Debilitating Anxiety: How It Affects Me Physically

What is EMDR?

When I get panic attacks I used to hyperventilate so hard I’d pass out. Medication really helped!

Before finding medication that helped, yes.

Yes, on it right now. It last 3-6months till I don’t have it. Then I go back to normal. But I am on this right now

I am triggered by “happy” things. I get really bad stomach pain and vomit. Sometimes early mornings, going to school would be all it took- I would have attacks every day of my life. I have no idea what “normal” feels like. Clonopin and Effexor have helped a bit but I’ll still be triggered every now and then. I cannot control things.

I get random dizziness shivering off balance most of the times and it’s frustrating . I don’t have any emotional stress but I still deal with this symptoms

yeah— stomachaches/vomiting, shortness of breath and chest pain, random assorted aches and pains, lack of appetite, recent insomnia, etc. trying new meds in hope that they might help

I’ve done EMDR with my therapist to help with the fight flight or freeze and it’s done wonders!

gods yes i used to throw up every morning and get such bad stomach aches that i couldn’t move it’s horrible

I can relate to this. Especially the constant state of fight or flight! I wish I knew of some ways to improve this...it feels awful and I believe it is making my medical conditions worse.

Yes, absolutely. And the most frustrating thing is that my anxiety cannot be attributed to anything. I have all the debilitating physical symptoms, without an emotional or stress-related trigger. My doctors just keep telling me to go to therapy, and I have been, weekly, for years. But there is literally nothing going on that I can attach it to (except now, the physical symptoms themselves have become a source of stress). If talking through my problems is really the solution here, what am I supposed to say when I don’t have anything bothering me to talk about? It feels like something physical, neurological. I’m in a constant state of fight or flight and I can’t turn it off.

I get like this sometimes. My doctor gives me 10 Xanax pills a month so these help me when I’m experiencing high anxiety. My husband is also a source of comfort for me. He knows how bad my anxiety gets & does everything in his power to alleviate my symptoms. When my anxiety is so high that nothing seems to help, I just remind myself that right now, in this very moment I am ok. Sometimes I have to repeat this over & over but it eventually sticks & my anxiety dies down. I know this may sound silly, but I heard someone say they did this in a group therapy session & so I tried it & it really really helps!