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Can having a virus make anxiety worse?

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Posted 3/31/2014 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

I recently got through a horrible period of anxiety where I honestly thought I was losing my mind, and I started to feel really normal again but the other day I felt a bit spaced out and I went to the doctors who said I have a viral infection and now I feel back to how I was before, I can feel my heart pounding and I get the shakes but the worst thing is the feeling of being spaced out like I am almost in a dream, I feel like I am going to lose touch with reality.

I sort of know in my head that it is anxiety causing this but again I feel like I am losing my mind and I cannot concentrate on anything, do you think it is just the virus that is making it worse this time?

Any advice appreciated thank you so much.
Posted 3/31/2014 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Sean, whenever I am sick I always feel more depressed and anxious. I don't know if its the chemical imbalance in our bodies or what. But I totally understand that feeling. I think when you have a virus your body kind of shuts down and can't fight. So to answer your question, yes, I think having a virus can make us more emotional, more anxious, and more depressed!
Posted 3/31/2014 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Becky,

Thank you for replying :)

I dont mind being not well, its just the whole fuzzy head and the fear of going crazy that is really hard to take :(
Posted 3/31/2014 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
I know....I hate that. Try to take a few deep breaths. It's REALLY hard to get that fear of going crazy out of your mind. What I do, is leave my apartment and visit my parents/sisters. I sometimes just need to get away for the day. Sitting alone at your place makes your anxiety worse, or it does for me at least. Can you go for a walk or just stand outside and take a few deep breaths of fresh air?
Posted 3/31/2014 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
I can speak from experience and say that being sick certainly can cause me a lot of trouble anxiety wise. In fact I just had a real bad episode with panic attacks and even a bout of insomnia, which I never had trouble with.

Anxiety loves to play tricks, and causes our bodies to respond and react to things that are not as bad as our body tells us. I have to remind myself constantly that I'll be ok when I get sick.

It's also possible that if you are taking anything to relieve the symptoms you are feeling it could be interacting with any anxiety meds you may be on.
Posted 3/31/2014 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
Ishiman, what meds do you take for your anxiety? My panic attacks have gotten really outrageous and I'm not able to work right now. i'm on fluoxetine 60mg and lorazepam as needed.
Posted 3/31/2014 5:31 PM (GMT 0)
I would say yes definitely! I woke up past Tuesday feeling unwell and had the worst week. My anxiety was through the roof because I was nauseous and had diarrhoea, palpitations, plus a sore chest from coughing so my anxiety made me think it was something serious and at times I thought I was having a heart attack. I didn't sleep for more than an hour at a time and had the worst insomnia I've ever had. I'm starting to feel a bit better but my anxiety is still bad.
Posted 3/31/2014 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
For a long time I was on Xanax as needed (at the most I was taking 1mg 3x a day) and Zoloft 100mg. I had weaned off of Zoloft and weaned the Xanax down to .5mg as needed which was hardly ever. But I had a bad week last week, I had gone pretty much a year without a real panic attack.

Now I just started Mirtazapine 15mg before bedtime, and I'll typically take a 0.5mg Xanax mid morning.

Hopefully I'll be weaning off of it and get back to how I was. My personal feelings are the less meds I'm on the better.
Posted 3/31/2014 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for responses guys :)

May I ask did you feel like you was really spaced out when you get anxiety or like things in your head just dont feel the same like really weird?

Many thanks

Sean
Posted 3/31/2014 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
Yes! These past 2 weeks I've been super spacey. It's because my thoughts just keep going and never stop. If I rest, then they do. As soon as I wake they are there again. I really don't want to wait 2 more weeks til I see a therapist :(
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