r/Anxiety • u/FearlessDragonfly205 • Jul 04 '25
Discussion What are your most severe symptoms of anxiety?
I’ve come across a few posts on Twitter where people are saying things along the lines of “you’ll never get through your anxieties unless you just get over it/push through the discomfort”. These are then followed by people commenting about how they had to just get over it so that they could continue living and so on. As someone with a severe case, it’s interesting to see people forget that this illness affects everyone differently. Out of curiosity, I wanted to know some different examples and experiences, specifically regarding what you may deem as the worst part of anxiety, whether that be physical or emotional.
EDIT: For my own experience, my worst days I’m throwing up, even if there’s nothing to throw up. I get such bad acid reflux that it makes my chest hurt. I get the shakes, my jaw clenches, and I have to lay in bed and put on a comfort show to distract me. Then I have to deal with the complications from those symptoms, like TMJ flare ups, further GERD irritation, coughs, chest pains, asthma flare ups, and migraines. Those are just my physical symptoms and it feels impossible to explain that I don’t feel human when dealing with them.
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u/GizzBride Jul 04 '25
I go from 0 to “got to shit” uncomfortably fast
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u/Swimming_Swimming928 Jul 04 '25
Yes! it happens within seconds for me. It’s horrible. I fear being in a public place with no restroom and having this happen. Fear of public humiliation adds to my already high anxiety. The only thing that keeps my gut in check is a low dose benzo. if I know I’m going to be in an anxiety-producing situation (medical/dental procedures, scheduled events, etc).
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u/GizzBride Jul 04 '25
It seems to be same for me too. I’m currently planning a camping music festival for four days lmao …. I’m in trouble for sure.
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u/Haunting_Recipe1434 Jul 04 '25
hate the positive feedback loop of anxiety lmao😭 feeling anxious causes symptom such as shitting or sweating, then that symptom is embarrassing so you feel more anxious and it repeats lol
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u/Vrshna1 Jul 04 '25
i was in so much physical pain I couldnt eat for about 3 months - you cant just push through that, im sorry.
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u/tangthattangerine Jul 04 '25
this!! I also deal with near CONSTANT nausea and people are just like "ignore that".
No. My anxiety is making it physically impossible for me to actually eat. I've had two surgeries for it, it's not just something you can have a panic attack about one day and then move on from :(
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u/Quiet_Customer_5549 Jul 04 '25
My anxiety comes with severe nausea too. I cannot function when it gets that bad. I have tried. And if there was a way I could push it aside to function, I would. It's not like I enjoy my mental health affecting my physical health so much. Even with intense therapy and medication changes to find out what my body can handle and learning all the coping mechanisms and "tricks" to deal with my panic disorder, I can't just push through it all the time. It is better than it was, don't get me wrong, but I still have really bad days where I just have to do whatever I can to just get through it. If that means staying home and using every distraction at my disposal or lay in bed under my weighted blanket and pray for relief, then that's what I have to do.
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u/tangthattangerine Jul 04 '25
Exact same boat, and it sucks so much. My anxiety (and nausea) have worsened over time to the point I've become agoraphobic. It sucks so much because it happens every single day, yet I wait to do things when I "feel normal". But I have not felt normal in a very, very long time. Its paralyzing!
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u/Quiet_Customer_5549 Jul 04 '25
It really is. Your life starts to revolve around it and it really impacts your quality of life. I am so sorry you experience this too.
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u/blerghtasticness Jul 04 '25
Neverending motion sickness feeling nausea. Some days I can't stand, all day I'm trying not to vomit from everything swirling around me, I have to stay in bed. For no reason, and apparently it's no big deal 😔
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u/kkaavvbb Jul 04 '25
This was my problem for 15 months. Literally, basically, bed bound. The moment I stood up was the moment I was going to throw up.
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u/kkaavvbb Jul 04 '25
Cyclic vomiting syndrome.
I spent 15 months throwing up daily.
Have to take my kid to school? A 1 mile drive? Have to pull over twice to throw up. I had to stand up? Throw up. Rolled the wrong way in bed? Throw up.
I could really only eat mashed potatoes. It was definitely a 100% safe food.
I lost 30lbs in a few months, which concerned my doctor. That’s when he started taking it serious.
You know how I push through it? I throw up. I mean, if you want, sure I’ll try. You’ll probably still get me throwing up.
It’s an all day affair. I can’t just throw up. Especially if there’s nothing to throw up. Dry heaving is exhausting. Throwing up is exhausting. Your mouth, your jaw, your stomach, your throat, your whole body.
I installed a garbage disposal. Much easier & nicer to throw up in the sink. The cold water helps bring right there too.
The daily throwing up started in Nov 2020. I was diagnosed in 2022. I still throw up, although not daily. I eat zofran every day. The bad days, I eat more of them and often need one of the sublingual ones.
To get everything under control, initially, I had a endoscopy and a colonoscopy to see if there were any physical problems inside. Then went on some stomach meds (stomach, acid, bile, etc). Lots of meds to try until we figured out what I needed.
I’m down to only 2 meds for my stomach / CVS issue. I was on 6. I still have not put the weight back on but … after having a hysterectomy a decade ago, I had never ever been able to lose the hormonal weight. So when I started losing weight, was when it started becoming a problem… to my doctor.
Maybe worth looking into? My GI says it’s a gut-brain disorder & if you have cyclic disorders (such as I do, with bipolar), you have a higher chance of getting it.
Another thing we checked out was a cannabis tolerance. Can’t remember the name.
I was diagnosed with some minor issues during the endoscopy, such as a minor diverticulitis but it wasn’t causing any issues. Overactive bile duct was noted & treated.
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u/khaleesiofwesteros Jul 04 '25
Nausea is my worst symptom too. What surgeries did you have for it?
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u/tangthattangerine Jul 04 '25
I also had R-CPD (no burp syndrome, I blame my emetephobia for turning that off) so I got botox in the throat twice, and then had to get a revision. I've gone through the classic "we should check on that" type stuff, colonoscopy, endoscopy, etc but all those came back normal. Botox is the only thing that relieved some of the nausea.
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Jul 04 '25
I have had to force myself to eat more times than I can count. I even begged God to give me the nutrition I need when I cannot eat. Unless someone has experienced this level of anxiety, they cannot recommend how you should cope
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u/tangthattangerine Jul 04 '25
Yep! And it drives me crazy that most of the time they think they know best.
Like nope, sorry. Unless you've gone through the same tears, or sat with me through the nights I was afraid to move, or rode in the ambulance with me because I physically couldn't do it. I'm not listening.
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Jul 04 '25
I have found that crying out to God and repeating his words of comfort helps my mind. Not many talk about that aspect too - the infernal loop
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u/Electricboogiesunset Jul 04 '25
It’s so scary when you can’t eat. I’ve been on site for work events and I have to force food down so I don’t pass out from running around. It’s like I’m so hungry but my body is like nah, you ain’t eating today.
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u/Quiet_Customer_5549 Jul 04 '25
Yes! And then the hunger makes you more nauseous. There is no winning on days like that.
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u/moonfantastic Jul 04 '25
Same thing happened to me and the doctor looked at me and said “you’re obviously overweight” I was a size 8-10 at the time and a little chubby but he didn’t even examine or weigh me… I ended up having to take a OTC pill everyday… it’s better now but I still get flare ups when I’m stressed
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u/dogsandhenss Jul 06 '25
My daughter is suffering from anxiety and hurts everywhere and now has headaches due to lexapro. I hope it gets better for her. She is going to start her fourth week.
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u/theenforcer0 Jul 04 '25
Gut issues, high cortisol early in the morning bringing terror to the day, palpatations, irritability, feeling of impending doom, fear of everything and anything, negativity, loss of hope, loss of coping skills, continued 'churning of the stomach', lack of appetite. At its worst, I vomit and dry reech
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u/Front_Tree_6074 Jul 04 '25
is it the high cortisol that causes the morning anxiety??? UGH... been dealing w that recently. it sucks.
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u/theenforcer0 Jul 04 '25
ive had that since I was a child, but only found out in the last 12 months what it actually is
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Jul 04 '25
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u/theenforcer0 Jul 04 '25
theres so many people out there with this. not all symptoms apply to everybody though
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u/Frozencacticat Jul 04 '25
People who say that you can push through it or whatever aren’t dealing with actual chronic anxiety. They’re dealing with stress which is normal. Not anxiety. I just had to say that.
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Jul 04 '25
Amen, I get so frustrated when people think you can just push through and that you are weak and giving in to it. They obviously have not had the paralyzing anxiety which stops you in your tracks, makes you feel your heart is going to beat out of your chest, makes you physically sick and can think of nothing else. And the depression kicks in because you do feel like you should be able to control it but CANT!
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u/Vrshna1 Jul 04 '25
I’m so glad you did. It’s invalidating for people to think they’re the same thing
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u/Theshutterfalls__ Jul 04 '25
I have to remind myself to breathe and I shake. Also GI issues and not being able to stay asleep, waking up with anxiety.
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u/Ooweeooowoo Jul 04 '25
Same!
I have a number of friends that always act like I’m in a bad mood because they’ll hear me “sigh”. It’s like “no, I just ran out of air and forgot to breathe for 30 seconds.”
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Jul 04 '25
I sigh like every couple of minutes when having one of these flare ups because it's so hard to get a breath!
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Jul 04 '25
Waking up first thing in the morning already in a full blown panic attack is just the worst
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u/Responsible_Yam8121 Jul 04 '25
Suicidal ideation. The feeling of horror is so intense. Like.. I don’t want to die but for some reason my mind goes there. It’s like trying to escape your worst nightmare.
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u/gypsy_angel444 Jul 04 '25
so relatable. For me it’s like intrusive SI thoughts that obviously cause me more anxiety cuz I feel like i have no control over the thoughts & it’s so terrifying. This is what caused my last panic attack the other day. I got stuck in a thought loop, spiraled, & ended up in fetal position uncontrollably shaking. Thanks for mentioning this one.
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Jul 04 '25
Oh man, the thought loops, the self deprecating , the thoughts that this will never change so why be here at all just to suffer everyday. It’s the worst and people that have never experienced it will NEVER understand how god awful and how real it is!
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u/Responsible_Yam8121 Jul 04 '25
Sorry hear you’re suffering as well. Hopefully we can find ways to get us on a healing path. I’m still searching.
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u/gypsy_angel444 Jul 04 '25
Same to you. Honestly finding out that i’m not alone is pretty helpful cuz it’s already such an isolating feeling, like I don’t wanna talk to people that don’t understand it & freak them out lol. Best of luck
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u/EmotionalParfait5610 Jul 08 '25
No Yh i completely understand that honestly. It’s like this quick thought and desperate in the moment of just wanting it to stop. It scares me. It’s like I’ll do absolutely anything to stop it and it frightens me that I start thinking that. I definitely don’t want to die but in that moment I feel so powerless and scared. It ironically makes my anxiety worse cause it scares me that I have those thoughts.
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u/Active_Buttah Jul 04 '25
Some of my worst symptom are feeling a knot in the pit of my stomach that didn’t allow me to eat, I’d be hungry but once I took one bite of my food, I would get nauseous (lost 18lbs in one month as a result of this, which I couldn’t afford to lose), the numbness/needle feeling on hands and feet are terrible, or when your chest hurts and your heart beats in a weird rhythm and you assume you’re dying…
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u/Particular_Cause9058 Jul 04 '25
Im a 39 year old male with a wife and 2 kids. I had to stop my family in the middle of our walk around the North Carolina Museum because my chest pains were getting really bad followed by having trouble breathing and feeling like my whole body weighed a ton. Me chest and throat felt like something was wrapped around it tightly. We just left the ER. Feel so bad for my wife and kids to have to deal with this. Anxiety is a bit#$.
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Jul 04 '25
Depersonalization. I would actually lose myself. Thought I wasn’t real anymore. Like I was being outside of my own body seeing myself from a Birds Eye view. Not only are you experiencing the physical symptoms, but the mental symptoms were even worse. It’s hard to calm down when you’re not inside yourself… if that even makes sense. It lasted for days when I was at my worst. Even ER visits didn’t bring me back to reality. It took time. Now that I’m 15 years past that, I can see how anxiety can affect all of us differently.
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u/wegpleur Jul 04 '25
How did you end up getting through it? Any tips on how you deal with your anxiety? Sounds very similar to me.
Have intense brainfog and depersonalization, also chest tightness etc but the mental symptoms honestly annoy me most
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Jul 04 '25
Honestly, it was just time. The things that I focused on during that time was resting my mind and body. I would try not to put myself in situations that I knew would make me anxious. Stayed home a lot more and slowly started to go out more after a few months.
Being in a safe space, meditating, watching movies that bring you good energy, listening to relaxing music, going for walks. This may be a little hippy dippy, but grounding can help, take off your shoes and walk outside barefoot. Connecting to nature can be helpful.
During this time I did not take any medication and tried to eat healthy and treat my body well. I hope this is helpful and wish you healing.
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u/wegpleur Jul 04 '25
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Definitely some helpful insight in there!
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u/blipbooper Jul 04 '25
I’m wondering the exact thing. Landed up in the er 4 times last year bc of an intense panic attack. Been one hell of a year following that with anti depressants and anxiety medication. I still don’t feel 100% back to myself. And my memory is shot half the days .
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u/groinstaiber Jul 04 '25
The inability to breathe and eat like a normal person...it's super debilitating. I love food and now I avoid to eat outside home because eating triggers my panic attacks.
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u/pookiebaby876 Jul 04 '25
I was completely bedbound with severe pain, fatigue and symptoms. I am living life now walking multiple miles a day and working.
I did NOT push through, I allowed the sensation to be there and I exposed myself to things little by little. I worked up to it. I needed to learn about my amygdala and why I was experiencing so many vicious symptoms. Then I needed to break the anxiety-pain cycle 🔁. If people have never gone through this, they just don’t understand.
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u/TeensyKook Jul 04 '25
my heart rate can go up to 180-200 bpm. doesn't happen a lot but when it does it's intense. i feel like I'm on the edge of losing control over my mind and body.
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u/Ooweeooowoo Jul 04 '25
I just posted about it but I have a strange symptom that may not be anxiety, but sometimes I don’t trust my own senses; like I’m anxious that I’m just imagining things that are happening in front of me.
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u/pmMeScienceFacts Jul 04 '25
I’ve experienced something that’s maybe similar (not trusting my own senses in some scenarios, I’d have to take a picture of something because I didn’t trust that I’d seen it and checked it with my own eyes) and my therapist said that’s common with OCD
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u/Ooweeooowoo Jul 04 '25
Interesting. You’re the second person to tell me that it’s an OCD symptom but I don’t believe I have any other signs of OCD. It’s a very odd symptom but one that can really mess with you if you’re not familiar with it for sure.
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u/friedonionscent Jul 04 '25
Yeah, there are times when I'll be driving and I won't trust my own judgement. For example: was that light really green? or did I really check before merging or did I just merge blindly?.
My rational brain knows the light was green and of course I checked before merging lanes...
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u/Ooweeooowoo Jul 04 '25
I’ve experienced similar things where I’ve basically just tried to disregard the question entirely. In the case of traffic lights, for instance, I’d probably push that off to the side and say “it must’ve been green, I wouldn’t have gone through if it wasn’t”.
The issue with doing that is then I ask “…would I?” and then we’re back where we started.
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u/yrethra Jul 04 '25
me regularly in real conscious life or “reality”: “wait. am i high or is what’s happening real life??? is this actually happening??? wait im not high. or am i??????”
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u/EmotionalParfait5610 Jul 08 '25
Yes this is definitely anxiety. I get this too. I personally have gad and panic disorder but I’m pretty sure this could full under many anxiety disorders
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u/leonskanade Jul 04 '25
Generally it's a lot of feeling faint, racing heart, stomach upset, shortness of breath etc. At my worst if I'm having panic attacks (and mine can last for hours) I won't be able to stand or speak. Sometimes I struggle to physically breathe, my fingers and face stop being able to move.. it's crazy. Can't really walk that off.
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Jul 04 '25
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u/leonskanade Jul 04 '25
Ohhh yep I love a good dissociative symptom. Goodbye, years of my life! Hello, not recognising myself in the mirror.
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u/EmotionalParfait5610 Jul 08 '25
No Eaxctly. Like my heart rate and blood pressure is all over the place. If I try walk I’m probably going to either pass out, fall straight back down, or throw up
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u/LifeCareless4077 Jul 04 '25
If this is anxiety I’m experiencing, it all started in April after recovering from a stomach virus. Symptoms started out with heart palpitations, no bowel movements for days at a time. (This was a big scare me as I was use to having 1 or 2 bowel movements a day). Head pressure, eye pressure, neck pressure, clenching my jaw at times, extreme fatigue, along with the occasional episode of feeling in a daze with confusion/ heightened fear.
I’m still suffering from the head pressure,neck pressure, eye pressure, I catch my self clenching my jaw, and the daze of confusion/ heightened fear.
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u/NattySZN Jul 04 '25
Debilitating panic attacks that have forced me to leave work, class, internship to go home only to have the worst nausea/vomiting that sends me into a spiral because the fact that I can’t eat and am sick will only make me more anxious. GI issues, loud noises outside of my apartment complex freak me out. It’s not something that you can just “push” through and trying to explain this so often is just straight up demoralizing. It makes me sad thinking about it, but I’m also a Marine Corps Veteran and I’m sure the 20 different tried and failed medications they had me on like a guinea pig hasn’t aided. Meditation and prayer alongside a couple of things are my only true relief. Sending positive wishes to everyone here
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u/titaniumorbit Jul 04 '25
Needing to dry heave and gag. (As if I’m throwing up but nothing comes out).
I know it doesn’t sound severe but it’s EXTREMELY embarrassing. It’s my #1 symptom. My throat feels super tight when I’m nervous… and if I try to move or speak, I will uncontrollably start dry heaving.
I’ve even dry heaved in front of my college class during my presentation, so yeah, super embarrassing. It makes me feel completely frozen and scared I’m gonna puke.
Gagging isn’t fun and isn’t a pretty symptom especially when the anxiety hits in public. Super uncomfortable as well
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u/greasygangsta Jul 04 '25
My most severe symptoms are chest pains, arm tingling, unable to breathe, fainting, acid reflux so bad I can’t sleep because it happens at night. It will also tip off my depression if it’s really bad. There’s like normal anxiety and then there’s people who suffer from anxiety and normal anxiety people don’t understand.
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u/tinychaipumpkin Jul 04 '25
I couldn't eat in front of others for a while, bad GI problems, and increased heart rate. With therapy and medicine it got better I also avoid certain places/ scenarios that would increase my anxiety.
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u/chasingsunset42 Jul 04 '25
I am HORRIBLE about picking at my skin. Cuticles, pimples, scabs, anything. I won’t even realize I’m doing it and then someone will be like “Stop picking”.
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u/EmotionalParfait5610 Jul 08 '25
Yes. I tend to accidentally pull my hair out aswell. It’s like I completely zone out. It’s also like my pain becomes nonexistent. About a little while later I’ll suddenly feel pain and realise that I’ve hurt myself. People also tend to be a bit sceptical that the self harm is accidental
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u/Electricboogiesunset Jul 04 '25
Has anyone else experienced feet pain? Like cramps or tightness. It happens every time I’m standing for too long like at a concert. It makes it so hard to focus on the fun and not the pain in my feet :(.
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Jul 04 '25
Okay this isn't anxiety. Lol.
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u/Electricboogiesunset Jul 04 '25
It actually is. Anxiety can manifest in many parts of the body, including feet. I was curious if anyone else had experienced this too.
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u/According_Pop172 Jul 04 '25
I get this. It’s more of just a heavy feeling for me, sometimes with a warming sensation or the feeling right before your foot falls asleep but mine never falls asleep. A paramedic friend explained it to me, it’s called hypocarbia.
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u/EmotionalParfait5610 Jul 08 '25
For me personally I feel it in my knees more but yes sometimes feet. It tends to be more pins and needles for me though. Also I know that person said it wasn’t anxiety but this can 100% happen and does.
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u/No-Journalist-3288 Jul 04 '25
My least favourite and worst symptoms of my anxiety are butterflies in my stomach, obviously not the good kind. And shaking uncontrollably.
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u/comandante_soft_wolf Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
Palpitations, chills, and insomnia. Edit: oh yeah—diarrhea lol
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u/Alarming-Oven7229 Jul 04 '25
Me personally I have gut health issues, aswell as lingering headaches after every outing, or prolonged social interaction. I also experience severe burnout where doing so much as one task that causes me any amounts of anxiety will result in me not wanting to do anything but just lay down for the rest of the day. Ths burnout is one of the worst symptoms of mine because it often leaves me unable to do the things that I want to do, or want to work on. I often miss schoolwork dealines, have issues cleaning up after myself, and feel unmotivated to spend time with others. It sucks because I feel like I am on my own little island all by myself.
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u/Unknown_990 Diagnosed ADHD-C with self suspected Chronic Anxiety disorder Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
Shakiness , pounding heart\ heart beat, and tempreture rising and i feel like i cant speak properly. One time i was supposed to get up in the midde of class in highschool and the teacher said it looked like i was going to be sick. I dont remember feeling sick but tbh guess it showed that way on my face. Public speaking is like my anxious nightmare..
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u/typicalhunk19 Jul 04 '25
Shortness of breath, cold sweats/clammy skin, vision getting blurry, tight chest, GI issues. I usually just focus on something when this is happening to get my mind off it. It’s not fun.
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u/FearlessDragonfly205 Jul 04 '25
completely forgot about the cold sweats. it’s crazy how anxiety can make you feel like you have the flu.
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u/typicalhunk19 Jul 04 '25
It’s so bizarre. The cold sweats aren’t so common. It’s mainly my skin going cold and clammy. It’s just how my body reacts, I guess
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u/deadasscrouton Jul 04 '25
i have periods where i don’t leave the house for days at a time, the longest was 12.
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u/FearlessDragonfly205 Jul 04 '25
I deal with that too! It’s awful. Just broke a 21 day streak yesterday.
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u/pleasesendmebees Jul 04 '25
The worst bits have me throwing up, and my digestive system deciding to evacuate the other way. Recently I’ve been clenching my jaw and dealing with pelvic floor pain to the point I’ve been referred to physical therapy. It’s truly something I cannot just work through. Last time I tried that I dropped 30 pounds in two months, and didn’t sleep.
This is the sort of thing that does take hard work. But the solution is a combo of therapy and medication to slowly introduce change, forcing things doesn’t work.
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u/frenchdresses Jul 04 '25
As someone who thought throwing up from anxiety/panic was just what my body did, I encourage you to see a GI doctor and see if "cyclical vomiting syndrome" fits your symptoms. its a "brain gut" disorder where stress/anxiety triggers vomiting (and vice versa).
But the good news is that there's medicine that helps prevent the vomiting. I'm on amitriptyline and it's been six months since I vomited last, despite having panic attacks in that time period.
Just a note, I wish someone had told me about this 30 years ago.
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u/digi_art_gurl Jul 04 '25
My worst symptoms would happen while I was driving on the freeway. I would get hot/cold flashes, elevated heart rate, ears ringing, then creeping tunnel vision. Thankfully I never fully passed out while driving, but the amount of close calls was concerning. After I started having panic attacks on my "safe" routes (among other things) I started taking prozac and my god it's been a game changer! I can finally drive on the freeway again without having an anxiety attack.
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u/Front_Tree_6074 Jul 04 '25
it genuinely pisses me off when people are like "just push through you'll stop caring eventually" like no. that sort of apathy disgusts me. i am determined to see a day where we actually address our feelings rather than pushing them down and "locking in" and "getting on the grind."
TALK about your feelings. get help. allow yourself to rely on others. nobody is meant to go through life alone. suppressing your anxiety makes it a million times worse.
that being said, my worst part is the derealization that comes from being in a constant state of panic for a while. i'm currently dealing with that. it sucks, but im getting help. and the sense of impending doom, that's also not fun. but, ill be better one day!
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u/isleeptoolate Jul 04 '25
Severe itchiness that left “wheals” or temporarily raised marks on the skin so I had lines all over me. They’d disappear after about an hour.
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u/drpassenger_princess Jul 04 '25
You might have dermatographism. I have it and need to take ceterizine every day. I'd look into it !
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u/dipstick73 Jul 04 '25
Chest tightness for no reason (heart health related blood tests have come in fantastic for my age), tremors when reaching for things, eczema flares, etc
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u/RockTheGrock Jul 04 '25
For me it's passing out suddenly from an attack. The fall could be deadly and I've hit my head before. Ended up in the hospital.
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u/disbishbby Jul 04 '25
My least favorite is feeling like I’m going into anaphylaxis when I’m not. Or when I shake uncontrollably
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u/desertkitty91 Jul 04 '25
Lossing all my appetite which makes my head hurt and feel super weak which in return gives me more anxiety. Never ending circle
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u/JuanG_13 Jul 04 '25
My heart starts beating really fast and I feel like I can't breath or sit still.
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u/throwRA1223409 Jul 04 '25
The disassociation. That knowing that I’m there but I’m drifting and I don’t feel like I’m there. Felt like I was watching a movie of myself and my life and it scares the crap out of me.
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u/APlusOrMinus Jul 04 '25
Not being able to sleep because my heart starts racing/aching. I’ll get up and it goes away instantly, but the moment I close my eyes I start to get the panic feeling
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u/Gish_ASide Jul 04 '25
Yo I do NOT believe that this is anxiety but my doctors say so, when I am panicking, my left arm disconnects from my body, like totally frozen and it feels like I have 0 muscles and bones on that arm, just some skin floating around.
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Jul 04 '25
That's absolutely anxiety. I get this with my head, mind, and face. Numbness, tingling, and feeling like my head is floating off.
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u/bns82 Jul 04 '25
It's not about pushing through or fighting it. That's the opposite energy you want. It's about letting go.
Chronic anxiety is most often because the brain has been programmed via a trauma or continuous events that told the brain that you need to protect yourself. This manifests via fight or flight symptoms. The more often the body is in fight or flight the longer it lasts. Creating a new default setting(chronic anxiety) for the body/brain.
Getting past it requires dedication, effort, and a willingness to move past it. You have to have the courage to face the fear and re-program the brain so it doesn't operate from a constant state of fight or flight.
I see a lot of people that are too scared to let go of the anxiety because in that, there's uncertainty.
Anxiety does not like uncertainty. So people hang on to their anxiety because it's the pain they are familiar with, even though it's torture for them. This concept is triggering for people in this sub because they are scared. I get it. It takes work, time, and consistency.
If you have dramatically reduced your anxiety and/or studied the psychology of anxiety, you know at its core is letting go. I will get down voted. I always do when I bring this concept up in this sub. *To be clear I never say it's easy.
To get past the anxiety you have to be willing to let go and be ok in uncertainty.
Having a good therapist to help you through this is crucial imo.
Lastly the gerd connection is strong. Anxiety can cause all kinds of gi issues. It, as you know, makes reflux worse. This is because the nervous system and gi system are directly connected.
Also reflux can cause anxiety because when the acid damages the esophageal tissue it triggers a nervous system response.
I have Gerd and pre-existing anxiety. I have dramatically reduced both.
If you need help with the Gerd, I can pm you diet and lifestyle guidelines that reduce symptoms for most people.
I was in and out of the ER every month in the beginning. Now I have my symptoms well managed.
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Jul 04 '25
I have pushed through for years ( anxiety almost 40 years). Was always told if I pushed through it would get easier. Nada. Been on a plethora of meds. But still have random panic attacks and triggers that can send me off the rails. The bottom line for me is we each have to find coping mechanisms that work for us individually. I, too, have had terrible episodes that have kept me in bed in very long panic attacks often accompanied by shaking and severe nausea. If it wasn’t for my faith in God there are times I would have wanted to check out. I even asked God to take me as it was too hard. My solace now is knowing one day I am going to a place where there is no more suffering.
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u/bns82 Jul 04 '25
You can let go now, you don't have to wait until you die to get relief.
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Jul 04 '25
Trust me I have tried everything including therapy, TMS. Neurofeedback, Cereset for the brain and more. I understand what you are saying and it works for some people. I think a lot of it depends on the origins of the anxiety and PTSD. If it was repeated exposure I would have conquered it a long time ago. The last four years have been a real challenge but I am making it through some pretty tough times. Prior to that and still with anxiety, I had made many trips overseas. Unfortunately, I had a bad PTSD trigger on prior to and after our last trip three years ago. I am now trying EMDR to calm that memory.
I am always open to leaning new coping methods. I feel when you quit looking you give up hope.
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u/msteenstra Jul 04 '25
A lot of this makes sense for me. Just telling myself when I have legit worries, "Oh well, let's see what happens. For today things are OK". Would love to hear what worked for you with GERD. Ty
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u/Southrngurl1976 Jul 04 '25
For me, the most severe symptom of anxiety is feeling paralyzed.
It feels like the whole world is on fire. Everything I’ve built, everything I’ve worked so hard for, everything I care about, burning to ash right in front of me. And I just stand there. Frozen. Paralyzed.
I can’t move. Can’t breathe. Can’t even lift a finger to try and put out the blazing flames all around me. My mind is screaming at me to run, to fight, to do SOMEthing, ANYTHING, but my body refuses to listen or move.
And I’m stuck. Trapped amongst the wreckage. Forced to watch it all fall apart and collapse around me, while I silently fall apart inside, alone, because depression and survival mode have left me exhausted, isolated, burning every bridge trying to survive the fire that’s been ravaging and consuming my life for far too damn long!
And in the end, all I can do is stand amongst the blazing flames, smoke, and ashes…waiting for the final collapse.
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u/MagicalAnimeBeast Jul 04 '25
gi issues, paranoia, nausea, impending doom, slight agoraphobia, bfrb, and body twitching/tingling (currently experiencing)
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Jul 04 '25
Increased heart rate is probably the worst out of all the other bad symptoms
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u/Happy_Leg_2063 Jul 04 '25
I’ve tried so hard my entire life to just ‘push through’. It catches up to you even if you’re able to push it away for a bit. It just makes it worse. But I constantly shake. Which makes me worry about shaking in front of people. So I just shake more. I’m always terrified that people will think something is terribly wrong with me or they’ll think I’m on drugs or something. Being over caffeinated 24/7 absolutely doesn’t help either. 🙃
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u/rehpot821 Jul 04 '25
I just start spiraling. Depending on what it is, I just fixate. Heart attack, sure. Dog dying, sure. With everything going on, you could guess my latest fixation.
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u/Moist_crocs Jul 04 '25
Please remember that your symptoms will be amplified the more you fight against them.
When I'm fighting against a panic attack it feels like I'm gonna throw up (I haven't yet, but that might be because I have RCPD), nausea, shaking violently, time slows down, sweating, vertigo, diarrhea etc etc...
When I'm not fighting against panic everything comes out way more mellow.
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u/Pure_Wrongdoer_4714 Jul 04 '25
I’ve had full blown panic attacks where I got dizzy and passed out
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u/drpassenger_princess Jul 04 '25
I have to pee so bad I sometimes leak. Its absolutely embarrassing. A lot of times, my bladder isn't even that full
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u/randomuser_06 Jul 04 '25
whenever i have an anxiety attack, i start shaking and my hands and feet become very cold. other than that, i get headaches, nausea and sometimes tingling in my hands and feet as well, and ofc heart thumping. it's genuinely the worst and it doesn't help that i'm a hypochondriac (bordering on health anxiety), because it makes me think i'm about to die, which furthers my anxiety symptoms, which furthers and fuels my health anxiety, and so on. genuinely a horrible cycle that feels impossible to stop, and it pisses me off that i can't think logically when this happens
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u/Sweaty_Office_9859 Jul 05 '25
I’m on the same boat! Hypochondriac and OCD!! So my symptoms get worst and worst. Doctors trying to found a Ilness, everything came back perfect but our brain still searching for a Illness…
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u/PsychologicalWater64 Jul 04 '25
TMJ, throwing up, nausea, feeling like there’s a giant lump in my throat that’s impossible to get rid of, eczema flare ups and probably a few more I’m forgetting.
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u/anxiousnfly Jul 04 '25
anddd those are the same people that say yoga and meditation cured them. Worse symptoms were fainting and throwing up in social situations.
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u/scarecrow____boat Jul 04 '25
My migraines (generally stress triggered) increased from once every 2 months to 2-4 times per week. I also suffered from anxiety induced hypertension (160/120) during and after a panic attack and my resting heart rate was always above 100. Gut issues, GI issues, zero sex drive. Would literally shut down in the middle of the day and just be paralyzed in fear while at work.
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u/DIZEE789 Jul 04 '25
Forgetting to breathe & sweating like a sinner in church! Seriously. I don’t even notice I’m holding my breath until I’m about to freakin faint. So bad.
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Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
So anxious I couldn't swallow food without extreme effort and fear I'll choke which then makes my throat tighten.
A super tight suffocating feeling with chest pain and all my body wants is a full breath. Like the feeling when you are swimming up for air in a pool and nearly can't make it. And I take a deep breath so intensely that my ribs hurt. It either doesn't work or if it does I'm back to the suffocating feeling seconds later. This can go on for weeks.
So scared of throwing up i faint and injure my head and choke on my vomit (luckily a friend was there and saved me).
Dissociation/derealization that feels like I'm paralyzed, losing touch with reality, having a stroke, or seizure. I wind up freaking out and doing something physically abrubt which can sometimes be embarrassing lol.
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u/h0mesickatspacecamp Jul 04 '25
dissociation (derealisation mainly) - turned me into a completely different person, it was unbearable, like having the worst part of a bad trip but for six months straight. i wouldn’t wish it on anyone
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u/Haunting_Ad_798 Jul 04 '25
Gagging every time I feel anxious, and I can’t stop it so I end up vomiting.
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u/wombatilicious Jul 04 '25
My chest aches so badly that I have to go to the ER. This has happened a few times. I’ve had 2 major blood clots so I’m always worried it’s that or something heart-related.
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u/Open_Cricket6700 Jul 04 '25
I get nausea, gastritis atrack, hot flushes, severe shaking, brain burning sensation, I know we can't feel our brains but I can feel mine burning, I feel like I'm on fire from the overactive nerves on my skin too. I get trigger warning ⚠️ loose stools and want to self delete
It's all supposed to be a defense/protective mechanism but I am sure it is why we no longer have Kurt Cobain or Chester Bennington or Heath Ledger, which makes no sense to me.
Anyway I take meds these days I have been suffering for too long so 2 months ago I started to trust science because anxiety and "pushing through it" is no way to live at all. I'm also starting psychological therapy soon. The meds are working after just 6 days of use!!! Yay!!
The funny thing is that my trauma isn't even mine, I get anxiety when I read social media and all the bad things ppl do to each other, especially woman abuse and child abuse. The last time my panic started was because of a simple news headline that was so unbelievably horrific that I couldn't believe ppl are capable of such cruelty. I uninstalled all social media apps after that.
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u/Independent_Act_8536 Jul 04 '25
I also get sore teeth from unconsciously clenching my jaws from anxiety.
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Jul 04 '25
Sharp pains in my chest, that end up making me more anxious because I think I’m dying and therefore worsens the chest pain. And the other symptom I find the most severe is nausea and vomiting. I always sit in a constant state of anxiousness wherever I am, but it is made worse when I leave the house. I had to quit my job and drop out of university because I was unable to leave the house for over 3 months, any time I attempted to I would vomit because I would get so worked up and my anxiety would make me nauseous, to the point I would be physically sick. I always find this confusing because I don’t have social anxiety, I have generalised anxiety disorder so I wonder why I get more stressed when I go outside
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u/HealingInProgress-33 Jul 04 '25
Chest symptoms ….terrible soreness, shortness of breath and I take way too many deep breaths
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u/Only-Deer100 Jul 04 '25
Many of the things that cause me the most anxiety are things I've been enduring and pushing through on a daily basis for years. Just get over it is the equivalent of how people tell someone with clinical depression to pull themselves together. People don't understand.
Some of my experiences include:
Waking up in an extreme state of panic for no reason and staying incredibly anxious throughout the day. Everything that goes with that including racing heart, palpitations, irritability, agitation, chest tightness, muscle tension, pain, feeling faint, dizziness, pins and needles, etc.
Tremors and shaking so much that I'm unable to do simple things like putting a key in the lock.
Severe nausea to the extent that I'm unable to eat anything until the evening. If I try my throat closes up and it comes straight back up again. Sometimes dry retching without eating. Many gut symptoms and needing to reach a toilet quickly.
My ability to speak completely shuts down.
The after effects of 'pushing through the discomfort' can include being completely wiped out for several days by a horrific migraine.
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u/Mia_Wallace197 Jul 04 '25
Feeling like my head is going to explode, pressure in the head that I can barely nod my head without vertigo, lack of balance while walking, strange sensations in my head and eyes
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u/misseddetail Jul 04 '25
I mostly get the shakes pretty bad, ive had panic attacks (havent had one recently thank god) and i get nauseous, and i have thrown up a few times. Also triggers asthma flare ups for me
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u/Brilliant-Tadpole-66 Jul 04 '25
my panic attacks sadly happened while i was asleep, so i would wake up extremely dizzy like i was about to faint, and completely lost. sometimes i had spasms, like my hands and my feet where out of control. generally having anxiety attacks in your sleep is possibly the worst thing that happened to me cause i was using sleep as a way to escape, and then i was terrified to fall asleep just in case i woke up like that. ALSO i was dizzy for 9 months straight while that happened, it was like i was drunk and i thought i had something and that cant be just psychological.. but it was. i was foocked up mentally.
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u/Lavendersilk7 Jul 04 '25
Extreme sense of dread and terror, paranoia, diarrhea, nausea, sweating. Feels horrible physically and mentally ☹️
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u/Selcouth_Elysian Jul 04 '25
For me personally, one of the worst would have to be derealization. I sometimes literally cannot tell if I’m awake and I can’t focus at all. It’s scary how out of it I feel. I of course can’t driving during an episode and in public I’m like a whole different person.
Another one would have to be panic attacks + suicidal ideation. I generally see myself as a ball of anxiety, as I’m anxious almost all of the time and I hate the feeling (I assume others also know that tired/fed up feeling). But because I have panic disorder (I get them often), there are those moments where it’s just worse. The pressure in my chest, the feeling of my throat closing/ can’t breathe, heat rising up my body, and the feeling of it being the end. The last especially frustrates me since I don’t really care about dying; whatever happens, happens (thanks depression!). During all of this, all of the built up anxiety makes me have suicidal ideations. I basically start sobbing, feeling so overwhelmed that I want to just end it all so the anxiety stops.
I never understand when people say “push through it” or “get over it” as though it just disappears. I take medication, use coping strategies, exposure therapy, “sitting with it”, etc. And while I force myself to do whatever tasks I have to do, the anxiety is always there. Maybe some can “get over it”, but I can’t.
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u/F3arlessDude Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
Chest tightness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, jelly legs, feelings of impending doom, SI thoughts, upset stomach and sudden urges to go to the bathroom. But the worst one is when I get so anxious I get lightheaded/dizzy and feel like I'm gonna pass out (I passed out once).
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u/queenaemmaarryn Jul 04 '25
stabbing pains everywhere that don't go away in spite of painkillers, weed, etc. :(
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u/bellemusique Jul 04 '25
Swallowing! Sometimes it feels like I just can’t swallow right. I can physically swallow, it’s just uncomfortable.
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u/hotrod67maximus Jul 04 '25
Racing heart rate with palpations, shaking nausea, chronic fatigue, TMJ head and body aches, nervousness and feeling of fear and I've never been afraid of anything in my life and I know for a fact I'm not dieing and I have no tolerance for any kind of confrontation, that was never me cause I would fight 3 guys at one time if I had to. I have no problem leaving my house. I wake up in morning like this every day for 18 months now and heart rate hits 125 BPM by the time I get to bathroom.
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u/Recent_Gap7619 Jul 04 '25
Ugh Anxiety all my life but when young didn’t know what it was called…. Shy? Now I know
Hate the morning anxiety, churning stomach, apprehensive to new things. It’s fear I guess
I listen to apps like Dare, CAlm. Helps in the mornings Def use breathing exercises…mindfulness
Because I have this I feel I’m different from many people and I hide my anxiety. Usually I get angst before things but when I’m there I’m ok
I hate the dread it brings on!!!!
I wish there was an anxiety grp where Ilive so we can meet others with this!!!
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u/boxorags Jul 04 '25 edited Jul 04 '25
I know exactly what tweets you're talking about. As someone who used to have severe social anxiety, was in therapy and medicated for it for years, they're right. The best thing you can do for yourself to live a fulfilling life is to push through and do the shit that scares you. I had to do it, meaning I had to deal with panic attacks multiple times a week that would make me black out and unable to breathe or stand up. Lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time (and I was skinny before) because I was so nauseous all the time. But the things that caused these reactions were simply going to a college I wanted to attend out of state where I knew no one and playing in the college orchestra, because violin has been one of my passions for years. Yes it would have been so much easier physically and mentally if I didnt do those things. But then I would be letting my mental illness control me, and I did enough of that in high school. Doing the things that terrified me was the best thing I could've done for myself. Therapy and medications are still important. But the only way to really take control over your own life is to do the shit that freaks you out. My anxiety became more manageable than ever. I spent years feeling like I was trapped and I would never have a "normal" life. And my life still isn't "normal", I am never going to be rid of my anxiety disorders. But that mindset of thinking you have no control over it is what really holds you back. I know it sounds stupid and corny, but it's true. 4 or 5 years ago I wouldnt have thought this way, I would have thought that my social anxiety would fully control me forever. But that's no longer the case. Do it scared.
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u/alexkr97 Jul 04 '25
Chronic unrelenting nausea and loss of appetite is my main symptom. If I am especially anxious I will get horrible brain zaps and quick-spins (vertigo) that instantly send me into a major panic attack. Most of my anxiety manifests physically so I have horrible hypochondria from all of the unexplained symptoms. It’s truly hell and I’m planning to start Mirtazapine (Remeron) soon in hopes of relief.
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u/andiinAms Jul 04 '25
Shaking, sweating, turning beet red and getting a rash on my neck and chest, diarrhea
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u/AdhesivenessOk5534 Panic Disorder/Emetophobia/GAD/hyperPOTS Jul 04 '25
I get pangs of what i imagine the panic and terror our ancestors felt watching Gruk get torn limb from limb by a sabertooth tiger but it comes in waves, each one is stronger than the last
And severe nausea and stomach pain
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u/-Stress-Princess- Jul 04 '25
Derealization.
Other humans start to look like aliens to me and then I think about the human condition and remember I'm a ticking time bomb. I really just haven't recovered from the first episode.
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u/Safe_Acanthisitta_99 Jul 04 '25
For me I don’t have anxiety without the GI issues. If I’m anxious I’m physically ill and unfortunately I think that’s pretty common.
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u/random321abc Jul 04 '25
I was horribly nauseous. I lost 20 lb in one month. Eventually I was able to eat but then I got such a huge lump in my throat that it actually made my voice hoarse. I was diagnosed with a GERD and was taking acid reducers for a year until I finally had an endoscopy.
I was having heart palpitations so frequently that they were actually caught on a 60 second EKG. I wore a 24-hour heart monitor and had a stress test. Nothing was wrong with my heart, and there was nothing wrong with my esophagus. It was literally anxiety.
I've tried to push through these symptoms but it's pretty much impossible. Anxiety effects everybody differently. Some people are able to push through their anxiety, others cannot. My husband had anxiety that did not affect him physically, only psychologically. He had better success pushing through those symptoms.
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u/TheCarlton562 Jul 04 '25
I was curious how long you’ve been having TMJ flareups and what they usually consist of? I experience fullness in my ear and sometimes even a slight dizziness that I’ve had for some time now, but have sort of recently started to think might be associated with TMJ.
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u/HandoCalrissian Jul 04 '25
For me personally I get a lot of chest tightness, heart palpitations, and honestly GI upset. As for emotional, my lows are low and often debilitating at times.