Ptsd anxiety different from regular anxiety? don't know what to do

[Jik]

I sometimes get paralysing anxiety because of ptsd that swallows everything in my body and makes me feel like I'm in a fever.

If I ever think about anything during this anxiety I start to associate it with anxiety and completely lose all feeling for it and avoid thinking about it so I don't get anxious again.

But this is different from my regular anxiety because of anxiety disorder, which feels physical and manageable, but this feels like a fever that completely purges my body and leaves a traumatised shell.

Symptoms are headaches, weird sweaty pain, feeling completely paralysed with fear and it completely overtakes me and it just won't end now.

Sometimes I just roll over and go limp and let it paralyse me and try not to think about anything good so I don't lose it but that is not working I don't know what to do I keep crying and praying it usually ends but it won't end it won't end it won't end I can't live like this it's like completely paralysing and I know this is because of trauma I don't know what t do in don't take any medication so I can't manage it I'm going to die the only solution I can see is to age regress on purpose but I can't do that I just need this anxiety to end even if you don't have advice or can't relate please please pray for me pray to God to end this

 

[Jik]

I sometimes get paralysing anxiety because of ptsd that swallows everything in my body and makes me feel like I'm in a fev...

I made a proper account after posting this to add that it feels so different than regular anxiety like it needs to swallow something to go away (something good, like a good feeling or a good memory or something that I enjoy) and ruin it forever. I really want to die.

 

[+littlebird]

I sometimes get paralysing anxiety because of ptsd that swallows everything in my body and makes me feel like I'm in a fev...

I don't have any advice, but I want to say I am so sorry you are suffering like this!

Hold on, please don't give up. I will pray for you. May you find answers and the help that you need to get through this.

 

[Jik]

I don't have any advice, but I want to say I am so sorry you are suffering like this!

Hold on, pl...

Thank you sm

 

[Deleted member 541]

I think anxiety is anxiety, there are just different levels of it. I have a low level of anxiety everyday, but there have been times that my anxiety has been so bad that drs have thought I was having a heart attack. Other times numbness started in my mouth, moved to my head and then down both arms.

Yes, anxiety sucks, but most of the time there is a point that it started and if you can find that point, then you can work on what caused the anxiety.

And welcome to the forum!!!!!

 

[Ncfireguy]

No advice, just warm wishes, stay strong!

 

[LuckiLee]

Prayers for peace, safety and comfort.
This too shall pass.

 

[SeekingAfrica]

I sometimes get paralysing anxiety because of ptsd that swallows everything in my body and makes me feel like I'm in a fev...

I agree, it's not so much that it's different anxiety, just different level. Like a mental explosion or overload of sorts. I rarely get the worst symptoms lately, but one night about 10 days ago I got so anxious, I got fever, splitting migrane and feeling like I'll throw up if I eat anything. I was unable to do much for hours and finally somehow fell asleep. At the time I didn't even have anything for headache and I was just praying for things to get better. I needed a whole day to regain my proper energy.
Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Pauline]

Do you feel terror all over inside your body like your muscles ache and hurt and it overwhelmeds you if this is the feeling I get it too it's different to anxiety it's just pure fear heightened to terror and survival feeling I may be wrong but when I get that feeling I have to really ground myself I actually physically hug my body tightly and close my eyes and tell myself I've survived and I'm here and I'm fine I call it body terror to try and calm it you really have to bring your body back in the present moment for me it can take hours or days but if this is what your talking about I hope my reply helped X

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I am so sorry that you are suffering so much right now. I will be praying for you too.

I have different levels of anxiety and sometimes no anxiety and I have an anxiety disorder. Sometimes it get so intense that I feel it physically in my body and then I have to change my plans until it all calms down for me. So sometimes I am utterly useless and I use deep breathing and count and release the breath. It helps sometimes. I also get anxiety attacks too.

I take a medication, not a benzo, for it to calm down sometimes.

I know that if something is surfacing or I am feeling fear, panic, dread, being triggered it can get very intense. I did not always have this anxiety but now it has become a thing for me to deal with quite a lot.

Why do you not take any medications if you do not mind me asking? It is a horrible thing to suffer from and my heart goes out to you.:hug:

 

[Beinghonest]

"Symptoms are headaches, weird sweaty pain, feeling completely paralysed with fear and it completely overtakes me and it just won't end now. ..... Sometimes I just roll over and go limp and let it paralyse me and try not to think about anything good so I don't lose it but that is not working I don't know what to do I keep crying and praying it usually ends but it won't end it won't end it won't end I can't live like this it's like completely paralysing and I know this is because of trauma I don't know what t do in don't take any medication...."

Hi Jik,
Are you seeing a therapist about your feelings and experiences? My heart goes out to you in a big, big way and yes, from my life experience (not a dr over here), what you are describing sounds like flashbacks or maybe panic attacks from ptsd as opposed to "every day" anxiety. The only thing I can say with certainty is that no matter what you read online, you should talk to your doctor to make sure you get the right supports and medical help. They can help you find ways to recognize what your triggers are (they might be happening without you being aware of it now) and how to find calm and your way out of the attack gently and compassionately. This is a health concern that affects the whole body, don't be afraid to go to professionals...they see this all the time, more than we realize.

I want to share a little bit of my experiences with you so that you can understand where I am coming from....then take it all with a grain of salt. You are you. You have your own life history and your own body generating it's own reactions. Be kind to yourself. Xox I am 43 and was just diagnosed with severe anxiety and cptsd this past year. I used to have these episodes where I would get wildly dizzy and off balance, anxiety attack too, and just fall down anywhere. It was very dehabilitating but, at the time, I didn't even realize that I had anxiety. Prior to having to stop work, I was always very against taking medication for mental health reasons...purely based on the stigmas and discrimination society creates about people with mental health illnesses, or the need to demonstrate that I am "strong" and can do this on my own. But I accepted taking a low dose of an anti-anxiety medication and finding the right dose this year has literally changed my life in an extremely positive way. I feel more like myself than ever before. I have been able to calm all the racing thoughts and over time the number of panic attacks that I get is reducing. Before being in therapy, I used to have anxiety attacks all the time and panic attacks "for no reason" or "because I was really stressed and tired" but truthfully, I didn't even realize how often I was having anxiety and panic attacks. For me, panic attacks make me feel as though my heart is going to explode from my body, I get very dizzy, sweaty, breathless, can't speak well, sometimes have a headache...it varies. But I know when I am having a flashback because something will have triggered me into a deeper emotional response that is followed by intense physical reactions (including panic) that are often different based upon whatever the emotional trigger is. For instance, a baby was dropped in a tv show once and I had to race out of the room as far as I could run, my body gave out so that one by one I couldn't use my limbs (felt paralyzed) and I wound up frozen in a fetal position on the kitchen floor, crying, with strangely scattered memories, freezing cold, unable to stand up or walk by myself. Recently, I had one with very strong, burning pains that went on a long time, but I tend to have strong physical sensations when these things happen to me. I think it depends on your trauma.

I try to do certain "mindful activities" when I am in a bad flashback to help myself out of it. I try to open my eyes and focus on something in the room. Personally, I find counting objects very helpful (ex, I count all the blue things I see) or naming things (ex, there's a chair, there's the dog). If someone you trust is with you, maybe ask them to hug you or rub your back. If you are alone, I find tapping on my arm or rubbing the back of my hand helps. Maybe smelling something nice, like lavendar oil? The idea is to use your senses to make you aware of where you are in order to move your mind back to the present.

I hope you are having a good day. I wish I could give you a big hug.