Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Thinking myself into a symptom?

taylexie85
taylexie85
This is gonna sound so odd but I think I may be thinking myself into a symptom. Last month I had this "swaying/on a rocking boat" sensation for about a week. I was sure it was BPPV, I was so stressed out about it so I went to the doctor, she checked my ears and said all was okay. Sure enough....after I was told that, the sensations seemed to have just disappeared. Let's fast forward to Easter, I wasn't able to have dinner with my family because of my agoraphobia, I live on my own. I was so upset over it and I got very... stressed... and the feeling came back. But it's not as bad, knock on wood. And I just had a breakup night before last, which has me stressed. I think I am on so high alert for the sensation because I don't want to get it as I'm emetophobic, fear of vomit, and I'm afraid the sensation will cause my nausea and ultimately lead to my biggest fear. Which I'm trying to tell myself that if that does happen...I could use it to overcome my fear instead of fighting it. I guess my question is, do you think stress could be bringing this on? or if because I'm fixated on keeping it at bay and frantically scanning my body for it, that I'm falsely feeling it?

I recognize that I do sound maybe a littttttle odd here but I'm desperate, lol.

Thank you!!
xterminator
xterminator
I think you answered it at the end of your post. You are so sensitive that little things set it off. Mine used to be that bad. Something like a flickering bulb or the sun going behind the clouds or a bright white room and certain odors just to name a few. Going in stores was almost impossible. You're just so tuned into your body responses that all kinds of crazy thing set the anxiety off. It took me many years to work that stuff out of my mind. Just start out with the small things and keep working on them till you master each one without getting anxious. Being on meds do help but they won't do it all. You have to help them help you. Don't give up or it will keep you stuck in that black hole.
MsBlank1
MsBlank1
You nailed it on the head. Anxiety makes you think you are experiencing something real (the mind is that powerful), in essence....your mind is creating what you are concentrating on what you don't want (power of attraction works that way....you get more of what you don't want, so flip the thought.....concentrate or think about what you do want). Our minds just snowball the symptoms once you keep feeding the thought. When the thought comes up again, distract yourself by taking a walk, read, work on a hobby, etc, while acknowledging it is only anxiety (I know this is hard, but keep working on it).
Community LeaderMid
Mid
When it comes to facing the fear of the fear itself, movement really does distract the pattern, and in changing the pattern, the end result changes.

The stress markers can be used to encourage positive symptoms (the feeling of breathing through your nostril and sensing the tickle for a happy symptom is one way), and this can give you focus to head directly into the storm of the fear knowing you have the marker ready to load, aim, and fire into the culprit.

You are not alone in this.

One step at a time!
bridgie101
bridgie101
I think you're right - and I think you're in such a rarified environment that every tiny thing seems huge. This can happen to us when we are alone too much.

Try to have things going around you, eg television or radio. Try to make yourself less of your focus. And write down all of the phobias you have, and start to work on them. Do you get more phobias, or less? The general trend you are going in is where you are going to end up. There are moments in time when you can laugh at your fears, and reduce their power. Always be on the alert for the opportunity to do this, although clearly after a breakup is not the time. ;(

I am very sorry for your loss, by the way. Breakups hurt.
taylexie85
taylexie85
Thanks, everyone. I think you're right Bridgie, I am alone too often and that does not help, there's nothing to pull back into reality when I'm alone. I guess the upside is that at no time during this have I had a panic attack. Just very high anxiety at times and a few tears from fear. But no attacks, I suppose I'm at least doing something right there.
gramybear
gramybear
You are anything but odd my dear. Anxiety does very strange things to us and can turn into stress as well. I don't think it's all in your head, these symptoms you are having, I think Stress is causing them. Try not to be so hard on yourself or think you are making it all up and I'm sure you will start to feel better. Hugs GB
taylexie85
taylexie85
Thank you, GB!!
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