, or am going to faint...

So, yes, panic often shows more as a physical symptom than mental.

I read this impressive excerpt from a book called 'Manage your mind' years and years ago, but have always remembered it. It was a case study about a lady who suddenly, from out of nowhere, began having serious panic symptoms, all physical, her mental state was fine, so she thought...They were overwhelming and she began thinking she was going to collapse, but instead she realised it was a first panic attack.

When I realised panic can just erupt out of nowhere, it brought calm as I know how intensely persuasive our minds are. They're so powerful they can even believe a placebo can help an illness and they very often do! How strong is that?!

LP

Post Edited (Littlepetal) : 5/26/2013 4:40:09 PM (GMT-6)

Peace!

Larry ***