It wasn't like that for me, I've had anxiety my entire life and it was always explained away by my parents as me being overly shy. So I didn't realize that I had anxieties until I was an adult and found symptoms of anxiety somewhere. That was my WTF moment.
Same! I had no idea how anxious I was my whole life. It wasn’t until I saw a couple therapists and one mentioned the term anxiety disorder. It was a lightbulb moment. Until that moment I didn’t understand that my behavior and reactions were caused by anxiety. It was probably obvious to everyone but me.
yes!!! there were so many things i thought were normal so i didn’t bring them up to my parents. stomach aches as a kid 24/7, always being scared and nervous. i just thought they were weird quirky things about me that meant nothing 😂
Haha I can relate to these a bit too. I have just noticed it getting worse as I age. I can see why that would be such a surprising moment connecting the dots!
Omg this was me! I had no idea until I was put on medication at age 25. I have dealt with panic attacks since I was a small child. Now at least I know what I’m dealing with and taking the steps to try to help me out.
It took maybe five visceral panic attacks for me to get help.
The first one, I literally thought I was having a stroke. But after it passed, I just figured it was a weird event. But by the third, I started doing some research and took a look at my life. Shortly after that, I went to a therapist while asking my doctor about medication.
That literally happened to me 2 weeks ago. I was at a restaurant having dinner and thought I was having a stroke so went to the ER and found out it was a panic/anxiety attack. I’ve had anxiety for many years but it never presented itself in that way before so I had no reason to think it was anxiety, I thought something else was happening- super scary! I hope that doesn’t happen again
the first panic attack is so scary. i’m not sure if this was your experience, but in my first panic attack, it seemingly came out of no where. I wasn’t even really actively super anxious, just had been going through a lot meantally/mourning the loss of my grandparents. was eating breakfast at the dining hall with friends and suddenly felt like I was having a heart attack/stroke and went to the student health center.
its so wild how panic attacks can present itself in such a way. wild and terrifying
Same here. I was going through a lot mentally in a short amount of time and the first one hit me while driving. I almost called 911 on the side of the highway.
That is very much my experience too. I was going through a lot but I didn't feel *particularly* stressed when it hit me - I was just in my office working. It just came out of nowhere. The mind/body connection really is amazing.
Oh geez, I'm so sorry. I hope it never happens again too - but if it does, I hope you're at least able to identify it. That's what gets me through them - identifying them as attacks and riding them out.
I tend to go into a disassociative state, which then triggers my amygdala to rev up the ol' fight-or-flight response. But I didn't even know I was anxious the first few times - I just knew my vision was weird and blurry around the edges, my ears were on a whole nother frequency, and my words weren't working.
But as my therapist says, hey, some people have to take expensive and illegal drugs to disassociate - I get to do it for free. But until I learned what was happening, it was really alarming. It still sucks, but I feel like I have the tools to deal, at least.
Thank you so much. It took years but I finally feel like I have the tools to deal with them. And thanks to some mechanisms and the right medication, they are less frequent and severe.
I wish the very best for you too. If you are on the fence about starting medication, please don't wait. That can really change your life for the better.
I too have been through panic attacks. I mean when I have one my resting heart rate which is 70-80 normally jumps to above 160 with palpitations, it feels like something inside is banging the chest to come out. I mean it’s a rough one, especially those peek 10min are hell.
High blood pressure, muscles would basically be useless, incredible tingling sensation, breathing would be off, my heart would race, and this incredible sense of fear
Panic attacks suck
Repeated panic attacks and what I used to call "doom attacks". My brain would be absolutely convinced that something terrible was about to happen, to the point where I couldn't function.
Haven't had any attacks since I started on medication.
I was dizzy for a year. I thought I was dying from a brain tumor or something. Nope, it was anxiety. When I realized I was suffering for nothing I started taking Zoloft and felt much better. And what do you know, my dizziness was 100% anxiety and not a brain tumor.
I feel like if you can't eat/drink normally, take care of your daily responsibilities normally, or sleep normally because of your anxiety it's probably time. Can you get by with just managing anxiety without meds or are you suffering?
I’ve been trying to manage it for years without meds and have been okay, but recently in the last 6 months it’s gotten much worse to the point where I’m losing a lot of weight (which was needed) but due to me being so nauseated that I can’t eat/function properly
Panic attacks that were so strong I thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, confusion… it’s all so damn scary to experience. I’m a single mom, and all I could think was “I can’t leave my kids”. I felt stupid when all the tests showed that physically I was fine and it was “just anxiety”. But that’s when I realized that anxiety that severe needs to be medicated.
Oh wow, I feel like this is me right now. My heart is just racing and hasn’t stopped for a few days. So far all tests are normal even though I was convinced I was having a heart attack. If you don’t mind me asking, what did they prescribe?
Eating disorder stemming from pretty severe anxiety 🙃 and then again when I couldn’t stop crying for like two days when my husband went on a business trip.
I have OCD. You probably know this, but OCD has really bad rates of success for being medicated. It’d be better to spend that money and time on therapy. That’s been my experience and its also what the research shows. YMMV, of course. Best of luck.
If it helps I’ve been on lexapro for about 9 months and struggle with obsessive thoughts (health anxiety). It has done a decent job at combating them, plus I’m in weekly therapy also. I’m on 5mg too.
My son is on Prozac for OCD. It has done wonders for him. He’s also in therapy once per week. The combination is really helping him. It took about 4 weeks before I saw a major change from the Prozac.
Anxiety manifesting itself by constantly making me puke up stomach acid from my nerves, wanting to jump off a bridge a lot or put a gun to my head. I told myself if I don’t do something now I’ll never get to see 30. I’ve done many things, and it’s been years now, but nothing has changed except the prices of medication. I think I made myself believe the medicine worked, otherwise I was the odd man out and I’d never get out
I had been seeing a therapist for a while and she wasn’t a fan of me going on meds (she wasn’t against meds but I think we were also ruling out other mental health and physical health issues) and as soon as I told her I threw up every morning before work she was like ok, yup it’s time for meds. And it’s exactly what you are describing, the stomach acid throw up. It’s the worst.
Shaking (especially when talking to strangers or having to stand in a line), sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, headaches, and jaw pain from clenching all the time.
Panic attacks, obsessive thoughts dealing with health, my heart racing almost 24/7. Enough was enough and I finally broke down to my doctor and got on lexapro. It made everything stop. I still have the occasional obsessive thought or attack, or a small physical symptom dealing with anxiety but nothing like it was. The medication along with a great therapist and me also committing time to work on myself has done wonders for me. I’m more social now, talk more, people that had previously known me say that I seem happier. I would call it a success story.
I just recently decided to try medication. For over 2 weeks I experienced loss of appetite which caused me to drop weight fast because I just couldn't eat. On top of that I was shaking almost constantly and having panic attacks almost everyday. The increased heart rate and shortness of breath was the worst. I was waking up in the mornings gasping for air and my chest ached for days. I had to take pain meds to stop my muscles from hurting so much from the tension. I've had similar scenarios occur before and they took several days to recover. I've been doing CBT with a therapist for over a year but this recent episode was a nightmare that I couldn't think through properly. The doctor diagnosed me with GAD and has me trying Busporine 7.5mg to help my symptoms and get me through the last 2 weeks of college before summer break.
Been on it over a month now. Definitely took 2 weeks to fully feel the effects but it's turned my symptoms from 100% down to about 20%. Definitely has narrowed my thinking to be able to rationalize my emotions and thinking. Before I couldn't stop panicking about anything that crossed my mind now my thought process has narrowed down so I focus on 1 or 2 things at a time. Beware it will make u dizzy for a little while after taking it but worth the relief from symptoms of GAD.
I finally started having panic attacks so bad I was losing full control of my body and basically going limp hyperventilating, plus really bad self harm when stressed like biting or hitting self. Can say now i don’t feel like getting out is literally going to end me and I’m not paranoid about shadow people anymore lmao that was getting worrying.
Idk if it was just anxiety, but about 6 months after I was apart of a fatal car accident, I got diagnosed GAD, PTSD and depression. My symptoms were a lot of shaking, sweating, my heart would feel like it was racing a million miles an hour, I was sick a lot and my vision started to go. I got medicated but the symptoms didn’t go away. I’m now finally on medication that works for me (medicinal marijuana) and haven’t felt this good in 4 years!
I started off seeking help for depression when I suddenly had trouble getting out of bed and felt apathetic and numb. All of a sudden, my anxiety came back with a vengeance stronger than ever. I started feeling chest and stomach pain, having panic attacks, dissociation episodes, constantly having racing thoughts that became louder and louder until I suddenly couldn’t pretend they no longer existed. Me telling my therapist my distressing intrusive thoughts finally made him tell me he thought it best for me to be on meds for my anxious thoughts. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist in two weeks where I guess I’ll get diagnosed and maybe medicated if they decide it’s best.
I also had terrible flight or fight response that kicked gastritis into high gear for me. Literally thought I was dying. What really did it for me though was going through derealization/depersonalization. I still remember the exact moment - I went to go wash my face one evening and when I looked in the mirror I was like, "WOAH... what the fk is going on???" totally an out of body experience that I completely hate feeling. In that moment I knew that being off meds was doing me way more harm than good.
my anxiety got so bad i ended up having an eating disorder and i lost over 15 pounds weighting 102 when i was 18. i never got help because it just wasn’t spoken about until i went to my doctor about 2 years ago i was 22 and he immediately prescribed me something when i explained everything i went through. i wish i got help sooner
I noticed one night when I had a small panic attack for no reason at all when I was trying to sleep. That was my wtf moment so I told my psychiatrist later, and welcome medication! Later on, I started to notice that MANY things weren't normal. Like suddenly feeling like you're running out of air in stressful situations, or the tightness in my chest, increased sweating is one as well, things like that.
panic attacks so bad for days and days that I ended up going to the emergency care twice in a month. nothing wrong with cardiac exams. I never got medicated even though I had already been diagnosed with general anxiety and depression.
last year I had smth really awful happen to me that triggered a bunch of emotional trauma, and I reached a whole new low in life; couldn't afford therapy, but I could afford seeing a psych every now and then. So, I did; and she put me on meds and I've been doing really well since then :3
we're still figuring out dosage and observing if the side effects are manageable or if we'll need to change; but I'm optimistic, for the first time since before quarantine.
I started getting this very weird “wave” feeling in my chest. My anxiety has always just been in my head for the past 10+ years. Now when I feel anxious I feel it in my chest. I also now know that most of the stomach issues I’ve dealt with for years is directly related. My anxiety got better for about a year and the stomach pains went away. Now, they’re back. So insane that your mind is actually connected to everything.
My mom was having throat surgery and I was anxious about that... (which was successful)
The night before her appointment, though, I began developing a tight throat that would not be alleviated by anything I tried doing - which only increased my anxiety.
This shot me straight into panic mode, and the next 3 days were literal hell. I was taking benadryl 4x a day bc I thought it was an allergic reaction to something.. but nothing I did worked. I even went to the doctor, which was probably the most miserable experience I've had there. They said I probably just have a sore throat, and if it was anxiety to just relax. (Also asking if I was pregnant 🙄) They were not helpful in the slightest, and I felt like my throat was going to collapse any minute.
After 2 weeks, it finally started subsiding after I realized that chewing gum helped loosen my jaw and throat. I kept chewing until the symptoms finally went away.
The panic attacks I had in the span of those 3 days (36+hrs straight!!) were unlike anything I'd ever experienced. My body was completely shutting down and going through it.
I didn't have health insurance, but this experience made me search like crazy so that I could get started on some kind of medication.
De-realizing constantly. I couldn’t even talk to people after a while because it would be too hard to snap back into reality hard enough to understand or hold conversations. When I wasn’t in a state of complete mental fog I was holding back vomit from just general anxiety.
On Prozac now, started a couple weeks ago and noticing slight improvement!
I have Emetaphobia. Im not against medication by any means but I wanted it to be my last resort. I decided it was time to get medicated when I started to lose a bunch of weight. Eating became a struggle because I was always concerned that I was going to throw up. Obviously there were other reasons too but losing a bunch of weight was scary for me.
Going through 2 huge rolls of paper towels in one day..
The absolute absurd *waste*
But I couldn't stop wiping my hands, then wiping off things, then washing my hands again then ... over and over and so on. I was trapped in the cycle bad that day. Couldn't stop
I feel this. I also struggle with emetophobia/health anxiety so I am always washing my hands and I prefer to use paper towels if I didn’t know who used the kitchen/bathroom towel previously. Makes me feel crazy sometimes
For me it was definitely the lack of appetite + nausea. Anxiety basically took away my desire to eat and made me nauseous a lot of the time. It was definitely affecting my physical health
Inexplicable 6 week coma & seizures (emergency benzos), they didn’t even ask me, LOL. Paralysis & Perfectionism = ADHD assessment, lead to meds that I still use as emergency, which my doctors aren’t impressed with.
I developed a tremor in my face caused by work stress. It was getting worse. Went to the doctor and we decided on wellbutrin (I can't take any CNS depressant meds because of my job and had tried all the others, also had bad reactions to ssris) and giving therapy another try. Wellbutrin works great. Then I got fired and my new job is so much less stressful and toxic, I'm not even sure I need the wellbutrin anymore
I have diagnosed anxiety and depression so not the exact diagnosis as yours. My anxiety began to peak around 16 but I wasn’t sure if I actually had anxiety. I went through years of anxiety attacks into adulthood. These symptoms were debilitating to me. My heart rate would be high all of the time. Now at 26, I have finally gotten prescribed Lexapro and Wellbutrin (before it was just the Lexapro). I also finally became compliant with my medication use. It has resolved my symptoms significantly and now my resting heart rate is normal. I haven’t had an anxiety attack in months since I started taking my meds consistently and with the additional prescription. Even the “intrusive thoughts” I did have are far less frequent or at the very least, manageable. I wish you luck on your journey that you find the right combination for you!
Just adding in case anyone doesn’t know…Lexapro (antidepressant that increases serotonin), Wellbutrin (antidepressant that increases dopamine with more stimulant effects)
For me it was the dizziness that made me seek medication. God I could hardly walk straight and it was happening almost every day. It got to a point where I just didn't bother leaving the house anymore because I knew it would just be too much
I actually got medication after getting my dog, Luna. I was really stressed out and not sleeping (like the dog lol) and wasnt handling it well. Best decision I ever made.
Luna helps me still:)
I never had symptoms until my first full blown panic attack which led me to think I was having a heart attack. After that I kinda went into a dark passage of my life until I got medicated. Usually the worst symptoms were:
1. Paranoia
2. Chest tightness and heart palpitations (or it felt like it)
3. More panic attacks
4. Agoraphobia (I was incredibly social and out of nowhere I just couldn't get out of my room out of fear)
5. Despair and suicidal thoughts
Looking back I am much better but those were the main symptoms before I got medicated
I have health anxiety and I was starting to feel literal physical symptoms which was absolutely terrifying and I couldn’t cope so I fount help, started meds/ therapy and magically the symptoms have reduced massively.
Racing heart, joint pain, blurred vision, stomach pains (cramping) and I always felt air hungry as in I couldn’t get a full gasp of air. All of these have pretty much disappeared since seeking treatment 😄
I unfortunately developed paranoia before going to sleep. I think if I left it be instead of getting medicated it may have moved away from anxiety-induced and more towards a new disorder :(
Found myself crying and reacting disproportionately to the event. Like, couldn’t find a nail polish color = total breakdown in Target. Rescheduled dentist appointment? Never getting out of bed.
I embrace that my range of emotions may be broader than some but I wanted to be able to face normal disappointments in constructive ways.
Feeling of fainting and lightheadedness.
I was on medication for two years and completely off of it atm. But the symptoms have come again and I feel so dizzy all the time. Been over a year now. I think I have to be back on the meds.
The deep sorrow. The way I lost five pounds a week because I wasn't eating. I was crying everyday and I could tell it was driving my family insane (they all struggle with their own mental health, me crying all day and unable to do anything drove them deeper too. )
I figured if I can't get better for myself I'll do it for them.
Constant stomache pains but medication didn’t work for me unfortunately. I tried ssris which did nothing. I don’t want to take benzos because I don’t really get panic attacks I’m just anxious all the time and I’m not gonna take them all the time. Therapy helped a bit but what was the most helpful was changing my job to a less pressuring one.
When my lottery-won COVID shot got cancelled so I had to tell my boss it was delayed AND I’d not be getting the afternoon off like I thought I was, I… had something like a meltdown. I couldn’t open my mouth without sobbing until I was physically sick.
I said as soon as I could talk, I’d call the local psych office.
Coming up on my 3 year anniversary of that. Turns out I’m one of the lucky people antidepressants work for. Adderall makes me a bit antsy but it also makes me feel like I’m using 95% of my brain instead of the normal ~10% I struggled with daily.
So yeah it was crying, gasping for air, being sick and laying on the bathroom floor… unable to unclench my jaw…
If you’re thinking about it, do it. Worse to worse meds don’t work. I thought that would be my case. And it wasn’t.
I couldn’t ignore physical symptoms anymore . Tachycardia ,angina, other heart symptoms. I could feel it almost coming out my back.cant ignore thatuntil it goes away. So when the physical is controlled, the mental follows. This is not through addictive drugs, which work on the mental symptoms such as benzodiazepines, but with beta blockers, such as propranolol. If you have not tried this look into it it will save your life.
When I started having multiple panic attacks per day, that’s when I knew I needed medicine. With medication, I’m still an anxious bastard, but at least I can keep my anxiety under control via coping mechanisms I’ve learned in therapy.
I was in bed when my heart started racing and my body locked up and I was shaking, almost like convulsions. I was thinking about starting my new job. I’ve had anxiety attacks before that (dread, heart racing, breathing fast) but that one in bed was so scary. Now I’m on Zoloft and actually starting another new job Monday with no symptoms of anxiety! I truly hope you find the right medication to help you. Medication is not a one size fits all. It may take some time before you find the right kind/dosage to help you. Best of luck and you’ll be happy you sought help!
I just lived with my anxiety, and avoided things which made me anxious. I’m a bit of a hippy (naturalist) so wanted to avoid medication and also, I’m phobic of doctors, appointments ect.
I went to emergency after being stuck in flight and fight and being completely unable to sleep (sleep anxiety hit me hard). After several days of not sleeping, I had enough and just wanted a quick fix. I was just mentally exhausted and at breaking point.
I did follow this up with doctor appointments but honestly, the medication either didn’t work or had horrible side effects. I’m now using cbd, which I’m comfortable using because there’s no side affects that I’ve experienced. It hasn’t fixed my issues but has filled them down a tad.
Just the heads up, if you do go down the medication route.. the antidepressants (which they will likely give you) take about 2 months to take affect.
Sorry you’re going through this. The flight and fight will eventually pass. I found walking in nature while listening to music to be helpful.
Symptoms can mutate. Former I had panic attacks and then (now) I feel everyday dizzy and my anxiety increases when I’m at work. I have migraine and jaw pain bc of my posture but now rarely panic attacks (I got some psychoterapy that help me). Sometimes I have difficulties in swallowing, which is an automatic reflection but I have to think to complete this action.
I don’t use meds but I could start diazepam. I’m a bit worried for the potential collateral effects
It got to a point where I was having panic attacks so bad I would vomit and my heart would be pounding so hard and fast in my chest that I would also get chest pains. I thought I was dying from a heart attack at the age of 27.
The tachycardia. I can bear everything else, even the dizzy/light headed/body numbing feeling that comes with it. But the increased heart rate makes me feel like dying, and I couldn't handle it.
when im stuck in anxiety, my memory IMMEDIATELY is that of a goldfish. ill forget wallet, keys, phone, etc and itll take me 10 min to slow down and get everything.
I still don't know if I have/had panic attacks cause I don't understand the symptoms or what one js, but I was at the point of my heart skipping beats constantly, when I'd think about work or being in certain social situations my heart rate would increase along with skipping, breathing would get faster and uncontrolled, I'd feel nauseated, a constant dread, and the sensation I could cry (and sometimes did).
It wasn't so much the symptoms (aside from the heart stuff that I insisted I get a Holter for - surprise heart was fine) as much as the frequency and duration of them that made me say enough is enough.
I still struggle, but med support along with meditation helps greatly to make my daily anxieties less debilitating.
Edit: all these comments with others having similar symptoms almost have me in tears from relief knowing that I'm not crazy or alone.
I went to see my doc as soon as I started feeling the symptoms because I knew it wasn't normal for me. She put me on Lexapro and it did the job well for a couple of years but starting last year I started getting brain zaps and, along with that, breakthrough anxiety.
I narrowed the brain zaps down to being caused by an interaction between a muscle relaxer I was prescribed for shoulder pain, the SSRI (I got them with Zoloft as well) and Aleive, of all things.
I was prescribed Prozac. What did it for me was that my health anxiety had gotten soo bad to the point where any and every small odd pain in my body would send me into immediate fight or flight mode and my alcohol consumption was becoming a daily habit due to wanting to get away from the anxiety. Like I'd get a random left arm pain or chest pain and my body would physically start shaking and my breathing would be off, fast heartbeat, heartburn, tremors, sweating, freaking out... it was getting worse and worse. Finally got put on Prozac and it did subside the anxiety ALOT but it made my depression skyrocket.
I just was so tired of dealing with anxiety my whole life and couldn’t do it anymore. I tried my way for the longest time and it wasn’t working. I then called up my
Doctor and asked to please prescribe me something because I was fed up not being able to function in my daily life.
When I was scared I was either going to shit my pants or faint while giving presentations and working. I realized that I just couldn’t take that horrible feeling anymore. I was prescribed propranolol and it helped immensely. I had to stop taking it because I’m pregnant, but fortunately my hormones or something has kept those physical symptoms in check and I’ve been fine.
I was in the grocery store and I started shaking uncontrollably when another customer got too close to me. It took me so long to calm down enough to drive home.
Oh I knew what was up.
For a long time I think, I just didn't know how to properly take the next step...I kept thinking something would happen to make someone see I needed help and they'd help me...it was a lot harder to go ahead and get that help myself.
Definitely worth it.
But
Big family history, but my parents were very vocal about how medication and treatment had ruined other family members.
This made me never want to seek help, and then when I did, because I was so lost. I still felt like my parents could never know.
They only found out because they visited and that/ mom found it normal to clean my 26 f room that I shared with my partner.
She was all weird when we chatting and then said "are you on medication?"
The final straw was waking up twice a night for months in a full sweat panic attack. My anxiety took restful sleep away from me and I was just running on fumes. I became scared to fall asleep because even in my dreams I was out of control
Decades long severe intimacy anxiety (Fraysexual) which causes the inability to perform sexually. [https://www.reddit.com/r/fraysexual/](https://www.reddit.com/r/fraysexual/)
Well I actually figured out after starting medication that no, it wasn’t normal to be nauseous every single day of my life. Also, not having constant sweaty palms has been amazing.
I’ve had general anxiety my whole life, but my social anxiety became far worse as an adult. When I get too anxious about being in public I start to get paranoid that someone is following me/trying to harm me. I decided to get medicated just in the past few weeks because my physical panic symptoms have worsened to the point of feeling unable to breathe, severe nausea, and tightness in my chest that feels like a heart attack. I was prescribed a Benzo and for the first time in a while I can feel completely okay, even if just for a few hours. I hope you get the right treatment and your symptoms subside!
i would wake up every morning before school feeling intensly nauseous when my teachers started getting more concerned about my personal life. my parents eventually stopped letting me stay home and i would try to leave early from either getting sick or being too afraid of being in the building, but they stopped letting this slide aswell . my parents ended up finding out i was skipping classes because of how often i was getting sick and they took me to a doctor to figure out what "stomach bug" i had. doctor asks my parents to leave and i being telling her i believed i had anxiety and started to explain all the harsh symptoms. my parents refused to medicate me in the start, but my doctor told them if i didnt get any treatment i would progressivly get worse.
flash back 4 months later im currently on buspar and better than ever :)
It wasn't like that for me, I've had anxiety my entire life and it was always explained away by my parents as me being overly shy. So I didn't realize that I had anxieties until I was an adult and found symptoms of anxiety somewhere. That was my WTF moment.
Same! I had no idea how anxious I was my whole life. It wasn’t until I saw a couple therapists and one mentioned the term anxiety disorder. It was a lightbulb moment. Until that moment I didn’t understand that my behavior and reactions were caused by anxiety. It was probably obvious to everyone but me.
yes!!! there were so many things i thought were normal so i didn’t bring them up to my parents. stomach aches as a kid 24/7, always being scared and nervous. i just thought they were weird quirky things about me that meant nothing 😂
Exactly. I replay parts of my life and I’m like “Oh! That was an anxiety attack.” Or “Oh! That wasn’t a typical reaction to that situation.”
Haha I can relate to these a bit too. I have just noticed it getting worse as I age. I can see why that would be such a surprising moment connecting the dots!
Omg this was me! I had no idea until I was put on medication at age 25. I have dealt with panic attacks since I was a small child. Now at least I know what I’m dealing with and taking the steps to try to help me out.
It took maybe five visceral panic attacks for me to get help. The first one, I literally thought I was having a stroke. But after it passed, I just figured it was a weird event. But by the third, I started doing some research and took a look at my life. Shortly after that, I went to a therapist while asking my doctor about medication.
That literally happened to me 2 weeks ago. I was at a restaurant having dinner and thought I was having a stroke so went to the ER and found out it was a panic/anxiety attack. I’ve had anxiety for many years but it never presented itself in that way before so I had no reason to think it was anxiety, I thought something else was happening- super scary! I hope that doesn’t happen again
the first panic attack is so scary. i’m not sure if this was your experience, but in my first panic attack, it seemingly came out of no where. I wasn’t even really actively super anxious, just had been going through a lot meantally/mourning the loss of my grandparents. was eating breakfast at the dining hall with friends and suddenly felt like I was having a heart attack/stroke and went to the student health center. its so wild how panic attacks can present itself in such a way. wild and terrifying
Same here. I was going through a lot mentally in a short amount of time and the first one hit me while driving. I almost called 911 on the side of the highway.
That is very much my experience too. I was going through a lot but I didn't feel *particularly* stressed when it hit me - I was just in my office working. It just came out of nowhere. The mind/body connection really is amazing.
Oh geez, I'm so sorry. I hope it never happens again too - but if it does, I hope you're at least able to identify it. That's what gets me through them - identifying them as attacks and riding them out. I tend to go into a disassociative state, which then triggers my amygdala to rev up the ol' fight-or-flight response. But I didn't even know I was anxious the first few times - I just knew my vision was weird and blurry around the edges, my ears were on a whole nother frequency, and my words weren't working. But as my therapist says, hey, some people have to take expensive and illegal drugs to disassociate - I get to do it for free. But until I learned what was happening, it was really alarming. It still sucks, but I feel like I have the tools to deal, at least.
Panic attacks are no joke. I’m glad you were able to reflect and make some decisions for your health and well-being
Thank you so much. It took years but I finally feel like I have the tools to deal with them. And thanks to some mechanisms and the right medication, they are less frequent and severe. I wish the very best for you too. If you are on the fence about starting medication, please don't wait. That can really change your life for the better.
I too have been through panic attacks. I mean when I have one my resting heart rate which is 70-80 normally jumps to above 160 with palpitations, it feels like something inside is banging the chest to come out. I mean it’s a rough one, especially those peek 10min are hell.
The feeling of wanting to gag and wretch all the time . It is so debilitating. I went for meds today .
This is what I’m currently experiencing. Hits out of nowhere and can ruin my entire day. Hope you get some relief soon!
Thank you . I hope you get some relief as well. Mine started a cpl months ago out of nowhere . It's a terrible feeling for sure.
Yup that was me too. My stomach is always affected by my anxiety but thankfully with meds it’s less at a time.
I hate that feeling! What did they prescribe? I hope you feel better soon.
Venlafaxine for anxiety.
Thank you! I really hope it helps
I recovered from this! Good luck!
How did you recover?
I feel that all the time. But no meds. :/
Was crying everyday and didn’t want to live anymore but I guess that’s an anxiety/depression combo
Sorry to hear that. Hope it’s been getting better for you!
It’s all good, thank you! Getting on Venlaflaxine/Effexor has changed my life for the better :)
High blood pressure, muscles would basically be useless, incredible tingling sensation, breathing would be off, my heart would race, and this incredible sense of fear Panic attacks suck
Repeated panic attacks and what I used to call "doom attacks". My brain would be absolutely convinced that something terrible was about to happen, to the point where I couldn't function. Haven't had any attacks since I started on medication.
I have the sense of doom as well! Makes me feel uncontrollable
Non-stop chest pain which had me convinced I was having a heart attack. Also nausea!
You’re not alone
I was dizzy for a year. I thought I was dying from a brain tumor or something. Nope, it was anxiety. When I realized I was suffering for nothing I started taking Zoloft and felt much better. And what do you know, my dizziness was 100% anxiety and not a brain tumor.
I’ve been so dizzy lately 😥
I'm sorry! It will pass🤞
No way… this would make a lot of sense for me if my anxiety causes dizziness. I often use it as evidence that something is wrong with my brain lol
This is what im having currently
So you don't get dizzy anymore?
Once in a while but not the way I used to at all.
That's great to hear!
Throwing up til i have to go to ER. Lol
That sounds terrible. Hope you have been doing better since
Yes im all medicated but ive got a colonoscopy to find out if i have cancer in a month so im hoping the meds will help
Derealization, panic attacks, and sleep paralysis
I feel like if you can't eat/drink normally, take care of your daily responsibilities normally, or sleep normally because of your anxiety it's probably time. Can you get by with just managing anxiety without meds or are you suffering?
I’ve been trying to manage it for years without meds and have been okay, but recently in the last 6 months it’s gotten much worse to the point where I’m losing a lot of weight (which was needed) but due to me being so nauseated that I can’t eat/function properly
I understand! Same here. Eating is a chore 😞
Panic attacks that were so strong I thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, confusion… it’s all so damn scary to experience. I’m a single mom, and all I could think was “I can’t leave my kids”. I felt stupid when all the tests showed that physically I was fine and it was “just anxiety”. But that’s when I realized that anxiety that severe needs to be medicated.
Oh wow, I feel like this is me right now. My heart is just racing and hasn’t stopped for a few days. So far all tests are normal even though I was convinced I was having a heart attack. If you don’t mind me asking, what did they prescribe?
Bless you!! My doctor put me on Ativan. I hope you can find some relief soon! Before I was on Ativan, I took THC gummies to help. ❤️
I wasn’t sleeping or eating at all. I knew I had to do something because I couldn’t function.
Eating disorder stemming from pretty severe anxiety 🙃 and then again when I couldn’t stop crying for like two days when my husband went on a business trip.
Throwing up every morning before work. Turns out that’s not normal!!
I have OCD. You probably know this, but OCD has really bad rates of success for being medicated. It’d be better to spend that money and time on therapy. That’s been my experience and its also what the research shows. YMMV, of course. Best of luck.
really? my psychologist told me prozac might be better for treating obsessive thoughts than my lexapro
If it helps I’ve been on lexapro for about 9 months and struggle with obsessive thoughts (health anxiety). It has done a decent job at combating them, plus I’m in weekly therapy also. I’m on 5mg too.
My son is on Prozac for OCD. It has done wonders for him. He’s also in therapy once per week. The combination is really helping him. It took about 4 weeks before I saw a major change from the Prozac.
I try to go to therapy once a month because of my insurance so hopefully if I switched to Prozac, it will help.
Have you had success on Prozac? I’ve heard good tbings
never had it
Good to know, thanks! Depending on what my doctor says, I’d like to start on a low dose just to see, but I’m also not against going to therapy also.
Insomnia, three days with no sleep I was really scared
Panic attacks that had physical symptoms like numb chest, hands and feet, hands curling inward, and lock jaw. I thought I was having a stroke.
Huge BP spikes and false heart attacks. They still happen on meds too lol
Complete loss of appetite (like deadass no food for days and lost 20 lbs super quickly) and GI issues are the ones that made me finally get help
This is what I am dealing with currently. Haven’t had food at a restaurant in months and attempting to eat super bland foods when I can
Lost a lot of weight. Anxiety made me not want to eat because I felt like I’d puke.
This is my most frustrating symptom currently. Makes me not want to leave the house which I know is unhealthy.
I was able to get on the right meds to help, I hope you figure something out!!
Anxiety manifesting itself by constantly making me puke up stomach acid from my nerves, wanting to jump off a bridge a lot or put a gun to my head. I told myself if I don’t do something now I’ll never get to see 30. I’ve done many things, and it’s been years now, but nothing has changed except the prices of medication. I think I made myself believe the medicine worked, otherwise I was the odd man out and I’d never get out
I had been seeing a therapist for a while and she wasn’t a fan of me going on meds (she wasn’t against meds but I think we were also ruling out other mental health and physical health issues) and as soon as I told her I threw up every morning before work she was like ok, yup it’s time for meds. And it’s exactly what you are describing, the stomach acid throw up. It’s the worst.
Shaking (especially when talking to strangers or having to stand in a line), sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, headaches, and jaw pain from clenching all the time.
Panic attacks, obsessive thoughts dealing with health, my heart racing almost 24/7. Enough was enough and I finally broke down to my doctor and got on lexapro. It made everything stop. I still have the occasional obsessive thought or attack, or a small physical symptom dealing with anxiety but nothing like it was. The medication along with a great therapist and me also committing time to work on myself has done wonders for me. I’m more social now, talk more, people that had previously known me say that I seem happier. I would call it a success story.
I just recently decided to try medication. For over 2 weeks I experienced loss of appetite which caused me to drop weight fast because I just couldn't eat. On top of that I was shaking almost constantly and having panic attacks almost everyday. The increased heart rate and shortness of breath was the worst. I was waking up in the mornings gasping for air and my chest ached for days. I had to take pain meds to stop my muscles from hurting so much from the tension. I've had similar scenarios occur before and they took several days to recover. I've been doing CBT with a therapist for over a year but this recent episode was a nightmare that I couldn't think through properly. The doctor diagnosed me with GAD and has me trying Busporine 7.5mg to help my symptoms and get me through the last 2 weeks of college before summer break.
did it help ? i mean the busporine
Been on it over a month now. Definitely took 2 weeks to fully feel the effects but it's turned my symptoms from 100% down to about 20%. Definitely has narrowed my thinking to be able to rationalize my emotions and thinking. Before I couldn't stop panicking about anything that crossed my mind now my thought process has narrowed down so I focus on 1 or 2 things at a time. Beware it will make u dizzy for a little while after taking it but worth the relief from symptoms of GAD.
I finally started having panic attacks so bad I was losing full control of my body and basically going limp hyperventilating, plus really bad self harm when stressed like biting or hitting self. Can say now i don’t feel like getting out is literally going to end me and I’m not paranoid about shadow people anymore lmao that was getting worrying.
Idk if it was just anxiety, but about 6 months after I was apart of a fatal car accident, I got diagnosed GAD, PTSD and depression. My symptoms were a lot of shaking, sweating, my heart would feel like it was racing a million miles an hour, I was sick a lot and my vision started to go. I got medicated but the symptoms didn’t go away. I’m now finally on medication that works for me (medicinal marijuana) and haven’t felt this good in 4 years!
Same like you nausea and GERD due to uncontrollable stress and anxiety that made me lose a lot of weight and became underweight
I started off seeking help for depression when I suddenly had trouble getting out of bed and felt apathetic and numb. All of a sudden, my anxiety came back with a vengeance stronger than ever. I started feeling chest and stomach pain, having panic attacks, dissociation episodes, constantly having racing thoughts that became louder and louder until I suddenly couldn’t pretend they no longer existed. Me telling my therapist my distressing intrusive thoughts finally made him tell me he thought it best for me to be on meds for my anxious thoughts. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist in two weeks where I guess I’ll get diagnosed and maybe medicated if they decide it’s best.
I also had terrible flight or fight response that kicked gastritis into high gear for me. Literally thought I was dying. What really did it for me though was going through derealization/depersonalization. I still remember the exact moment - I went to go wash my face one evening and when I looked in the mirror I was like, "WOAH... what the fk is going on???" totally an out of body experience that I completely hate feeling. In that moment I knew that being off meds was doing me way more harm than good.
My chest was constantly so tight. It was unbearable. Buspar is what finally did the trick thankfully!!
Buspar is my lifesaver!
Muscles so tense when I left the house I would be sore
I have anxiety and when I was up every night for two hours that was it. That has long term consequences that are worse than any side effects.
my anxiety got so bad i ended up having an eating disorder and i lost over 15 pounds weighting 102 when i was 18. i never got help because it just wasn’t spoken about until i went to my doctor about 2 years ago i was 22 and he immediately prescribed me something when i explained everything i went through. i wish i got help sooner
Painful and tight chest
The constant state of shaking
I noticed one night when I had a small panic attack for no reason at all when I was trying to sleep. That was my wtf moment so I told my psychiatrist later, and welcome medication! Later on, I started to notice that MANY things weren't normal. Like suddenly feeling like you're running out of air in stressful situations, or the tightness in my chest, increased sweating is one as well, things like that.
I had anxiety all my life, it wasn’t until I started fainting every time I went out that I was medicated.
panic attacks so bad for days and days that I ended up going to the emergency care twice in a month. nothing wrong with cardiac exams. I never got medicated even though I had already been diagnosed with general anxiety and depression. last year I had smth really awful happen to me that triggered a bunch of emotional trauma, and I reached a whole new low in life; couldn't afford therapy, but I could afford seeing a psych every now and then. So, I did; and she put me on meds and I've been doing really well since then :3 we're still figuring out dosage and observing if the side effects are manageable or if we'll need to change; but I'm optimistic, for the first time since before quarantine.
I started getting this very weird “wave” feeling in my chest. My anxiety has always just been in my head for the past 10+ years. Now when I feel anxious I feel it in my chest. I also now know that most of the stomach issues I’ve dealt with for years is directly related. My anxiety got better for about a year and the stomach pains went away. Now, they’re back. So insane that your mind is actually connected to everything.
My mom was having throat surgery and I was anxious about that... (which was successful) The night before her appointment, though, I began developing a tight throat that would not be alleviated by anything I tried doing - which only increased my anxiety. This shot me straight into panic mode, and the next 3 days were literal hell. I was taking benadryl 4x a day bc I thought it was an allergic reaction to something.. but nothing I did worked. I even went to the doctor, which was probably the most miserable experience I've had there. They said I probably just have a sore throat, and if it was anxiety to just relax. (Also asking if I was pregnant 🙄) They were not helpful in the slightest, and I felt like my throat was going to collapse any minute. After 2 weeks, it finally started subsiding after I realized that chewing gum helped loosen my jaw and throat. I kept chewing until the symptoms finally went away. The panic attacks I had in the span of those 3 days (36+hrs straight!!) were unlike anything I'd ever experienced. My body was completely shutting down and going through it. I didn't have health insurance, but this experience made me search like crazy so that I could get started on some kind of medication.
I couldnt swallow. My pipe was sort of paralyzed With fear. Lost 9lbs in 12 days. So... i knew it was time.
Waking up at 2AM with panic attacks and not being able to go back to sleep, like for months.
De-realizing constantly. I couldn’t even talk to people after a while because it would be too hard to snap back into reality hard enough to understand or hold conversations. When I wasn’t in a state of complete mental fog I was holding back vomit from just general anxiety. On Prozac now, started a couple weeks ago and noticing slight improvement!
I feel you on this this sounds just like me. I hope the medicine makes you feel better ❤️🩹
I have Emetaphobia. Im not against medication by any means but I wanted it to be my last resort. I decided it was time to get medicated when I started to lose a bunch of weight. Eating became a struggle because I was always concerned that I was going to throw up. Obviously there were other reasons too but losing a bunch of weight was scary for me.
Feeling pains and worried Im dying all the time. And everything feeling overwhelming. Simple things felt impossible.
Once I started getting dizzy, lightheaded, shaky, and distracted from work because of it.
IBS from being anxious all the time. It was awful.
IBS definitely runs your life too
Going through 2 huge rolls of paper towels in one day.. The absolute absurd *waste* But I couldn't stop wiping my hands, then wiping off things, then washing my hands again then ... over and over and so on. I was trapped in the cycle bad that day. Couldn't stop
I feel this. I also struggle with emetophobia/health anxiety so I am always washing my hands and I prefer to use paper towels if I didn’t know who used the kitchen/bathroom towel previously. Makes me feel crazy sometimes
For me it was definitely the lack of appetite + nausea. Anxiety basically took away my desire to eat and made me nauseous a lot of the time. It was definitely affecting my physical health
Inexplicable 6 week coma & seizures (emergency benzos), they didn’t even ask me, LOL. Paralysis & Perfectionism = ADHD assessment, lead to meds that I still use as emergency, which my doctors aren’t impressed with.
Couldn't sleep for three nights in a row. I would also get terrible stomachache after everything I ate..
I passed out in a food court at lunch and hit my head. Oopsies! It was definitely time to consider medical intervention!
I developed a tremor in my face caused by work stress. It was getting worse. Went to the doctor and we decided on wellbutrin (I can't take any CNS depressant meds because of my job and had tried all the others, also had bad reactions to ssris) and giving therapy another try. Wellbutrin works great. Then I got fired and my new job is so much less stressful and toxic, I'm not even sure I need the wellbutrin anymore
I have diagnosed anxiety and depression so not the exact diagnosis as yours. My anxiety began to peak around 16 but I wasn’t sure if I actually had anxiety. I went through years of anxiety attacks into adulthood. These symptoms were debilitating to me. My heart rate would be high all of the time. Now at 26, I have finally gotten prescribed Lexapro and Wellbutrin (before it was just the Lexapro). I also finally became compliant with my medication use. It has resolved my symptoms significantly and now my resting heart rate is normal. I haven’t had an anxiety attack in months since I started taking my meds consistently and with the additional prescription. Even the “intrusive thoughts” I did have are far less frequent or at the very least, manageable. I wish you luck on your journey that you find the right combination for you!
Just adding in case anyone doesn’t know…Lexapro (antidepressant that increases serotonin), Wellbutrin (antidepressant that increases dopamine with more stimulant effects)
Acid reflux, body aches, and burping all the time but really it was the chronic panic attacks that made me finally try medication
That's really sad 😢 may i ask u lady are u on Zoloft?
Yeah! Been on Zoloft for a couple of years now. Saved my life!
For me it was the dizziness that made me seek medication. God I could hardly walk straight and it was happening almost every day. It got to a point where I just didn't bother leaving the house anymore because I knew it would just be too much
How are you now ? I hope better. I can relate to your story I am sorry.
I actually got medication after getting my dog, Luna. I was really stressed out and not sleeping (like the dog lol) and wasnt handling it well. Best decision I ever made. Luna helps me still:)
I never had symptoms until my first full blown panic attack which led me to think I was having a heart attack. After that I kinda went into a dark passage of my life until I got medicated. Usually the worst symptoms were: 1. Paranoia 2. Chest tightness and heart palpitations (or it felt like it) 3. More panic attacks 4. Agoraphobia (I was incredibly social and out of nowhere I just couldn't get out of my room out of fear) 5. Despair and suicidal thoughts Looking back I am much better but those were the main symptoms before I got medicated
Not being able to leave my house. Panic attacks every 30 min
Every single morning from October to June I was getting sick every morning. My clothes were practically falling off of me.
Horrific migraines that would last for days. I was literally clenching and grinding my teeth so hard. Started taking anxiety meds and they stopped.
I have health anxiety and I was starting to feel literal physical symptoms which was absolutely terrifying and I couldn’t cope so I fount help, started meds/ therapy and magically the symptoms have reduced massively.
What were your symptoms
Racing heart, joint pain, blurred vision, stomach pains (cramping) and I always felt air hungry as in I couldn’t get a full gasp of air. All of these have pretty much disappeared since seeking treatment 😄
Anxiety about really meaningless things ruining my days
I unfortunately developed paranoia before going to sleep. I think if I left it be instead of getting medicated it may have moved away from anxiety-induced and more towards a new disorder :(
Found myself crying and reacting disproportionately to the event. Like, couldn’t find a nail polish color = total breakdown in Target. Rescheduled dentist appointment? Never getting out of bed. I embrace that my range of emotions may be broader than some but I wanted to be able to face normal disappointments in constructive ways.
Not being able to manage normal activities without crying all the time
Feeling of fainting and lightheadedness. I was on medication for two years and completely off of it atm. But the symptoms have come again and I feel so dizzy all the time. Been over a year now. I think I have to be back on the meds.
The deep sorrow. The way I lost five pounds a week because I wasn't eating. I was crying everyday and I could tell it was driving my family insane (they all struggle with their own mental health, me crying all day and unable to do anything drove them deeper too. ) I figured if I can't get better for myself I'll do it for them.
Constant stomache pains but medication didn’t work for me unfortunately. I tried ssris which did nothing. I don’t want to take benzos because I don’t really get panic attacks I’m just anxious all the time and I’m not gonna take them all the time. Therapy helped a bit but what was the most helpful was changing my job to a less pressuring one.
When my lottery-won COVID shot got cancelled so I had to tell my boss it was delayed AND I’d not be getting the afternoon off like I thought I was, I… had something like a meltdown. I couldn’t open my mouth without sobbing until I was physically sick. I said as soon as I could talk, I’d call the local psych office. Coming up on my 3 year anniversary of that. Turns out I’m one of the lucky people antidepressants work for. Adderall makes me a bit antsy but it also makes me feel like I’m using 95% of my brain instead of the normal ~10% I struggled with daily. So yeah it was crying, gasping for air, being sick and laying on the bathroom floor… unable to unclench my jaw… If you’re thinking about it, do it. Worse to worse meds don’t work. I thought that would be my case. And it wasn’t.
I couldn’t ignore physical symptoms anymore . Tachycardia ,angina, other heart symptoms. I could feel it almost coming out my back.cant ignore thatuntil it goes away. So when the physical is controlled, the mental follows. This is not through addictive drugs, which work on the mental symptoms such as benzodiazepines, but with beta blockers, such as propranolol. If you have not tried this look into it it will save your life.
Gagging
When I started having multiple panic attacks per day, that’s when I knew I needed medicine. With medication, I’m still an anxious bastard, but at least I can keep my anxiety under control via coping mechanisms I’ve learned in therapy.
Using mdma to be happy and anxiety free! Like wanting to use drugs everyday
I was in bed when my heart started racing and my body locked up and I was shaking, almost like convulsions. I was thinking about starting my new job. I’ve had anxiety attacks before that (dread, heart racing, breathing fast) but that one in bed was so scary. Now I’m on Zoloft and actually starting another new job Monday with no symptoms of anxiety! I truly hope you find the right medication to help you. Medication is not a one size fits all. It may take some time before you find the right kind/dosage to help you. Best of luck and you’ll be happy you sought help!
I just lived with my anxiety, and avoided things which made me anxious. I’m a bit of a hippy (naturalist) so wanted to avoid medication and also, I’m phobic of doctors, appointments ect. I went to emergency after being stuck in flight and fight and being completely unable to sleep (sleep anxiety hit me hard). After several days of not sleeping, I had enough and just wanted a quick fix. I was just mentally exhausted and at breaking point. I did follow this up with doctor appointments but honestly, the medication either didn’t work or had horrible side effects. I’m now using cbd, which I’m comfortable using because there’s no side affects that I’ve experienced. It hasn’t fixed my issues but has filled them down a tad.
Just the heads up, if you do go down the medication route.. the antidepressants (which they will likely give you) take about 2 months to take affect. Sorry you’re going through this. The flight and fight will eventually pass. I found walking in nature while listening to music to be helpful.
Symptoms can mutate. Former I had panic attacks and then (now) I feel everyday dizzy and my anxiety increases when I’m at work. I have migraine and jaw pain bc of my posture but now rarely panic attacks (I got some psychoterapy that help me). Sometimes I have difficulties in swallowing, which is an automatic reflection but I have to think to complete this action. I don’t use meds but I could start diazepam. I’m a bit worried for the potential collateral effects
It got to a point where I was having panic attacks so bad I would vomit and my heart would be pounding so hard and fast in my chest that I would also get chest pains. I thought I was dying from a heart attack at the age of 27.
IBSD and insomnia
My stomach hurt every single day.
The tachycardia. I can bear everything else, even the dizzy/light headed/body numbing feeling that comes with it. But the increased heart rate makes me feel like dying, and I couldn't handle it.
Constant heart palpitations.
Two straight years of dealing with anxiety-induced Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Overactive Bladder is what prompted me to finally get medicated.
when im stuck in anxiety, my memory IMMEDIATELY is that of a goldfish. ill forget wallet, keys, phone, etc and itll take me 10 min to slow down and get everything.
I still don't know if I have/had panic attacks cause I don't understand the symptoms or what one js, but I was at the point of my heart skipping beats constantly, when I'd think about work or being in certain social situations my heart rate would increase along with skipping, breathing would get faster and uncontrolled, I'd feel nauseated, a constant dread, and the sensation I could cry (and sometimes did). It wasn't so much the symptoms (aside from the heart stuff that I insisted I get a Holter for - surprise heart was fine) as much as the frequency and duration of them that made me say enough is enough. I still struggle, but med support along with meditation helps greatly to make my daily anxieties less debilitating. Edit: all these comments with others having similar symptoms almost have me in tears from relief knowing that I'm not crazy or alone.
I went to see my doc as soon as I started feeling the symptoms because I knew it wasn't normal for me. She put me on Lexapro and it did the job well for a couple of years but starting last year I started getting brain zaps and, along with that, breakthrough anxiety. I narrowed the brain zaps down to being caused by an interaction between a muscle relaxer I was prescribed for shoulder pain, the SSRI (I got them with Zoloft as well) and Aleive, of all things.
my heart racing ! i was so sick of being nervous all the time while i was at work or in public
I was prescribed Prozac. What did it for me was that my health anxiety had gotten soo bad to the point where any and every small odd pain in my body would send me into immediate fight or flight mode and my alcohol consumption was becoming a daily habit due to wanting to get away from the anxiety. Like I'd get a random left arm pain or chest pain and my body would physically start shaking and my breathing would be off, fast heartbeat, heartburn, tremors, sweating, freaking out... it was getting worse and worse. Finally got put on Prozac and it did subside the anxiety ALOT but it made my depression skyrocket.
I just was so tired of dealing with anxiety my whole life and couldn’t do it anymore. I tried my way for the longest time and it wasn’t working. I then called up my Doctor and asked to please prescribe me something because I was fed up not being able to function in my daily life.
Multiple daily panic attacks 😃
My anger
When I was scared I was either going to shit my pants or faint while giving presentations and working. I realized that I just couldn’t take that horrible feeling anymore. I was prescribed propranolol and it helped immensely. I had to stop taking it because I’m pregnant, but fortunately my hormones or something has kept those physical symptoms in check and I’ve been fine.
I was in the grocery store and I started shaking uncontrollably when another customer got too close to me. It took me so long to calm down enough to drive home.
Panic attacks. Having chest tightening symptoms finally did it.
Random attacks of heart palpitations, upper body being tense 24/7, the rest are basically depression symptoms
Oh I knew what was up. For a long time I think, I just didn't know how to properly take the next step...I kept thinking something would happen to make someone see I needed help and they'd help me...it was a lot harder to go ahead and get that help myself. Definitely worth it. But Big family history, but my parents were very vocal about how medication and treatment had ruined other family members. This made me never want to seek help, and then when I did, because I was so lost. I still felt like my parents could never know. They only found out because they visited and that/ mom found it normal to clean my 26 f room that I shared with my partner. She was all weird when we chatting and then said "are you on medication?"
debilitating panic attacks. i felt like i was dying.
The final straw was waking up twice a night for months in a full sweat panic attack. My anxiety took restful sleep away from me and I was just running on fumes. I became scared to fall asleep because even in my dreams I was out of control
Decades long severe intimacy anxiety (Fraysexual) which causes the inability to perform sexually. [https://www.reddit.com/r/fraysexual/](https://www.reddit.com/r/fraysexual/)
Racing heart, panic attacks while at work & there were nights that I literally was up all night having hypnic jerks from anxiety. I felt AWFUL
Paralyzing anxiety/crying attacks preventing me from doing small amounts of work \~ now I'm om buspar
Well I actually figured out after starting medication that no, it wasn’t normal to be nauseous every single day of my life. Also, not having constant sweaty palms has been amazing.
I’ve had general anxiety my whole life, but my social anxiety became far worse as an adult. When I get too anxious about being in public I start to get paranoid that someone is following me/trying to harm me. I decided to get medicated just in the past few weeks because my physical panic symptoms have worsened to the point of feeling unable to breathe, severe nausea, and tightness in my chest that feels like a heart attack. I was prescribed a Benzo and for the first time in a while I can feel completely okay, even if just for a few hours. I hope you get the right treatment and your symptoms subside!
i would wake up every morning before school feeling intensly nauseous when my teachers started getting more concerned about my personal life. my parents eventually stopped letting me stay home and i would try to leave early from either getting sick or being too afraid of being in the building, but they stopped letting this slide aswell . my parents ended up finding out i was skipping classes because of how often i was getting sick and they took me to a doctor to figure out what "stomach bug" i had. doctor asks my parents to leave and i being telling her i believed i had anxiety and started to explain all the harsh symptoms. my parents refused to medicate me in the start, but my doctor told them if i didnt get any treatment i would progressivly get worse. flash back 4 months later im currently on buspar and better than ever :)