Lived Experience Forum

[BPDSurvivor]

Very wise decision @BlueBay .

Also, don't forget that whenever you 'see' them, they are getting paid. If it weren't for the sick, they'd be out of a job. So don't look at this that it is not fair on them. It is about you, and what's good for you in the long run.

Hope this makes sense!

[BlueBay]

Hi @BPDSurvivor @Owlunar @oceangirl @Mazarita @Emelia8 @Shaz51 @MDT  and others

What is wrong with me?  My anxiety is currently very heightened.  It's been really bad for a little while.  

I've noticed that whenever I feel slightly sick (light headed, headache, migraine, etc etc) my anxiety goes very high and I talk myself into needing an appointment with my doctor urgently to see if i am really sick or needing more medical attention or even hospital.  I work myself up so much that I actually feel physically sick. And then I do get a migraine, or my blood pressure goes up so high.  

I'll give you an example: - today while at work i was feeling anxious and lightheaded and sweaty.  I then thought in my head 'oh no i am going to faint' the staff will need to call an ambulance; I have then made a scene in front of the customers and staff'.  And then I end up feeling really sick where I either call my doctor or make an appt to see him.

I really don't know how to stop this anxiety fuelled ( thing??) from happening.  I have tried to talk myself out of it by saying 'you're okay, yoiu will be alright'.  But it somehow doesn't work.

I'm not sure this makes sense?? Can anyone relate? 

Any suggestions from others, i would love to hear.  This is causing me to seek my doctors reassurance all the time.

I feel really terrible in saying this - but i don't know who to talk to.

[TheVorticon]

Hey @BlueBay. It definitely does sound like a typical anxiety thing - where you start getting worried about something you're feeling, and then the worries compound to increase the symptoms and make you feel worse. I'm not sure of the best way to treat it, however I've heard that some therapists guide their clients through exposure therapy - where, when the client notices the first signs of feeling anxiety, they're paradoxically meant to try and increase the symptoms and then notice how the things they do/think can increase or decrease the symptoms from an observer perspective rather than being caught up in the worry. I'd recommend raising it with your doctor and your psychologist/counselor if you're seeing one so that they can offer suggestions when just trying to reassure yourself isn't helping.

[BlueBay]

Thank you @TheVorticon  for your reply. Appreciate the feedback and advice. I do have a psychologist appointment tomorrow so I will bring it up with her. I'll let you know how it goes and what she suggests. 
I've noticed I've been like this for a while it's not a recent thing. 

[TheVorticon]

Glad to hear that you've got a chance to talk about it with your psychologist tomorrow @BlueBay 🙂 I hope it goes well and that she has some ideas on how to improve things.

[oceangirl]

Hi @BlueBay 

Glad you reached out here for support my sister. And you have been well supported by @TheVorticon .

I find normalizing my feeling helps to reduce my anxiety. I do know, I am more prone to anxiety if my stress levels are higher. Perhaps working on, and reducing your overall stress levels. Because it will reduce the amount of times this is occurring, and you will be thinking more clearly when it occurs, and more likely not to be has severe or last as long. You will be able to put in strategies to help  manage the situation and your anxiety.

And trying to understand what is happening for you- have you had a bad experience in the past or someone close to you- for example you had not been taken seriously or something was not picked up. I know I am quite anxious about blood tests because something was not picked up by the Dr and it was abnormal result and now I want to check myself. I am not sure if I am explaining myself well here. Sometimes its hard to know what to do for the best- trial and error approach (action) and combination of stratgies - reducing stress levels, self care, normalizing feelings. 

[BlueBay]

Hi @TheVorticon no my psychologist really didn't give me any advice except for trying to not believe my thoughts???

maybe i need to speak to my own doctor or my psychiatrist 

i don't know.

Hi @oceangirl 

i just googled anxiety reg. health and do you know what first came up - hypocondria!!!

Is that me?  Am i really that bad that now i am an hypocondriac!!

Tonight is not a good night for me to believe this

I'm not really like this; all i seek is support, care and someone like a doctor does that.

what the hell is wrong? why am i so bad like this?  

i give up

@BPDSurvivor @Owlunar @Mazarita @Emelia8 @MDT 

[BlueBay]

even my psycholgoist told me today that people with BPD do switch doctors; they go from one to another to another - 

great - this is me.

[BPDSurvivor]

@BlueBay ,

Hence it was discussed you stick to one. Remember i mentioned 'doctor-shopping'? That WAS me, but I knew it wasn't good for me, hence I fought my natural desires and now stick to one GP. Otherwise I was always tempted to conveniently "get what I wanted" from every doctor.

Your choice, @BlueBay . Do what works for you. If seeing more than one dr works for you, I don't see why you should stop. But if it's not working, consider alternatives.

Hugs,

BPDSurvivor

[MDT]

I'm sorry to hear it @BlueBay
Truly.
I don't know what to say im sorry 😕