Anxiety symptoms manifest themselves in a million and one ways. Whether it’s your thoughts, headaches, or palpitations the bottom line is if you can feel or think something than anxiety can intensify it. The same is also true for your muscles and their reaction to your constant state of anxiety.
When you feel anxiety and tension for a prolonged period of time this will eventually lead to sore and even painful muscles. This type of tension can make your legs feel like big noodles and give you the feeling that your legs are about to buckle from underneath you. But fear not this is adrenaline at work and not some mystery disease.
Even small doses of adrenaline can alter the normal contractions of our muscles. This can cause not only weakness, but also aches, pain or even rapid vibration also known as twitching. This phenomenon can affect your legs, arms, chest, back even your scalp in the form of numbness and tingling. So what do you do?
The best remedy for this very common anxiety symptom is to exercise (click here for ideas). Exercise helps with your aching muscles because it helps to “burn” off adrenaline and allows your muscles to reduce the tension that is causing all the pain and weakness.
Remember that exercise means moderate to intense physical exertion for 30 minutes or more. This doesn’t mean that you need to become an Olympic athlete overnight, it just means that if you’re going to take a walk for example that you make it a brisk walk. Walking down the street slowly and lazily is not going to help much. In addition be sure to make your exercise regiment at least three times a week. And it’s also a good idea to do any exercise with a friend or family member to keep the motivation up. Over the first few weeks of getting active you may feel more sore than usual, but once you build tolerance it will do wonders for your sore and achy muscles. And be nice to your muscles and stay hydrated (drink lots of water).
That’s not all. The increased physical activity will not only help your muscles but it will also contribute to an overall healthier and happier you. As you burn off adrenaline and release endorphins you will create a balance that is conducive to feelings of calmness and peace of mind. Do you hate chest pains? Well exercise will also help with this and any other anxiety symptom related to your muscular system. So don’t be lazy and get proactive about how you feel.
I work with a few diabetic patients that have a high level of anxiety and I just want to add the factors of massage to the treatment of both:
Relaxation: The value of basic relaxation cannot be overemphasized. Living with diabetes is inherently a stressful condition. Fluctuating blood sugar levels put tremendous strain on the body’s systems. The practical demands of balancing intake of insulin or oral medications, blood glucose monitoring, nutrition and exercise can seem like a daunting task for many.
Circulation: Massage increases the circulation of blood and lymph, facilitating the transport of oxygen and other nutrients into the body’s tissues.
Myofascial Effects: Massage works directly with the muscles (myo) and connective tissues (fascia), helping to facilitate greater mobility in the body. This is especially important for the diabetic because elevated blood sugars cause a thickening of connective tissue, which in turn affects mobility and elasticity of the myofascial system.
I just though the readers of this blog might be or know someone that is living with diabetes
I have been living with terrible anxiety for the past 3 years. I have developed aches and pains throughout my entire body especially in all my joints. My neck often feels so tight and painful it is hard for me to get out of bed because i feel dizzy. On my best days i try to be active and even attempt some physical excercise. But the result of my exercise the following days just makes my pain even worst. I know that exercise could be the key to solving my physical pain but i cant seem to get past the initial soreness i feel from pushing myself. I use to take Xanax daily and it seemed to make my body not ache so much. I quit taking it because i knew it was just a bandaid and not a solution to my problems. Should i use Xanax occaisionally if it helps me get to the gym on those days my mind is creating too much discomfort?
I have had to use Xanax on and off for anxiety and panic and a very low dose for sleep
if I wasn’t getting any, once in a while.
But after stopping Welbutin I had to increase the Xanax and was having to increase it which
I believe that at a certain amount you/I started to feel more down. I think it was starting to
make me drag. I was taking one a day but for maybe a month.
I backed off slowly, but ended up starting Zoloft, 25mg.
I am back at the gym after 4 months off which I know I have to never quit the gym.
I need the mental boost.
First step is consistency, just get there and do a little. Give yourself time to build up some strength. Depending on your age, it can vary in the length of time that takes.
I wouldn’t take the xanax to go to the gym, either, but afterward try to get hot bath, extra sleep, pamper yourself a little. If I work-out good, it takes me 2 days to recoup. Not as young as I used to be, but I am building up now. It has been a month and I can tell a difference.
Judi
Thanks Judi. when i was taking xanax i was only taking .25mg 3 to 4 times a day. i was on anti depressants for like 6 months but i really did not like them so i quit. Now i will take like half a xanax if i feel like i cant sleep or am really feeling like crap. I am only 25 years old but i swear i feel like im well in my 50’s. I use to be a workout hound until i went to college. I was really active in sports all my life so it is really frustrating to feel this way. I have been trying to go to the gym and just doing light workouts to build up my strength again. Its been hard but i hope that it will make me feel better in the long run. I already sleep much better than i have in the past i think because i am releasing more testostrone at the gym.
I was.diagnosed.with severe anxiety disorder and depression. I take xanax twice a day everyday & an anti depressant once a day. I have body aches a lot of the times, I don.t even feel like gettin out of bed . I started walkin to see if it helps and its made a difference. I would however love to know if they’re are any alternative methods to help with my anxiety….
I was diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder and depression i take citalapram and propranolol but i feel i’m going mad as i am getting sore left arm pain and i keep thinking i’m going to take a heart attack as i didn’t think that anxiety could give you joint pain i need a bit of advice. thankyou
my name is ashley im 22 , i didnt have the best life growing up but i was always a popular funny cool person, when 911 happened i started developing amxiety , some attacks last for hours some for minuets some for days , right now is the worst i ever had it and actually its a really good time in my life , i tried celexa i tried ativan i tried counsling i tried excercise i just dont know when its comming and thats why im not always prepared , but does anyone get really bad headaches that last for weeks w their anxiety ?
Hi, I just started taking Paxil (once daily) and Xanax (every 8 hours .25 mg) yesterday due to anxiety. I feel like I’m aching in places I shouldn’t be. Knees, under arms, neck, etc. I’m wondering if I’m actually hurting more than usual or if my mind is “creating” these feelings or sensations. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac which does not help. I feel fatigued after taking the meds but no real relief. Thanks for any help.
The best thing you can do immediately is see a therapist who specializes in relaxation techiques.
There are also cd’s you can listen too, but once you learn how to mentally relax your body then your mind you can help youself limit the extent of attacks when you feel them coming. You also have to tell yourself to STOP thinking that kind of thought.
Hi, I’ve been having some odd swelling just above my ankles… And was wondering if it is from my anxiety, or something more serious. Doc doesn’t seem to know. Anyone seen this before? My feet are not swollen but often pretty bad… Please help if you know something…
Hi, I’ve been having some odd swelling just above my ankles… And was wondering if it is from my anxiety, or something more serious. Doc doesn’t seem to know. Anyone seen this before? My feet are not swollen but often hurt* bad… Please help if you know something… Sorry about typo…
Aches and pains are commonly occurred in our life, but if the pains are occurring regularly these pains an be occurred by frustration and stress. Stretching, massage and intake of healthy nutrients can be help to overcome muscle ache and pains.
Does anyone get sharp pains in their shoulders and various places in arms ? It’s scaring me crazy!! I have horrible stress and anxiety and out of the blue all these pains came on! I’ve had a heart monitor and an keg been to ER.. they say it’s anxiety.. I am scared I am having heart problems..
I always get sever stiff neck along with headaches because i clinich my teeth when stressed out. Recently i have been very stressed, but i started having very bad pain and spasming in my calves and now it goes up into my hips. I have been so scared because i have never experienced anything like this before with my anxiety and hope it is nothing bad. Ofcourse i am scared being not even 30 years old with these pains. Anyone have the claf pain and spasming?
Hi. I’m a 24 year old female. For the past month and a half, my life has drastically changed. I’ve always had anxiety and been slightly depressed, but it’s gotten out of my control. It all started with bad headaches and pain in my jaws and neck. I had a migraine for 12 days. It was hell. I had a CT scan, various blood work and neurological exams. Everything was normal. Then I started getting severe muscle tension and my legs would tingle, especially at night. This led to a MRI of my brain and a chest xray and more blood work. In the meantime, my anxiety and depression multiplied greatly. When you feel bad every day, you’re obviously going to be anxious, which leads to more health problems. Now my muscle tension is so severe that my entire upper back, neck and chest is in knots. My spine hurts and I can’t get to sleep at night, which causes even more problems during the day. I dread going to work every morning. I break down and have to go to the bathroom and cry because I’m in so much pain. Every muscle in my body hurts, even my bones hurt. I have tension headaches and my heart pounds at night and I feel like I’m having a heart attack. I’ve had more X-rays of my back, and every single time everything comes out normal. The doctors keep telling me it’s anxiety, stress and depression. I don’t even enjoy being with my family anymore. All my friends and coworkers around me are laughing and loving their life while I stare off into the distance and zone out. I can’t even remember the last time I was happy, peaceful and calm. How can anxiety and depression change my life so much and make me feel so bad? I have no energy to even play with my daughter. I constantly have to tell her ‘Mommy doesn’t feel well today, again.’ It’s embarrassing and I hate it. Can anyone suggest any medication? I haven’t asked my doctor for anything because I don’t like drugs, but I’m struggling to get by. I would like something with as little side effects as possible. Something that will calm me down and cheer me up. I have to do something. The side effects of anxiety are real. They aren’t all in your head. Good luck to anyone who is living with these issues and please know you aren’t alone. Best wishes.
Oh, and yes, Mel, the muscle spasms in my legs are awful. When I get into bed, I have spasms all over my body, but they’re the worst in my legs and back. The only things I have found to be helpful are;
-hot showers before bedtime or a bath
-hot towels on legs & back
– massages
– vitamin D and B12
– glass of wine (if you like wine)
You have to give yourself ‘me’ time. Try reading a comforting book in the tub before bed and give yourself some time to unwind.
Hope this helps. It gives me a little relief since I’m not on medication.
Summer I feel terrible for you and know exactly what you mean. I look at everyone and wonder how they can be so happy and laughing . I always feel like something is wrong with me and once I am convinced one thing isn’t wrong I come up with another . I am very lost on what to do like you are . Right now I am getting muscle weakness and sore spots and I’m losing my mind because of it!
I can say from direct experience that using Xanax and other benzodiazipenes was the worst decision I ever made to address anxiety. They are intended for short-term use, 2-3 weeks tops, a temporary bandaid. Used longer, even at a low doses physical dependency became my demon, followed by slow, painful withdrawal. Hard lesson learned.
I highly advocate getting to the heart of anxiety issues in a natural way, as Paul says, and learning skills that can bring relief, functionality and enjoyment back into ones life. I’d recommend an initial check up with a doc, for reassurance. Then get on with the process, whether with this blog, or a somatic or CBT therapist. No time like the present!
How are you guys feeling? I have health anxiety too. It go really bad to the point where all my muscles hurt me and have muscle twitches i dont know if it is from the anxiety or something else as im still seeing my gp to see if i need to be trasferred to a specialist. It all started after a long period of 3 months of stress and anxiety. But all i need to know is how to get rid of this muscle pain? Im scared to exercise as it usually makes it worse. Also my joints clicks most of the time. Can this be a symptom
Of anxiety?????
I am in soo much pain right now due to anxiety and muscular pains all over my body.I can hardly think straight it is that bad, I am going through a stressful period in my life at the moment, The physical pain in my muscles is just too much to bare….help?? I even have pain in my hands and feet, it is truly unbearable until it wears off sometimes after hours at worst it lasts for days with no let up, constant headache and rushing adrenaline feeling in my body , feels like brain is ticking over too quickly, can’t relax enough to even think straight, every muscle in my body is pained from head to toe, jaw clamps so my facial area, neck and back are in agony.As I am writing this now my hands are so painful I can barely type. I have a bad noisy neighbour and have just broken up with someone and realise this will be contributing to my anxiety being bad at the moment. I just need some reief from the muscular pains….
Does anyone get spasms in their stomach on and off x
Ive been feeling the same way as most of you i had my daughter 8 months ago since then i have gone trough a lot of stress in my life towards the end of December i was going trough horrible stress economically and emotionally with lots of lack of sleep i would get daily headaches but then they got worse and they told me they were tension headaches i then started getting terrible anxiety and panick attacks it got alittle better once i started taken zoloft but now ive been getting joint stiffnes and hand numbness my whole body feels heavy when i walk i thought it could be arthritis or something more serious Im still waiting for the blood results. Im only 22 and i also feel like no one else understands me feel like crying all the time. The only thing i can do now is start exercising try to relax and have hope in God things will get better
Hi everyone,
not sure if here is the right place to post, but here goes anyway. At the beginning of this year i moved out of home, which was more of a relief than anything. However, i had an endoscopy at the end of Jan which i was extremely nervous about. One week after the endoscopy i started feeling dizzy, like extreme, to the point it was giving me panic attacks. This lasted 4 days, went to the ER, they said it was the start of a virus, which i thought was strange. i went home and symptoms subsided, i still felt anxious though for a week after. February month i was completely fine up until march the 17th. I started getting dizzy again, this time worse and it has lasted up until now. At first i was just dizzy feeling and generally feeling anxious about it, to the point after a week i was devastated crying. Have been to three doctors all say it is a virus, they checked my blood for b12, anemia etc. my throat inflamed a little red and have a mild fever. i am now in my third week and it hasnt gotten better, i have severe pain in my back and neck, dizziness, now i feel nauseated and so weak its hard to move, this has been happening for 4 days now. i am a full time student and cant really afford to stop now. I find it hard to believe a virus can last 3 weeks. i have generally been an anxious person and depressed when living at home. Please help! i havent had CT scans/MRI yet, as the doctor thinks its a virus. i dont think they take me too seriously. and when i had a breakdown in the doctors, she believed i had anxiety. but i said to her of course im going to have anxiety i have no idea what the hell is happening to me!
the dizziness is the worse part and the pain. i just want to know if ive developed anxiety from having a virus, though i dont understand why im so thirsty and in pain and get temperature?
any advice would be so appreciated regards
Gabby x
Gabrielle,
I have been dealing with something similar to you and it has me down as well. I have had bad anxiety since 2011 after a bad break up. It started when I felt out of the blue like I was going to pass out. It scared me obviously. Everything checked out and was given antidepressants. Back to 2015, I still have daily anxiety, pills do seem to do much. Xanax works but I take when crucial to function at either half a .25 or max .5mg. It’s even hard for me to go out in large public crowds, I never had that problem ever before.
Jan 2015, just coming off the holidays which are greatly stressful to anyone, I came down with a sinus infection. Feb I came down with another. March I came down with a horrible cold. Now April I have been experiencing horrible muscle spasms, cramps, twitching. It is symmetrical and started in my triceps moved to biceps then to calves and hamstrings. I was terrified, made the worst mistake you can make and googled my symptoms which put me in a deep and dark depressed state not eating and just sleeping as much as I could. Not saying a word to a soul and needing my mother it seemed. I am 29 btw. I wanted to sob, break down, stood in the shower with my head against the tile in a blank gaze.
Blood tests the doctor took all came back normal besides elevated b12 which is urinated out and some inflammation which was a small amount she wasn’t concerned with. Cramping didn’t subside even after being told this which only made it worse mentally.
I started to do deep stretching which helped. She told me to take 600mg of ibuprofen. I still feel tense when coming off ibuprofen. Thinking back, I play hockey but currently we aren’t playing at the moment so I have been idle. Being sick will stress anyone out. Sedentary lifestyles are bad for anyone. A combo of both and being stressed for so long I finally realize that it is most likely my cause for muscle issues.
A lot of times we do this to ourselves with constant worry. I’m just like everyone else, first sign of abnormality is to panic and delve into reasons why asking yourself am I dying. It’s hard to relax but alas that is what we need do.
Hang in there, you’re not alone. Hang in there as best as you can. Try the ibuprofen, stretching, how shower, massaging. Trust me, exercise is the last thing I feel like doing because it makes the anxiety worse during it, but it’s a major factor is depleting adrenaline build up, getting blood flowing, and improving overall mental/physical well being.
Hello, I have been dealing and feeling anxiety since I was 6 yrs old. Being a child that age you know nothing about anxiety and its symptoms. I am now 46 and its only been a few years that I found out what this spacey, anxious, nervous feeling was. Ive read almost every pamphlet and booklet out there concerning anxiety and depression, I have even had personal courses in dealing with anxiety and depressioin. I know and have felt every symptom many people have felt being headaches, nausea, joint pain, dizziness, vomiting,bloating you name it, been there done that. Dont feel discouraged and dont give up, I admit in giving up more than once and feeling like Im the only being on this planet that feels this way, but that is not so, we are very inteligent and perfectionist people. Focus in the present and enjoy it, theres 2 things we cannot change, the past and the future, but we can change the present. we tend to be negative thinkers which creates even more anxiety, but remember its only a thought not a fact. We take things to the extremes and all that “what if” thinking just makes us exhausted and feel like we’re losing our mind but its only our mind going into a break so to say when we have a million things going on up there. We internalize all that energy instead of letting it out for something creative and exciting. I can guarantee you that you will not lose your mind by feeling anxious, look how far Ive come and sometimes I even laugh about the way I feel. I do get frustrated and maybe angry once in a while, we are human and we deserve to feel good or at least normal right? I hope my posting and experiences help people like myself dealing with this, remember its a disorder not an illness, best of luck and God Bless Everyone.
I am posting to offer hope to those who are experiencing physical anxiety out of the blue for no apparent reason. In 2012 I started have horrible anxiety, panic attacks, muscle pain, headaches, dizziness, stomach aches, bloating, insomnia, racing heart, loss of appetite and brain fog. It was hell and I thought I was going to die or just go crazy. Definitely quality of life was non-existant. I had just turned 43 and never had problems like these before so I assumed is was perimenopause. Twice the anxiety was severe enough I went to Urgent Care and suffered the judgemental looks of the medical staff thinking I was there just to get my fix of drugs. Of course most doctors looking at my list of symptoms will say it is stress or GAD. I found out I was hypothyroid, started on Synthroid, but still had symptoms. I went to a psychologist for the first time for help and was given a bunch of printouts on how to breathe deeply, avoid caffeine and how to have better sleep hygiene. I kept a food diary because I had the hunch there was a relationship to food somehow, but no patterns showed in my notetaking. Sometimes it seemed worse during allergy season. Sometimes an allergy pill seemed to help so I went to an allergist and was tested for various allergens but nothing came back positive. I stopped gluten, caffeine, alcohol and sugar. The symptoms would wax and wane but often felt severe. I wasn’t getting answers from doctors so I researched and researched on the web. Finally I came across Histamine Intolerance or HIT. Every one of my symptoms is also a symptom of HIT. Most doctors in the US are unfamiliar with it. But this is what happens: Many foods we eat naturally contain histamine, but it is especially found in higher amounts in aged or fermented foods. We have enzymes in our gut that breaks down these histamines found in food. If we don’t have enough of these enzymes, the histamine runs rampant and here come the horrible symptoms. There are various reasons this enzyme can get depleted. Luckily in my case the solution is simple: Avoid overindulging in the offending foods (google for a list) and/or take enzyme supplements. I am amazed about how easy a fix it is compared to the severity of the symptoms. I feel normal again, something I was beginning to doubt I would ever feel again. If my case sounds similar to yours, please do some research to educate yourself about histamine intolerance. I hope this helps!
Have got all them symptoms that I have read stiff neck pain in legs I think I need to go walking and relax more as I work too hard and also a good idea for relaxing is to go to church when it is quite
I too have suffered anxiety for years. A couple of months ago I started getting weird sensations in my arms and legs. Not pains..more heavy feelings. Yesterday I woke up with a panic and the pains in legs started again. Also brain fog and extreme fatigue. This morning i woke up feeling like id ran a marathon in the night. I was wondering if anxiety could cause pains in limbs, and after reading your comments on here it looks as tho it can. I’ve not done the normal thing and look on Dr google…so I’m putting it down to being anxious. I had a full body MRI 6 weeks ago so everything is clear. What have you all done to ease the pains?
A few years ago I started having anxiety and had tests to find nothing except Mitral Valve Prolapse. It is mild but my heart would race to the point that I would need a beta blocker. I felt good while on it and no problems except the occasional anxiety but nothing bad. My heart dr wanted me to stop it as he found no reason for me to be on it anymore. However, now it has been 7 months from stopping that I am suffering right now from the muscle spasms. I’ve been under stress lately and spoke to the cardiologist and they haven’t said much. I’ve been trying to walk most days. I just went through a month of hardly any sleep to all of a sudden crashing hard. However, my child has now started waking me at night and I feel worse in the morning and it makes my muscles feel that much more worse. I have started taking vitamins and did an adrenal cocktail that has helped me sleep some. But it’s hard when you’re a stay at home mom and have little help. I went to the dr and had labs drawn. Everything checked out except for low potassium but it has straightened out. I am thinking of trying L Thea to see if there are any benefits from it. The dr prescribed Zoloft and I took three days of it to find it made my anxiety worse, stomach cramps and diarrhea to not being me at all and a weird all over sensation. No thank you! I have been doing meditation and listening to tracks for sleep. It has helped some. We’ll get through it as everything else but it may take time.
Hi.. Hoping I can maybe get some answers if anyone else feels the same way I do… For the past 3 months I’ve been feeling day in and day out pain just about everywhere in my body mostly in the back up and down and in between.. Pain in legs and especially upper arms..it will go from my back to my neck then down to my upper legs and shoot up to my upper arms. Some days I get upset because I don’t no if this is something I have to live with on a daily basis. I have suffered from anxiety and depression for quite sometime now.. My biggest concern is the muscles aches and spasm and throughout the day feel nauseous here and there. This is the first time I’ve ever felt such physical symptoms and most days it gets unbearable.. It starts as soon as I wake up to the minute I go to bed…does anyone else feel this way ? Please if anyone can answer that I would much appreciate it.. Thank you kindly
I have suffered from bad anxiety since March of 2015 (close to year now). It all started when I had trouble breathing, felt a weakness in my arm, and strange chest pain. Panicked, I thought I was having a heart attack, so I went to the ER. They did an EKG, chest X-Ray, blood work, CT scan of head and neck. Everything came back clear, and they referred me to a neurologist for possible peripheral neuropathy due to my weak feeling arm. The neurologist ran more tests: nerve conduction test, EMG, more bloodwork. The only thing that came back was slightly elevated ANA. I was sent to a rheumatologist. The rheumatologist was not concerned with the slightly elevated ANA levels, but tested me for vitamin D deficiency due to my muscular symptoms/issues. I tested for slightly low vitamin D, and was put on Vitamin D supplement. During this whole time my anxiety about my health was at an all time high. I went from thinking I had some neuro-related disease like MS, ALS to thinking I had cancer. I developed a lump in my throat, difficulty swallowing, acid reflux, no appetite, weak feeling, random aches and pains, twitching. I went to an ENT to see why I was having such difficulty swallowing (scared of cancer again), and was diagnosed with acid reflux and put on Nexium. I also went to a gastro doc who did an endoscopy and abdominal ultrasound to see what could be causing my symptoms, but everything was clear. I felt better after a few weeks on the Nexium, so most of my acid related symptoms have decreased. The thing that has persisted the most has been the random aches and pains. I have lost more than 30 lbs. since this all started, and have been worried about cancer because of the lost weight (it’s an endless cycle!). I have felt a hard lymph node in my throat area that is still there, and it makes me even more concerned about cancer. My ENT seems to be unconcerned with the hardened node, but my anxiety is never ending. I have good days and bad days. Now, more recently, I was diagnosed with mild anemia a few weeks ago so I have been on iron supplements. My new symptom is being light headed and dizzy throughout the day which I attribute to the anemia, although I am not sure if it could be another symptom of anxiety. I have started therapy recently which I hope will help. I am trying to battle this without drugs because drugs themselves give me anxiety about side effects. It helps me feel better that a lot of other people have these physical symptoms related to anxiety also.
How about some follow up with the people on here , I know it may seem weird , but I have bad gad, and I get palpitations and sore arms and legs, and it’s weird, I only feel sore when I think about it , if I get in the zone while working , moving things , playing on computer , or cleaning , I feel normal , if I am on my Ativan , I feel normal , but when I become ” aware” as you could call it, it when I start over thinking things and become aware of every little thing , so my forearms and legs will feel sore, I don’t get it , I am fighting hypocondria and anxiety as much as I can , some days I win , some days the anxiety wins , it don’t make sense and sometime I feel like I am going crazy , I don’t like being on the Ativan , so I am off of those for 14 days now , only been feeling sore in my arms and legs the last month , ever since I got real bad flu with a fever of 40.1, before my legs soreness ,I was always thinking about a heart attack and and the palpitations I would get , i have had anxiety for the past 6 years real bad , but I have had it my whole life , if I read this out loud I would probably think I’m crazy, it’s good to have a solid friend to talk to about this to be able to level you out , the last 3 days I have felt sore on and off, the 3 days before that I felt great, then everyday before that it was on and off, if I take my Ativan , I rarely feel weak or anxious , sorry for ranting , I’ll leave now, a follow up from you all would be nice since I seen people were posting in 2014, and now it’s 2016, how was the last year or two for you, and symptoms remain ? Or did you break the spell ? Let me know my email is WFHS91@hotmail.com, also I am 24, I have beat anxiety several times , and it keeps fighting back .
So in 2012-2013 I had a slipped disc in my spine between L5-S1. It’s 2016 and it’s been completely healed since then. No neurological symptoms. However, I was constantly paranoid about re-injuring ever since. I kept all my movements at a low flexibility. Wouldn’t bend down reach my toes or twist in a whole bunch of ways etc. I did get into the gym, tennis and basketball. I still felt very active and everything was all good, despite that paranoia. But in 2015 i felt a twinge in my hamstring and I dont know why.. BUT I PANICKED! After I started panicking, my hamstring felt tight, my calves started feeling tight, my big toe would cramp if i thought about it too much. It was terrible. Everytime I did a quick run, like up the stairs to change train platforms. All the muscles in my legs would be so tight, I was so terrified that If i moved, my whole leg would cramp and I would collapse. I was so scared, I decided to sit down more and avoid almost all phyiscal activites. And yes then there were other panic symptoms such as heaviness, tingling in hands, hot and cold sensations. At one stage my foot felt frozen and the shower didnt even stop the feeling.
Now if I was distracted, all these symptoms would be absent, but If i focused on my body in any way, any symptom was possible. I still suffer with some of these symptoms. Now i don’t want to be too far from home incase my legs give out on me and im stranded somewhere. I have all these irrational “what if” thoughts.
I am depressed because I want to be active again. I want to run freely without thinking my legs are going to spasm and get super tight. These limitations and fears that my mind has caused me are taking my enjoyment out of even the simplest things In life. I fear the symptoms of my panic. My psychologist told me to do “exposure” to delibrately but me in the situations that will cause my panic symptoms to flare. To do the activity, feel the feelings and realise that I’ll live through it. Yes we know that, the panic attacks cant kill us. But the symptoms are scary. But from what I’ve learnt, as long as you’re afraid of the panic symptoms, they will always come back. Exposure to the symtoms did help. But only temporarily. After I left a job I had, I was no longer distracted, so the symptoms returned. Life is hell now for me. I wonder if courage can save me. For example, to keep running even when I feel like my legs are going to cramp. I’m afraid to stop over that barrier though. I’m terrified of the unknown. I am also a hypochondriac. I’m sure most of us here are.
But one thing I do know, all these symptoms are caused by the flight/fight response, not from any actual illness. Even the smallest amount of adrenaline can cause abnormal muscle contractions, tension, muscle weakness, dizziness… feeling sick, honestly any symptom. So now we just have to break away the fear of these symptoms. Stop being afraid of the symptoms, then you gain control.
Ive been feeling an indistinguishable route from the majority of you I had my little girl 8 months prior from that point forward I have gone trough a ton of worry in my life towards the finish of December I was going trough repulsive anxiety financially and candidly with bunches of absence of rest I would get day by day cerebral pains however then they deteriorated and they revealed to me they were strain migraines I at that point began getting unpleasant nervousness and panick assaults it showed signs of improvement once I began taken zoloft yet now ive been getting joint stiffnes and hand deadness my entire body feels overwhelming when I walk I figured it could be joint pain or something more genuine Im as yet sitting tight for the blood comes about. Im just 22 and I likewise feel like nobody else comprehends me have a craving for crying constantly. The main thing I can do now is begin practicing attempt to unwind and have trust in God things will show signs of improvement
Had a heart attack a few years ago and have chronic angina and coronary artery disease and every since them I have had anxiety. Tremors. Aches and pains daily. Insomnia. Dnt know what to do most of the time