health anxiety - aargh!

[gingerbreadgirl]

I never used to have health anxiety - in fact I used to be far too casual about my health! But since beating many of my other obsessions, this new one seems to have emerged and it's doing my head in. My question is, can worrying produce actual physical symptoms? Or does it just seem that way due to hyper vigilance?

[Ascend]

You knoooooww the answer.

[gingerbreadgirl]

Actually I don't know the answer to this one, I can see that anxiety I'd at play but I'm not sure if the extent to which anxiety can produce physical symptoms (i.e. psychosomatic causes)?

[Ascend]

Well, what physical symptoms are you having?

[gingerbreadgirl]

For example right now it feels for all the world that there's something stuck in my throat and it's closing up. I don't logically think that's the case (as the feeling only arises when I start worrying about it) but I find it hard to believe I'm imagining it either. I know a lump in the throat can sometimes be a symptom of anxiety attacks but I'm not really experiencing any other physical symptoms of anxiety. I've had the same issue with thinking my chest is closing up and there's a lump in my abdomen,and the symptoms always disappear once a new worry takes over so I know they're not "real" but I guess I was just wondering if the act of worrying can actually produce real symptoms or if I'm just imagining the whole thing! If that makes sense? Thanks! x

[Ascend]

Well by the way you worded that response it sounds as though you're attributing it more to your anxiety rather than an actual physical problem. Why not just go with that?

[gingerbreadgirl]

Thanks ascend. Yes I guess you're right. It'd just hard to believe. But then it always is!

[Guest Soldiering on]

For example right now it feels for all the world that there's something stuck in my throat and it's closing up. I don't logically think that's the case (as the feeling only arises when I start worrying about it) but I find it hard to believe I'm imagining it either. I know a lump in the throat can sometimes be a symptom of anxiety attacks but I'm not really experiencing any other physical symptoms of anxiety. I've had the same issue with thinking my chest is closing up and there's a lump in my abdomen,and the symptoms always disappear once a new worry takes over so I know they're not "real" but I guess I was just wondering if the act of worrying can actually produce real symptoms or if I'm just imagining the whole thing! If that makes sense? Thanks! x

These are quite common psychosomatic ones for me.

They're often related to heartrate and that's the first thing to accelerate

in moments of anxiety.

[FoosBoo88]

I used to obsess about having a heart attack, when I thought my heart was beating too slow and I had to speed it up before it stopped, it sped up. If I was waiting for a beat because I thought it stopped, suddenly it skipped a beat. Then I'd have to move fast make my heart beat. At that time, I was just diagnosed with anxiety, now I can see it was classic obsessions and compulsions at play.

I also have had aerophagia (swallowing air) for many years because I thought I wasn't getting enough air.

You know how anxiety works, the more notice something, the more it becomes important. Really, I cannot emphasis this enough because it worked very well with me and my health obsessions. Distraction, distraction, distraction! You can't do a 1000 piece puzzle AND think about your health, I guarantee it!

FoosBoo88 x

[gingerbreadgirl]

Thanks for the help everyone. I did manage to apply distraction at work. Trying to plan some nice things for tonight now. OCD is such a pain! X

[Guest fand4eva]

I have the same xx

[gingerbreadgirl]

I have the same xx

Rubbish isn't it xx

[Guest Tricia]

I used to suffer this badly. I was forever feeling my throat closing. I think that, along with most 'symptoms', is down to the power of our minds. I recall my mother listening to Woman's Hour once, when a doctor was describing the symptoms of a particular disease. As the doctor went through a list, my mother immediately felt the pains etc. The mind is so powerful, if only we could control it and put it to more positive use!

However, worry can certainly cause health problems. Psychosomatic conditions are very real - like fast heart rate, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches etc. Stress hormones are far from healthy.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Tricia

[Guest Adam Samson]

I think hypervigilance can increase real physical pain. I was taught at school that when pain receptors in our bodies get stimulated, an electrical message travels to our brains, but on the way the message has to get through a number of gates (called neural synapses), and it will only get through the gate if the impulse is stronger than the threshhold of the gate. Otherwise our brains would be continuously bombarded with thousands of messages - the gates protect our brains from information overload. Only the strongest messages get through and we don't notice the weaker pains. However, the threshhold of a particular gate can vary over time. If you focus your attention on your left foot for example, all the gates between your left foot and your brain decrease their threshhold, with the result that electrical impulses from your left foot are more likely to reach your brain than they would normally. This means a pin ***** on your left foot will feel more like a knife incision than the same pin ***** on your right foot. It's not just that the pain seems worse but your brain really is being hit by an increased barrage of electrical pain messages. (This has implications for me with my obsession about damaging my tongue.)

Well, that's what Mr Bagguley taught us in Biology class anyway!

[gingerbreadgirl]

Thanks for all the posts guys - it makes total sense that my mind is just making it up Adam - what you said about the more neural signals getting through because of hyper focus makes so much sense.

The throat closing up thing is back. I keep thinking things like 'it's closing up completely, I'm going to choke' etc etc which as you can imagine is doing wonders for my anxiety!

What I find so confusing is that I can know, with pretty much total certainty, that anxiety is causing this problem - and yet on the other hand I can't feel that and so I keep on worrying about it. I keep digging my thumb into my throat to feel around for something there, which then makes it feel odd and the cycle continues.

Aargh!!

[Guest Saz]

Hi ginger

Sorry your feeling down and anxious.

That very comment were you said 'know' pretty much that anxiety is causing the problem but you can't 'feel' that it is-that's the key, that's what ocd is all about and that's exactly what I experienced.

I feel for you because you are one of the ones that everyone looks up to, I certainly do, your advice is always amazing and you spend so much time helping others. You now need some good advice and support and I hope I can help.

I am far from recovered from my episode but I honestly think that what you have described is just another horrible angle which ocd is working. It's simply your imagination playing tricks on you. For example if I read in the paper an article about a brain tumour you can bet your bottom dollar I will have all the symptoms. I remember obsessing about moles on my body convincing myself of the worst case scenario and same with the whole std's thing! I think if your an anxious person your naturally going to think in a kind of negative way.

I would re-read your comment that you 'know' its anxiety and go and pour yourself a nice glass of wine and watch some trash t.v. as a good distraction. x

[PolarBear]

I keep digging my thumb into my throat to feel around for something there, which then makes it feel odd and the cycle continues.

Aargh!!

I shouldn't have to tell you but stop digging your thumb in your throat. It's a compulsion and only serves to reinforce the belief there is a problem.

[gingerbreadgirl]

aww thanks saz that's so sweet and such a nice thing to say.

you're absolutely right, it is so easy to imagine symptoms and then assume the worst. I never used to do this kind of thing,I was always incredibly casual about my health,I have no idea where this has come from.

congrats about your little girl btw, hope you are having a wonderful time getting to know her

polar bear - I know, you're right, as always. have had a stern wood with myself about it! X

[Guest Saz]

I have to admit this has been a learning curve for me. I had no idea that my past behaviours were ocd. I can see that now and glad I can spot it in others-such as yourself.

It all boils down to thinking the worse and awfulising. It's such a horrible way to think, I find it really draining. The main thing is you can recognise what's causing it so hopefully if you don't pay it too much attention it will fade and soon.

I'm ok, quite tired but loving every moment of it. I log on here when she's sleeping - which in the day is a lot-night not so much lol. I still have anxiety about my thought which is a shame, I've been trying so hard to ignore it but it never seems to go and I end up feeling horrible. One day maybe. X

[gingerbreadgirl]

Thanks for your support,saz,I really appreciate it.

This is still causing me a huge amount of anxiety. I have stopped the compulsions such as feeling my throat,and I am trying to distract myself,it's just difficult because my job is the kind of job you can mainly do on autopilot which gives me lots of time to think. I'm finding it really hard to put to one side because the physical feeling is real ( even if psychosomatic) and it's always there even when in thinking about something else.

Any advice? X

[Guest Saz]

Sorry your not feeling much better. It must be harder and more confusing when you can feel a physical symptom. I'd say as long as you are reasonably sure it's the anxiety causing it-I think you said it was earlier in the thread-then apply everything you know to tackle it. So just think of it the same as any other type of ocd/anxiety. Are you going on holiday soon? Try and focus on that maybe or plan some nice things and concentrate on them?? X

[gingerbreadgirl]

I know you're right. it's just like torture :-( I've had to come home from work as the sensation is making me gag :-( nothing seems to distract me properly no matter how hard I try. x

[Guest Saz]

Awww no its just got too much hasn't it. Try and relax now your home and see if it helps a little x

[Guest Adam Samson]

Hi Gingerbreadgirl,

I'm sorry it's affecting you so much. I hope you manage to get over it soon.

One of my problems is that food is a very big part of my life. Mealtimes are the highlight of my day. (I'm not proud of myself for this - I know it's unhealthy and ignoble.) My worst nightmare is that I get cancer of the tongue and have it amputated and then have to take all my food as a liquid through a tube into my stomach. I'm also afraid of damaging my taste buds by eating sharp food such as filo pastry and potato crisps, scalding the inside of my mouth with hot coffee or potatoes, catching my teeth on my tongue when I swallow saliva, etc. My anxiety makes my throat muscles tense up into an unnatural posture which in turn makes it more likely my tongue does catch on my teeth when I swallow. I am hyper vigilant for the slightest sensation on my tongue. I get very upset and anxious if I feel anything slightly abnormal, which I inevitably do more than the average person.

Anyway, sometimes I get relief from my worry by forcing myself to believe the worst has happened. Instead of trying to convince myself that my tongue is unhurt and I'm still able to taste and enjoy food, I surrender to the belief that my tongue is damaged and I'll never enjoy food again. This makes me deeply sad but on balance the sadness feels better than the raging battle and fraught emotions caused by trying to figure out whether or not I really did damage my tongue, and hoping against hope that those unusual sensations are harmless/temporary, and marshalling all the arguments I can muster to try to persuade myself all is well. The fierce battle to resist anxiety (by persuading myself all is OK) is more unpleasant than the thought that I will never enjoy food again. So for me, to accept that the worst has happened brings relief from the agitation caused by my battle with anxiety. The ensuing calm is worth the loss of pleasure at the prospect of my next meal.

I'm not sure if this is a good technique to use against OCD? Is it running away and not facing up to it? I'd be interested to know what others think and my ears are open to good advice.

But I just mention it to you Gingerbreadgirl in case you can take the same principle and apply it to your own situation, eg. meditating on the fact that perfect health is not an essential ingredient to a happy life, many people live fulfilled lives with all sorts of health problems, we're all going to die one day, if I die today I wil at least have lived longer than some people and will have had a lot of advantages and blessings along the way, etc. etc.

I hope that helps. Just forget it if it sounds like a load of tosh. I hope you feel much better soon.

[gingerbreadgirl]

No that's not tosh at all, it makes a lot of sense, thank you. The thing is with this is that I'm not worried about anything in particular - and this is why I find it so hard to deal with - I don't think it's anything sinister, I know it's just a symptom of anxiety. I guess what I'm worried about is that the feeling is never going to go away. I know that if I relax it will go, but I can't relax because it's such a horrid feeling, and it becomes a vicious circle. It is awful. I literally don't know what to do. I have rung my GP to book an appointment but I don't really know what they can say. Nothing seems to help. I find it terrifying because all my usual techniques are doing nothing. I feel like I want to throw up whatever is in my throat but I know really that there isn't anything there. Feel helpless x