Experiencing physical anxiety symptoms

[ZebraAutismo]

Keep yourself preoccupied. Focusing on breathing techniques as mentioned previously can help. Probably because it's a distraction and also gets more oxygen into your body.

In general you need to spend less time dedicated to anxiety which is a simple statement that takes a lot of time and effort to eventually master. I had anxiety symptoms for a very long time, but eventually got them to the point where they occur a lot less frequently. The pattern eventually emerged that symptoms would often last as long as I fixated on them. One symptom would often replace another and my focus shifted onto the new pain or symptom.

A stressed mind often leads to a stressed body. Don't respond to it with more stress, or you'll simply be promoting more aches, pains and symptoms.

If a symptom is there, don't fixate on it. Go about your day and do your utmost to not let symptoms ruin your enjoyment or plans for each day. Anxiety is a part of everyone and it's as strong and dominant as we allow it to be. As with anything - the more time invested in it, the better you become at it. When you're busy, or distracted or having a nice time the symptom is probably causing minimal upset, or might disappear for a while entirely.

Accepting it is due to anxiety is another big factor. If you're assuming it could be due to other causes, or could escalate into something worse - then once again you're focusing your attention on the anxiety and symptoms. This will in turn make the symptoms last longer or possibly feel more intense.

Time, focus and negative emotions are what empower these symptoms. So you need to spend your time, focus on other things that will help promote positive emotions. At the end of the day everyone's approach will be different, but the common denominator with symptoms born of stress is that they will continue to get worse if you invest more and more time thinking about them or heightening your anxiety.

Often what we get most anxious about is things we have no control over. So focus on what you can affect and do your best


to enjoy yourself. After all - it's all about perspective. Often the biggest burdens in life are the one's we put on ourselves.

Ed

Thankyou

 

[Wolfgangus Faldestolius]

I've been lucky I've had a slow schedule for some years. I give myself permission to register physical pain. I reprioritise whether I need to speak to anyone yet or not. I wait to see if I'm turning into a puff of dust and if I'm not, that's a bonus. I agree, life does get like that.

I take notes from some thoughts and ideas and have a separate pile for different subjects of notes. Or I type them into text files or webmail drafts.

I try and have a wide range of foods in stock and to eat savouries and proteins (& veg) as well as sweets. Most days I have 4 small meals rather than two big ones. I always have lots of tinned food, because that's the way Mum brought us up. I have lots of kinds of flour in, and milk and eggs, and can do creative pancakes quickly.

But I always give myself big permisssion to vary my practices. I almost never do the same thing the same way twice (unless I feel like it).

Above all I have a huge range of pursuits (mostly intellectual). So I'm constantly pondering the context of everything, and gaining perspective. But I only learned to do this recently.

I swivel my eyes systematically for the sheer enjoyment of it, for a few seconds, once a day, and sometimes I remember to do the same with my arms.

We'll need to teach ourselves all the tricks we can! For me the essence is to feel I've got options, above all mental ones, and to keep them open for later.

 

[Tom]

You might consider changing meds. I only tried Flux briefly, but didin't like it.

 

[Ken S.]

The GP say it would be up to a phycolgist to discuss what to do but the phycolgist I was seeing said they didn’t with medication.

I don't know where you are located but in the US psychologists can't prescribe meds. You have to see a psychiatrist for that. Maybe your psychologist can refer you to one and you can get a phone appointment?

 

[Rasputin]

I have found a dark room with some pleasant background noise (I especially like trains in the rain from Youtube on Black screen,) a cup of flavored hot Tea & a fluffy-cozy blanket on bare feet can be quite wonderful! A nap is always a nice escape too. Sleep is so important for us on the Spectrum. ;-0

I am going to try your suggestion tonight. I usually like sounds of rain and ocean surf. Distant Trains Echoing in the Rain sounds intriguing.

 

[Rasputin]

I have general anxiety disorder, and take Escitalopram and CBD oil in the morning. I also take Doxepin, Melatonin (1 mg), and CBD oil one hour before going to sleep. I also have a Google mini that I have playing sounds or rain, ocean surf, or some other sound that is relaxing. I am going to try "Distant Trains Echoing in the Rain" tonight, as suggested by @Yunxi Sighs.

 

[ZebraAutismo]

To add to this fabulous post - accept your anxiety, validate it (it's OK to be anxious) - don't fight it, because if you do, you'll start a vicious cycle of being anxious about being anxious. Your brain is highly trainable and will learn to fear something you see as a threat. Be OK with being anxious as you get on with your day. Be OK with being anxious if you can't get on with your day. "You know what? It's OK that I'm too anxious to do anything productive right now. I'm going to watch Netflix instead."

To add to this fabulous post - accept your anxiety, validate it (it's OK to be anxious) - don't fight it, because if you do, you'll start a vicious cycle of being anxious about being anxious. Your brain is highly trainable and will learn to fear something you see as a threat. Be OK with being anxious as you get on with your day. Be OK with being anxious if you can't get on with your day. "You know what? It's OK that I'm too anxious to do anything productive right now. I'm going to watch Netflix instead."[/QUOTE

Thankyou I often forgot to validate my feeling. Thankyou for reminding me to do so.

 

[onlything]

I have never encountered meds that would help with my anxiety symptoms long-term. Seems they start working only after a few weeks and stop soon after.

What helped me though was finding specific time for relaxation in the morning (and afternoon, and evening on worse days), mostly with the focus on deep breathing and other meditation techniques.

Also, drinking different kinds of herbal teas seems to do the trick, although it may just be a placebo effect. I tend to relax easier with a hot chamomile, st john's wart or melissa. I also like pure mint tea but it doesn't seem to bring as much calming effect.

Cutting off caffeine, including any kind of sodas, especially coke, strong black tea and coffee, was also helpful. I would also recommend avoiding simple sugars commonly found in sweets, they seem to make you jittery.

 

[SDRSpark]

I have never encountered meds that would help with my anxiety symptoms long-term. Seems they start working only after a few weeks and stop soon after.

What helped me though was finding specific time for relaxation in the morning (and afternoon, and evening on worse days), mostly with the focus on deep breathing and other meditation techniques.

Also, drinking different kinds of herbal teas seems to do the trick, although it may just be a placebo effect. I tend to relax easier with a hot chamomile, st john's wart or melissa. I also like pure mint tea but it doesn't seem to bring as much calming effect.

Cutting off caffeine, including any kind of sodas, especially coke, strong black tea and coffee, was also helpful. I would also recommend avoiding simple sugars commonly found in sweets, they seem to make you jittery.

I've found that taking time every morning to relax and really dig into what I'm feeling and why really helps me stay on an even keel throughout the day.

Also, practicing deep breathing (or even box breathing) whenever I think about it. I've noticed that my body is really getting the hang of being physically relaxed now and it's a lot easier for me to relax. It's almost like I *forgot* how to physically relax and had to relearn.

 

[onlything]

I've found that taking time every morning to relax and really dig into what I'm feeling and why really helps me stay on an even keel throughout the day.

Also, practicing deep breathing (or even box breathing) whenever I think about it. I've noticed that my body is really getting the hang of being physically relaxed now and it's a lot easier for me to relax. It's almost like I *forgot* how to physically relax and had to relearn.

Exactly. The more you do it, the more your breathe becomes your anchor. You start to associate it with calm and relaxation and trust it - and it doesn't disappoint. You can always focus on your breath, whatever you're doing, wherever you are. It's something that will always be out there, available.

 

[some/aspies/need/hugs/13]

I have an emergency strategy I use namely I ask someone I trust for a hug and it helps relieve my symptoms, before this pandemic there was a little seafood place I would go to every week and sit in the same seat with the same waitress every week and she always would see me and give me a hug so my anxiety stayed low. But now I am having to depend on neighbors and I have been having to carefully choose who I ask.

 

[grommet]

I am experience a lot of physical anxiety symptoms. I have awful stomach pain (and I’m worried I will be sick). My throat goes tight making it hard to speak and feels like I’m genuinely ill. I use to have seizures during times of stress which I’m hoping they don’t come back.

any tips for managing these symptoms.

I have had a stomach ache every day of my life. Sometimes it is very bad. I have always wondered what it would like to not have my stomach hurt. For years I hardly ate anyting because my stomach hurt so much, even drinking water hurts. I think it is anxiety. The times when I have been happy have helped a lot but I do not know how to make myself happy, they just happen. Also, being distracted with an interest helps a lot.

 

[garnetflower13]

Interesting topic, because I just got off the phone with my next door neighbor, who freaks out a lot due to anxiety issues. There are some good pointers here that I can share with her!

 

[A Fluffy Gray Cat]

I experienced a lot of anxiety in my teen years. Some of the more obvious and classic things that helped included taking deep breaths and drinking some water to calm down. That said, I also have two medications that of which I still take today, though only one of them seems to soothe me more than the other.

I've also learned that doing activities that I enjoy helps me feel a lot better, and when one activity gets boring, I find another one. If you have multiple interests and hobbies, it may help with anxiety.

Additionally, I've found that while it didn't not go away entirely, my anxiety did get better with age. I know it's kind of ironic for me to say that given how young I still am, but even in the few years I started developing anxiety, it got better overtime. I feel it may be same for you as well.

 

[100skerls]

I get physical symptoms of anxiety too but I had no idea what it was until about a year ago. I get nauseous, can’t speak, get bad headaches, feel totally drained, sometimes achey, and everything becomes very loud. Like I will notice that the tv volume number that is normally quiet seems super loud. It is confusing to me because the symptoms are the same or mostly the same with external overstimulation (like too many sounds at once, talking to someone who changes subjects too abruptly, etc). These days I just tell my boyfriend (the only person I spend time around these days) that I’m overwhelmed and just “sh” him as needed until I’m better and we have discussed before that I’m not being cold I just can’t talk much because it physically hurts so all I can do is say “in a bit, I can’t talk” etc. that’s to help keep the anxiety from spiraling into a shutdown or meltdown. And to wind down I go outside and look at my flowers. I might put on a podcast to force my brain to think about other stuff. Comedy is great too but for me I need a few different choices because I can’t watch comedy all day. Just generally try to surround yourself with only positive things. Don’t go watch a documentary about war maybe. Personally I like YouTube videos of parrots talking. I also made a little hiding spot in the closet (it’s a big closet) I have a small bed in the corner with a makeshift curtain that hangs from a hanging rod so I can basically lay down and hide. When I’m really overwhelmed and anxious I will close the door so it’s pitch black and lay down and play my favorite rain sounds video on my phone to drown out any other noise and sometimes I will stay there all day. I think it’s really good to have a special place to go when you are close to a shutdown or meltdown. And just generally be asking yourself what you want and get yourself what you want. Like “am I thirsty? Do I want a drink? Do I want a piece of chocolate? Am I hungry?” I don’t mean overindulge but just be kind to yourself and try little pick me ups especially because the anxiety can make it so you don’t realize you are hungry/ thirsty etc. and that can make you feel worse.

 

[Aspychata]

Dealing with anxiety now. My new place makes me very uncomfortable and the walls are paper thin and l am not sleeping at nite. Its really rough. How ever l am staying even keel, it's just my living environment is bad. It's 4:00am and l am afraid to go to sleep. I am been extremely uncomfortable physically here. I wish my job or my gym was fully up.