feeling out of control and stressed

[mskinner]

Hello,

I am a 39 year old Woman who is suffering from Anxiety/panic disorder and am feeling very stressed out.
I too should note, that this is not new to me. My anxiety and panic started in my 20's. Well, I should say that's when I first recognized it. I believe I had my first panic attack when I was twelve and then again about a year later. After that I did not experience anything until my 20's.
I suffer from PTSD and am in therapy once a week for the past 3 years. What I know about myself is that I freak out when I get in an intimate relationship and it stirs all of these negative emotions within me and then BANG all of my symptoms start showing up and it's miserable.
I have found the person I want to live my life with and am trying to NOT push them away like I've done to most all of my relationships.

my symptoms are the following:
extreme tension in my upper shoulder area, neck which gives me pretty bad headaches. I also feel like I cannot breath most of the time and feel like I've got something in my throat and that it is closing up. I have an extreme fear of not being able to breath and dying. this week I came down with a viral infection and it's almost impossible for me to let my body rest and heal. I worry about every little thing and can come up with about a million "what ifs"
even in the ER I question what the doctors say and don't quite believe them. In fact, i feel like I'm the only one that I believe

I have to run to do an errand...I'll write more and I'm hoping someone will write back.

[sixpack]

Hey Joyce, I'm not getting any responses. Maybe I'm just wishful thinking that I would have some by now. can you see me on the board. I'm under mskinner

sorry mskinner (interesting name you picked out for yourself ) I was on this morning doing my rounds, then off on errands, then my son was on the 'puter.

Soooooo  welcome to our  group.  I'm glad you found us and I'm quite sure you'll fit right in.   I'm a health anxiety person myself.  I'm dealing with the plugged up ear thing, with postnasal drip---which, coupled with me thinking about it, makes chewing, breathing and swallowing tougher.     I know logically it is all just postnasal/sinus/ear issues but it does get vexxing having to think about it all of the time.  I keep threatening myself that I'll go to an ENT, but haven't yet.

I am a 39 year old Woman who is suffering from Anxiety/panic disorder and am feeling very stressed out.
I too should note, that this is not new to me. My anxiety and panic started in my 20's. Well, I should say that's when I first recognized it. I believe I had my first panic attack when I was twelve and then again about a year later. After that I did not experience anything until my 20's.
I suffer from PTSD and am in therapy once a week for the past 3 years. What I know about myself is that I freak out when I get in an intimate relationship and it stirs all of these negative emotions within me and then BANG all of my symptoms start showing up and it's miserable.
I have found the person I want to live my life with and am trying to NOT push them away like I've done to most all of my relationships.

   

I notice my anxiety tends to cycle with increased stressors.  Hell, sometimes I don't even fully realized I'm stressed out and start in an anxiety freefall.  However my last drop this year was quite enlightening.  With the help of my neuro, this forum and one other website that lists common anxiety symptoms, I finally realize logically and emotionally (now that's the tough one ) that anxiety can and will cause just about any physical symptom out there.  And actually, like my sinus stuff I mentioned, make legit organic issues seem worse. 

As far as pushing away important people in our lives, well that doesn't have to happen.  First these people need to understand all your positive attributes as well as the ones you'd like to hide.  Secondly don't let the issues you like to hide push loved ones away.   I'm sure it isn't easy though when you are in the BEASTYs grip (anxiety mode).

[shrublet]

Hi Mskinner,

I've experienced really severe tension headaches on and off for ten years now. In fact, I've had a particularly nasty one for two full days now that's left me sick as a dog. No fun at all, that's for sure.  All of your other symptoms are very commonly caused by anxiety, but like Sixpack said, it's just a matter (a challenging matter!) of accepting that on both a physical and emotional level. Pan shared with us a very good post regarding this, which can be found here: http://www.anxietyzone.com/index.php/topic,7419.0.html

Sixpack very eloquently covered all the bases, so I just wanted to welcome you to the forums.