Hello Justin. Welcome to DS. Sorry for what brings you here but glad you are here.

I'm a lifelong anxiety sufferer and the symptoms you list here have sent me on more than one wild goose chase through the high-dollar hallways of the medical world in search of physical causes of the symptoms. Working psychotherapy programs has alleviated far more of the symptoms than any of those wild goose chases ever did.

Whether or not we share the same triggers is another thread. For sure, the marshal law and social isolation of Coronaville has been a vicious trigger series for me while simultaneously invalidating the majority of my anxiety management tools.

Keep venting, Justin. Maybe we can find our ways out of the Corona madness by working together, honestly and openly.

Welcome Justin!

You are not alone. There are literally millions of people diagnosed with anxiety. Since your doctor checked you out and said it's anxiety, then you'll have to take his word for it and not focus on your symptoms being anything more than "just" anxiety.

Anxiety can feel awful, and it definitely does produce physical symptoms, but it won't kill you. You can get a handle on it! Also, just so you know, you're too young to have a heart attack and are you of normal weight? Then you won't have a heart attack.

Anxiety gets worse when we focus on our physical symptoms. Every ache, headache, stomach rumble.... we could think the worst. I think we all do this at one point or another.

Are you eating healthy, sleeping well, drinking plenty of water, going outside for sunshine and exercise? All of these things will help your anxiety. Give that a try and see how that helps.

Also, you said you are tracking your blood pressure. Do you have a home monitor? They aren't always accurate, by the way. They need to be taken first thing in the morning, before any food or drink, after you have sat quietly for 10 minutes. Don't cross your legs when taking it. Then you take your reading.

I am wondering if you are taking your blood pressure when you are already amped up and anxious. That will give you a false high reading.

It's hard, but do what your doctor suggests.

You said a month ago. Did something stressful happen a month ago? Pandemic, job, school. family, relationships.... anything you can think of that would cause you some stress? Sometimes if you can fix that stressor, your anxiety will go down or away.

We're looking forward to having you here. Write here as much as you like.

Thanks for the replies. I am 23 and about 175-180 at 5'10. So a bit over weight but not much. I used to exercise alot but not so much since college ended. Whenever I try to exercise I feel tightness and anxiety hits so that is one of the reasons I have not exercised much. Yes I have an at home wrist blood pressure monitor. I check every day around 6:30pm.

One of the other things that worries me is alot of people on here mention alot of these syptoms and anxiety feelings last year's . I just want to go back to how I felt before!

I have tried the breathing exercises and they don't help. Do any of you have any other tools to help calm your mind and get your head away from the physical syptoms?

I am wondering if you should gently push past that tightness and anxiety that hits you when you try to exercise. Just wondering. . . Tightness is a natural byproduct of not exercising for an extended period. The anxiety surges are oftentimes connected to underlying issues that become self-evident when compassionately challenged.

I have a ton of other tools I use to calm my mind, etc., but they are not one-size-fits-all solutions. To metaphorize, a screwdriver won't help much when you need a wrench. Sharing your anxieties as the crop up makes it easier to find the right tool for the specific job at hand.

As for a time machine to help you move backward to the you you used to be. . . I never know whether to envy or pity people with a clear sense of the good ol' days. I envy the fact that you have good old days to miss, but the unrequited longing looks painful. I've never known a life without anxiety, but learning how to manage those anxieties has brought me insights I never would have found without the rigors of living with the condition.

Welcome to the anxiety board at DS.

Stay hydrated. Practice even breathing, in through nose, out through mouth, in through nose, out through nose. Write in a daily private journal every day.

When you want to exercise, practice the focus on the completeness of the movement and the breathing. Keep it slow and even.

The tightness feeling often releases naturally as we keep gentle motion moving.

Anxiety is natural so exercise is a positive tool and walking is considered a natural way to move.

Best wishes as you focus on your better balance.

Justin, try taking walks. Don't have to walk fast at first. Walking is one of the best exercises. You lose a little weight, and it really helps lower anxiety and lower blood pressure.

As I wrote above, all my doctors and nurses recommend checking your blood pressure in the morning and before any food (I wrote details above).

Let us know how you are doing!

my blood pressure is through the roof--even though my anxiety is not so bad at the moment---but I guess the physical anxiety is still there doing its thing! when I was first diagnosed I had gone to about 20 drs appts trying to find out what was wrong---that process in itself was anxiety inducing-each dr had there own terrifying theory!