Dealing with health anxiety, physical discomfort, and panic attacks

about two weeks ago, I was experiencing pretty high anxiety and panic attacks felt very on edge, constantly. I was dealing with a constant headache, tried to distract myself as I was sure it was all from high anxiety. about a week later, I had to go to urgent care for the discomfort as it had spread to my ear and jaw. I found out that I had a pretty severe ear infection that I had mistaken for anxiety..

I feel so frustrated. I used to think my physical symptoms were real medical emergencies. When I finally learned that they were not, I deal with and completely miss a real medical need.

I'm still dealing with pretty excruciating pain and having a hard time with the whole discomfort. It gives me great anxiety and pain medications are a nono as they interact with all of my current medications.

How do you all cope with physical discomfort and pain without throwing yourselves into panic attacks? I'm experiencing vertigo from the ear rupture , a common symptom of panic attacks for me, so I keep tricking myself into believing a panic attack is coming when in fact, I know it is my ear. Crazy how the mind works! aNY advice?

My right ear drum burst from an untreated ear infection many years ago. It was a rough thing to go through, and I'm sorry you are experiencing it.

It is a bit ironic isn't it? We train ourselves to stop thinking we're terribly sick, and we get sick, and miss it. I've been experiencing a bit of that the last couple of days.

I hope you feel better soon. Be patient though. Those eardrums do take some time to heal.

i use coping skills. i have chronic conditions and live with pain daily. distraction, movement-whatever works. i walk, even though i use a stick, it gets me out of the four walls and thus less thinking. keep well.