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What is everyone's definition of anxiety? Is everyone's different?

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Posted 4/3/2014 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone,

Just doing some thinking on this today. I am curious as to what everyone's anxiety feels like? I think everyone's version of "anxiety" is different? My definition of anxiety is feeling like a constant RUSH of ADRENALINE. Like I'm ALWAYS so nervous, even when I'm not. Like I'm sitting here right now at my computer, completely relaxed(not really relaxed but I should be!), and I feel soo nervous. I feel like I have an event coming up within the next few minutes that I am so nervous about and my body is preparing for it. It feels like my heart rate, my blood pressure, temperatiure, everything is just UP. Higher than it should be. I've even had a few heart palps already today, and I could tell by how I've been feeling all morning that today was going to be a day for heart palps. Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me? I'm just completely nervous for no reason! Now I have a headache (probably from stress), and I now feel myself even shaking. I wonder every single day, WHAT is making my body act this way? I have done EVERYTHING in my own power to not have anxiety anymore. I eat healthy, I'm active, I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't do drugs, I drink alot of water, I quit drinking caffeine a long time ago (which I was so sad about because I LOVE my cold coffee confused ) .. had a bunch of heart tests done, blood work, other tests to confirm my levels of things that could cause anxiety, etc. There is not one reasonable explanation as to WHY I feel this way. Could it be genetics? I know stress is a factor as well, but I have taken that into consideration when needed. I feel it in my chest, my stomach , my nerves, the physical symptoms drive me CRAZY. I feel like I'm seriously ill because of this. Half of the time I can't breathe right because I'm feeling like I can't breathe.. like I am being suffocated..now that I am pregnant it is pretty bad..way worse. I never feel good, never have energy, always tired, can't get up in the mornings like before I used to hear my alarm clock and fly up out of bed like there was no tomorrow and go on with my day- - - no anxiety, I'm always worried about the next heart palpitation and worrying my heart will go into shock and just stop working because of the palpitations, ahhhhhh. I feel like I'm going crazy today,and I can't take it )-: I just hope to feel normal again soon, I really really REALLY do,but I feel like that's only wishful thinking. confused

Posted 4/3/2014 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
That's a good question. I think it'll reveal that everyone's perception and experience of anxiety differs, and it's very unique to each of us.

One thing I find interesting about anxiety is how it feels like everything inside is racing and you're about to burst out of your skin, but at the same time, there's a paralysis that can take over, a fear of moving. I've spent ages making a simple decision just because I was afraid I'd jostle the already heightened feelings.

I'm glad that you asked this. It will be interesting to see what others experience as well! :)





M.
Posted 4/3/2014 5:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Lacey. I feel the same way. I am all ways tired. I try to keep my self busy. But When I try to relax and sit down I feel the symptoms. Doe's this happen to you. What are your symptoms? I feel like this is never going to end. I have no energy either. I know how you feel. I feel that there is some thing elese wrong with me. My symptoms are from my thighs to my feet they tingle and burn and ache. Some times my hands ache and tingle. I get different pain in different parts of my body. I get head aches. My toungue burns and tingles. What are your symptoms? Lacy my E MAil is in my profile feel free to E MAIL me if you want to talk . Misty.
Posted 4/3/2014 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
Lacey, What is Anxiety ? Anxiety affects our whole being. It affects how we feel, how we behave and has very real physical symptoms. It feels a bit like fear but whereas we know what we are frightened of, we often don't know what we are anxious about . The first thing to understand is that anxiety itself is self-sustaining. It causes problems with your mind and body that make it more likely to experience further anxiety. For example, anxiety changes brain chemistry in a way that creates negative thinking - negative thinking reduces the ability to think positively, which in turn makes it harder to control anxiety. Anxiety also creates physical symptoms that cause their own anxiety - symptoms that are so severe that they perfectly mimic what it's like to live with some of the world's most serious diseases. Anxiety also creates hypersensitivity, which is a mental response that makes people more prone to noticing those physical symptoms and letting it affect them. If anxiety were just nervousness and sweating, anxiety disorders may not be considered as serious. But anxiety is so much more than that, and the longer you live with anxiety the more symptoms you can experience. Anxiety can also cause people to fear the anxiety itself, which unfortunately bleeds into other areas of their life. One of the more interesting aspects of anxiety is that when you're nervous about one thing (for example, social situations) you can become nervous about other things as a result (for example, amusement park rides). This is how anxiety works. So when someone starts to fear their own anxiety and its symptoms, they may also develop new anxieties, or find more situations causing anxiety. Everyone has good anxiety in their life but when anxiety becomes bigger than life itself it makes people unhappy and frightened. Kindly, Kitt
Posted 4/5/2014 8:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lacey,

I'll respond because writing this out may help me get my thoughts out (and I hope it helps others too, if you can relate).

I guess my symptoms are a little milder than many, yet I still hate my symptoms. Anxiety for me, manifests itself in a nervous feeling, that also is accompanied by a tight throat (globus), like there's something in my throat and I have to cough it out. Sometimes a tightness in my chest, though not necessarily sharp pain. A shortness of breath, which when really bad deteriorates into "gaspy" feelings where there are momentary uncomfortable feelings like I have to gasp (and at the same time, feels kinda weird like jelly in my chest). For me, some reflux/indigestion issues are intermixed with the anxiety such that, if I have a very full meal, my chest feels a little bloated, maybe gassy, and I have to burp. The throat knot comes in and I have to cough.

If these symptoms escalate, then it becomes a really sick, nauseating feeling. The two times I've had a really bad attack, those escalated in severe chest pain such that I thought I was having a heart attack (went to ER, things checked fine). Those really bad ones were 9 years ago. Haven't had a full-blown one like that since then. Got anti-anxiety meds for that, I take one if it looks like things are going downhilll. Have only gotten to the gaspy/really nervous/slight nausea stage.

What to do, what to do in those situations. I guess the breathing exercises should help, no? Usually for me--and this is a cop out--I just lie down and curl up, and try to wish these feelings would go away. Though I think the correct thing to do is just...accept that they are happening...acknowledge the symptoms...reassure myself that nothing bad is happening (these symptoms are all familiar, I've gone through this before), and just let it run its course.

There! OK, that was a lot to get out. I rambled a bit, sorry. Though that is what anxiety is to me. A lot of icky feelings, mixed in with some reflux stuff. Oh yes, fatigue too lately. Feeling tired after or during these episodes.

Ruhr
Posted 4/5/2014 10:36 AM (GMT 0)
I have done so much research on anxiety these last two years and being a nurse and working some in mental health I remember a long time ago feeling sorry for my pts and their symptoms. I used to ask myself how does someone become this way. How does one allow themselves to get this bad, then it happened to me and I realize that I did not allow it to happen (well consciously that is) to me. Its something I feel that a lot of factors play into. I truly believe that anxiety is much more than a brain thing. The world that we live in now is VERY toxic!! Yes metal health issues have been around since the beginning of time, however I'm not sure that anxiety was at such a high rate. Mental health was an unspoken thing even back 60-70 years ago. You didn't talk about it you just tried to pretend you were OK. My point is that I believe my anxiety is a combination of a lot of things. Everyone needs to find the right balance, unfortunately we can't all go leading stress free lives on an island somewhere sitting on a beach all day!! My symptoms I feel have ruined a part of who I am. I look back 2 years ago and I NEVER felt like I do now. I have had every symptom listed above and my anxiety is pretty much the same. We are all made of energy and to find the balance is key! Some people have magnesium deficiencys, some have another underlying disorder like mitral valve prolapse for others its vitamin B 12 deficiency. For me I had my IUD removed and in the 2 months since I have noticed a difference. The feeling of constant anxiety has gone away. However the "worry" part hasn't. I still have horrible OCD and at times am still afraid to leave my house. I work on my balance every day and I know that I will get there it just takes time. I'm a hospice nurse now and I love my job, I get the privilege of helping people end this journey and begin a new one. I have seen things that I can't even describe in words and I'm humbled by my experiences. I appreciate life so much more now than I ever have and each day is a gift and knowing that and becoming more spiritual has helped me get better as well. Our energy in us all is separate from our bodies and at times when you think about it anxiety is NOT our energy its a malfunction of our bodies and I know we can all find a good balance! I'm sending positive energy to you all!!
Posted 4/5/2014 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
My typical situation is this: There is some issue that I am concerned about. Often (though not always) it is some action that I took (or failed to take) -- or some decision that I made -- which I later regret, and I worry about the potential consequences. When this happens, I often castigate myself and think constantly about it. Why did I screw up? How could I have done that? Why I am such a moron? I replay in my mind (over and over) how I could have done better or not made a stupid decision. I think about the worst case scenario consequences. It can interfere with my getting to sleep. Or if I get to sleep, then I wake up too early, thinking about whatever issue it is, and I cannot get it off my mind or get back to sleep. In the mornings, I often have a physical feeling of anxiety -- I guess I would describe it as a nervous tension. Sometimes it feels like I have had too much caffeine (though I had none at all). When I get out of bed and get the day going and become busy, it often gets somewhat better. But it takes some effort to get out of bed and get going.

Despite all this, I seem to function OK -- I do an intellectually demanding job pretty well and am more or less successful in various areas of my life. But the anxiety is like a weight around my neck.... and I sure wish it would disappear.

Post Edited (medved) : 4/6/2014 9:43:29 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/6/2014 3:44 PM (GMT 0)
I would be interested in hearing from others here about how they experience anxiety. We all use the same "label" -- anxiety -- but maybe what we are feeling/experiencing is different? Or not?
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