Thread: New to the site...but not new to anxiety

Hi Chrystal36! So good to hear from you, and it's encouraging too. Where is everyone else? Maybe anxiety has taken a vacation? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

I am absolutely the same way about staying busy...I was just thinking about that tonight. I've been super busy lately, and coincidently I haven't had as much anxiety. I don't have time to dwell. As soon as things slow down, my mind begins to wander and I start to obsess. What was that pain...is that an ache...etc. I love to do crafts too! I like to knit, scrapbook, almost anything. I love to read too. When you have something to constantly do it's very beneficial. We're doing something for someone else, and keeping our minRAB busy. It's a win-win. Being idle isn't good for anyone, but for those of us with anxiety it's worse.

I'm so proud of you Chrystal36! You're doing an amazing job of coping, and you're objectively looking at the root causes of your anxiety. That's wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing your encouraging progress!

How's everyone else doing? Please update us!

Welcome Tigger, sorry to hear you are suffering so horribly We all take our turns it seems. Funny you mentioned a headache. About a week ago I woke up in bed with my neck in a funny position and got a pain in left side of head. Off and on during the day I will feel like I could get a headache, but when I go to bed, lately, I wake up at some point with the pain in my head. Now, I just got done taking Flagyl for the 3rd time, could be a long term side effect, I have also reduced my caffeine to only 1 cup of half cafe a day, so I know there is explanations...Also , viruses, muscle spasms. And yet, I found myelf looking up "headache" causes on the internet this morning. Which leaRAB anyone with health anxiety into trouble....You can only imagine what I found about headaches. I interrupted my cycle and made myself quit looking and I am not going to go look again, I cannot do that....I know this is hard to get thru, but we all have eachother at least. Keep me posted on how you all are doing....Chrystal

17Mary. Nice to hear from you again I take great comfort in coming to these boarRAB and I hope you continue to do the same. I don't think it is obsessive to come here and release some anxiety to others who really understand. I have never sought outside help for my health anxiety or medicated it(although I have seriously thought about it at times) and have found that I have gotten alot of relief by coming here where others can relate. I also have a very supportive family, which has helped tremendously. I still cannot research anything on the internet as far as symptoms go without getting myself upset, so I too stay away from that. I seem to be doing better lately with my anxiety, I get waves of it, but I have really been crafting alot in prep for Christmas and I found that takes alot of the edge off for me. I also find baking helps, anything to keep that part of my mind too busy with measuring and things to be able to have any negative thoughts. Hope this finRAB everyone doing well......Chrystal

Thank you Crystal and "Tired of worry", for responding to my questions.
When I'm in one of my episodes of feeling anxious everyday the big problem for me is anticipation. I worry what's going to happen when I have to go to some planned event. I'm going to drive down to Florida in a couple of days with my husband and during the day I scare myself with the thought I'm going to get a panic attack.

Here's the curious thing about my anxiety, each evening I'm perfectly fine, I read, play games on the computer, make plans about our trip to Florida with no worry and even sleep well?? I can't understand why I can't feel that way all during the day? I keep myself busy during the day but I'm still feeling anxious.
I'm afraid of Xanax but I do take Zoloft for the anxiety. I am so impressed with both of you that you don't take medication or go to therapy and are able to handle your anxiety. thanks again.

Hello Chrystal36! Glad you found me. I'm thrilled that you have avoided searching for the internet today for medical reasons, that's a big step. It will get easier each day, I know this from personal experience! I'm so happy we can help each other with this anxiety issue, it's such a struggle. Granny0, are you there? We haven't heard from you i a while, and stefanos06, how are you? I hope everyone is coping well tonight!

Hi, I'm new to the site. When I read over everyone's messages on this thread I felt comfortable to write and thought I might add something to the keeping busy. If I'm at home and feel anxious I go on my computer and play free games like solitaire (sp ?) or Hearts and it distracts me for a while.I have been suffering with anxiety on and off for 25 years. I have a question if anyone could answer, it would help me feel not so alone. Is it health anxiety if you worry about mental illness? I don't worry about cancer or heart trouble illnesses but I worry about mental illness because this anxiety makes me think my mind is going to go.( to where I don't know, ha) Also I can go for years without constant anxiety everyday, and then something triggers it and it starts again, is anyone like that? thanks for all your help
17mary

Hi Lindaru! Thanks so much for your response. I think you have a great point, about "right here, right now, I am okay". Taking things in small steps is much more manageable. What a practical suggestion. That's something we can all do more of each day. Chrystal36, you are doing a great job. I know those nerves are something else, and just as Lindaru said, it's amazing what we can create in ourselves. I too was experiencing wrenching back pain for months, all the way down my left side, and eventually my left hip was hurting, sometimes so badly I couldn't sleep. Of course, I researched every possibility on the internet! :dizzy: I was also feeling like I was in the bathroom a lot more than usual, and was positive I had irritable bowel syndrome, at best! See what I mean, there are other people like us who have this constant battle!

When I finally saw the Dr. he told me it was sciatic nerve pain, and gave me a bunch of stretches. After a while, it has almost completely gone away. We create so much stress with worry. If you find yourself worrying, take a minute to review your muscle tension throughout your body, and you will be amazed. You jaw will be tight, your neck muscles tense, your shoulders will not be relaxed, your stomach will be churning, your breathing will be shallow, and then your back hurts because your posture is probably off, not mention how we sleep! Wow, that's a recipe for all kinRAB of aches and pains, all self-induced.

Try to consciously relax yourself next time you begin to feel this way. Intentionally divert your attention to something you enjoy. Remeraber, no more internet researching! Once those results come in you will feel a huge relief! Maybe you'll get them as a birthday gift, wouldn't that be wonderful? Great work on the salon appointment, pamper yourself. Make sure you enjoy every minute of it too!

hey there all hope you are coping well
the last couple of days I have felt different (i want to say better but that would be untrue)
Ive tried not to think too much or rather think about anything other than what is that pain in my side, head, chest or whatever.
not keeping myself that busy that I stress but busy enough to not think about what my body is doing.
My blood pressure is up and down like a yo yo due to this anxiety or am I just anxious about the blood pressure??????
hard to explain how I'm feeling at present but I don't think I'm about to drop but I still don't feel right
trying to relax

:bouncing:Hope everyone is having a good weekend without the dreaded anxiety we are all fighting. The hardest thing for me this weekend is just waiting for the pap test results. This coming week is the 3rd week of waiting, and the results should be in this week. For ones that don't know me on here, I fear having cancer and dying almost continuously. I was fearful I had ovarian cancer, got the all clear and am now fretting pap smear results, as I hadn't had a pap smear in 8 years since the birth of my 2nd child. After the pap I went straight into fearing cervical cancer. While being able to recognize that I don't have symptoms of a horrible illness, I still have a time with the fears. I am tense most of the time, and have backaches everyday basically. I do have scoliosis, and I know stress causes a host of physical symptoms. All it took for me was to read on the net about advanced cervical c symptoms being backache, etc, and I got all upset. Totally ignoring the fact that beginning symptoms such as bleeding, etc. I don't have. Hope this gives ones on here that don't know me some insight. I am doing better this weekend, just have waves of anxiety over just wanting the test results so I can get RELIEF

Ah, yes . . . the gloom and doom of oncoming winter. Here it is dark clouRAB over head, sometimes spitting snow (got snow yesterday and the day before here), or cold rain and wind. All of the colors are now gone from the trees.

So how does this make me feel? Trapped! Trapped equals increase in anxiety because of the lack of control. You do not want to go out in it because you will be physically miserable.

I deal with it by trying to turn it around into sort of a fantasy. Instead of feeling trapped, I think of where I am indoors as a cabin where I am riding out the storm and will be safe. It helps if you have a fire place. We have a wood stove and watching the flames can be comforting.

Another thing I have is pillows on the couch I can lean into, put my feet up when I need to and my quilt I have had since I was a toddler to cover up. I may not be physically cold (or I may be) but the psychology of being able to cover up lessens my anxiety.

Hugs to you all!

Lindaru