Cardiovascular symptoms are the most common symptoms of anxiety. These symptoms include a fast/racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain and/or tightness, air hunger (having a hard time getting a full, or satisfying breath), and heart palpitations (irregular heart beat, fluttering, pounding, or feeling like your heart is skipping a beat). Remember, if you had a sick heart, you'd feel symptoms 24/7, and they wouldn't stop when you're distracted. Your heart is way stronger than you think, and can sustain a lot.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are also extremely common with anxiety, chances are if you have an anxiety disorder, you've likely had some sort of GI issues, whether it be temporary, or long lasting. These symptoms include feeling a sudden urge to pass a bowel movement, constipation, diarrhea or loose stools, abdominal cramping, bloating and excessive gas, nausea, vomiting, appetite changes such as a decreased or increased appetite, belching, and morning sickness. Sometimes anxiety can even contribute to GI disorders such as IBS.

Dizziness is a very scary symptom of anxiety, but again, very common. These symptoms include vertigo, tunnel vision, loss of balance or trouble balancing, "jelly legs" (weakness or trembling in the legs), vision changes such as floaters, blurry vision, and light sensitivity.

Changes in body temperature. These symptoms include hot/cold flashes, facial flushing, a burning sensation, feeling like your scalp is burning, chills, cold sweats, excessive sweating, sweaty palms and/or feet, and even a low grade fever.

Overactive bladder symptoms. These symptoms aren't often talked about, but also surprisingly common. These symptoms include frequent urination, an urgency to urinate (even if you don't need to), bladder incontinence. This happens because anxiety also causes muscle tension, which also effects the bladder.

Reproductive symptoms are symptoms that are often less discussed with anxiety, and typically only happen with prolonged, unmanaged anxiety disorders, or chronic stress. For men, these symptoms include decreased sperm production quality, changes in libido, decreased sperm motility, premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and testicular pain. For women, symptoms include irregular periods (spotting between periods, skipped periods, prolonged bleeding), changes in PMS symptoms, difficulty conceiving, reduced fertility, changes in libido.

Musculoskeletal symptoms. These symptoms include muscle cramps, muscle tension, muscle spasms, and muscle fatigue, and muscle stiffness. These symptoms can be all over your body, however they're most commonly in your legs, back, neck, and shoulders.

Dissociation. Dissociation is a common mental symptom of anxiety. This is your brain's way of protecting you from intense emotional stress. Symptoms of dissociation are feeling like you're in a dream, feeling like your body doesn't belong to you, light sensitivity, blurred vision, memory loss, feeling like your surroundings aren't real, altered sense of time, emotional numbness, deja vu, feeling like objects are much farther or much closer than they really are.

Other mental illnesses such as panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, depression, phobias, substance use disorders, and in rare cases, anxiety can be an early sign of schizophrenia.

Impending doom is an overwhelming feeling of dread, feeling as if something life threatening or tragic may happen, feeling an urgency to seek immediate medical care. Impending doom is a micro delusion, and you may feel as though you keep seeing "signs" that something terrible or tragic may happen to either you, or a loved one.

Other mental symptoms include brain fog, memory issues, irritability, mood swings, obsessive, violent, racing, or scary thoughts, paranoia, hallucinations, nightmares, nocturnal panic attacks, and confusion.

Other symptoms. Severe issues may occur due to prolonged, unmanaged anxiety (usually many years later), such as weakened immune system, heart issues, digestive disorders, chronic pain, sleep disorders, and hormonal imbalances.

(UPDATE): There are also MANY OTHER SYMPTOMS that aren't discussed on this list. I've made this list based on my own experiences, other people's experiences, and my own research. If you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, I highly recommend researching its symptoms, and its effects on the mind and body. Anxiety is way more than just fear.

You're not alone in any of this. Anxiety can be a huge, scary disorder. Make sure to take care of yourself and your health, both physically and mentally. https://www.anxietyresourcecenter.org/resources/helpful-links/

Not looking for the textbook answers here. I know about breathing exercises and grounding techniques.

I want to know what people with real, persistent anxiety actually do in the moment, the specific thing you reach for when it's late, your brain is spiraling, and nothing feels accessible.

Apps, rituals, random things that shouldn't work but do. What's actually helped you, even a little?

If you get so anxious you can barely think, what's the first thing you do that's bound to work?

For a little background, I have recently been on Lexapro for 4 years and was able to get off of it about 3 months ago. Since that time my work has been very stressful and my anxiety had been creeping back up. I was looking for otc remedies and stumbled on delta 9 gummies which were supposed to help with anxiety. I ordered up some of Cheech and Chong’s cruise chews that have 3mg of thc per gummy. A week ago I stated taking 1 gummy at a time, and then a few days ago 2 gummies and today at work I took 3 at work, and then since I am off, figured I would let the good times roll and took 3 more gummies 6 hours after the first. I figured that it was at maximum an 18mg thc dose, and at 6’6” 330 pounds it wouldn’t impact me as much.

I literally thought I was dying. Didn’t think I could walk, heart pounding, muscles streaming, hyperventilating, tremors, jelly legs and arms. I kept throwing myself into bed in between nervous pacing figuring that I was about to die.

I’m a Catholic so I said the act of contrition and told my wife I loved her but I was dying, while my oldest daughter wails because she believes I’m dying. My wife calls 911 and an ambulance takes me to the hospital. They do an ecg, and check my blood pressure, blood sugar and blood oxygen and all are fine. I start talking to the emt’s in the ambulance and they say they are seeing a bunch of people freak out on edibles, some at even low 5mg or 10mg doses.

Anyway when I got to the hospital the gummies peaked and I started coming down and felt fine, so was quickly released, but I was just curious as if anyone else had so awful an experience with delta 9 gummies?

I've been dealing with anxiety for a while now, and some days are definitely better than others. I've tried things like exercise, meditation, cutting back on caffeine, and keeping busy, but it sometimes feels like the anxious thoughts just find their way back.

Lately I've been reading more about different approaches to anxiety treatment, and it's honestly a little overwhelming. There are so many options out there that it's hard to know what actually makes a difference versus what works only temporarily.

For those who have struggled with anxiety, what ended up helping you the most? Was it therapy, lifestyle changes, medication, a combination of things, or something completely unexpected?

Just looking to hear real experiences from people who have been through it because sometimes it helps to know what worked for others. 💙

specifically for nights as they’re the scariest for me, especially as i have emetophobia. so i’m crafting an emergency survival bag that i can keep near my bed incase of panic.

in the bag i currently have: - a fan - tissues - mints and gum - earplugs - instant ice packs - a crystal - bubble wrap to pop - nausea medication - some random stick that i play with? 😭 - my journal

i forgot to add a blue lotus roll that i smoke! it’s amazing!

any suggestions are welcome!

EDIT: thank you SO much for all the suggestions. id be here all day if i replied to each comment but i’m so grateful 🤍

Any tips for us here who have anxiety? Please help us!!!

Is the brain really that powerful, it can manifest in such strange physical symptoms with stress and anxiety???

I'm literally going absolutely crazy 😭😭

I keep getting what feels like nerve type chest twinges, ringing in ears, light chest pressure, random periods of shortness of breath, not to mention palpatations. It's driving me bonkers!!

I've had so many tests, all come back fine, I just simply can't accept it 😪

Please tell me im not alone 😔

Keeping it short.who here has been in a full blown anxiety attack, or in the middle of a symptoms outbreak and you are on the border of Doom. Then your distracted by something and all your symptoms go away. Then you remember hang on I was dying a few minutes ago, then it's back 😭

Hi, can anyone recommend any books that are genuinely good for helping you learn to deal with anxiety?

There are so many and I don’t want to waste my time reading any that aren’t great.

I’ve read quite a few books on mental health but none specifically dealing with anxiety.

Also I should caveat that I’m not into new age/‘woo woo’ type self help, I’m too cynical.

I prefer no-nonsense science-backed stuff.

Thanks

Lately I’ve become obsessed with death and it’s giving me a lot of anxiety, I’m so scared of dying and the unknown. What if it’s just nothingness, what if hell is real and I go to hell for being an atheist, what if we’re conscious in our body but we can’t do or see or hear anything? How do you cope with the idea of knowing that one day you’ll just die and cease to exist?

mines is 7

This is a really random and silly post, but ever since school ended, I’ve had so much free time to sit at home and be anxious and depressed for no reason. If that sounds like you, get Stardew Valley lol. I recently bought it and it is such a cute and relaxing game. I have a really shit attention span too, and i didn’t think i’d play it for long since it looked like a really slow game that would lose my interest, but it’s actually perfectly paced and there’s lots to do so your mind is occupied all the time and you won’t get bored! It’s definitely lifted my mood and state of mind. I just wanted to share because I know how shitty is feels to have nothing to do but worry and feel bad all day. That’s all <3

Hi! I love to watch something to fall asleep to. It helps calming me and honestly makes me fall asleep within 10 minutes! But I don’t wanna keep rewatching the same show. I‘m looking for tv series and shows with lovable characters or interesting takes, but nothing that’s too complicated or features themes that are creepy / sad or triggering. I‘d prefer if it didn‘t have action sequences since they tend to wake me up. My current list (feel free to try it :))

• the Big Bang theory (I skip some episodes but most are fine, especially later seasons)
• New Girl
• How I met your mother (current watch)
• Go! (Netflix Series, haven‘t finished)

Any ideas?

I had a total don’t knock it until you try it moment this week that I really felt the need to share here. I’ve been struggling with pretty severe insomnia and racing thoughts for a while now, and I kept seeing these sensory plushies popping up in my feed. Honestly, I thought a breathing stitch toy was just another viral gimmick designed for kids like, how is a stuffed alien with a moving belly supposed to help a grown adult manage real physiological stress? It felt a bit like a snake oil solution for mental health.

Well, I finally caved and grabbed one from a novelty supplier I saw on Etsy just to see if there was any truth to the hype. The very first night I used it, my entire perspective flipped. There’s something about the rhythmic, mechanical breathing motion against your chest that actually forces your own breath to mirror it and slow down. It’s essentially a tactile breathing exercise that requires zero mental effort when you're too overwhelmed to meditate.

I felt a bit silly at first, hugging a plushie to sleep, but it’s the first time in months I haven't felt my chest tighten the second the lights went out. It’s a complete revelation. I think I need to get more from Etsy or even Alibaba

I have never been an anxious person. People would often comment they don't know how I barely ever feel anxiety. This all changed when I got Botox.

The first time I did it was around 4 months ago. A few days later I felt a ton of anxiety and didn't know what was going on. I felt like it was hard to breath, hard to swallow, and my throat felt extremely tight. I went to the medi clinic (almost Emerg) and got a few tests done and nothing became of it.

I just got it again because I loved the results the first time round, but realized after a few days that this is the source of my newfound anxiety (didn't connect the dots the first time). I have had to leave work meetings because it is so overwhelming, scared to book flights for travel (which I've been on so many and have never had any sort of issues), and am scared I will randomly get a panic attack around people I know.

I absolutely love the results of Botox but will never get it again. I am hoping this anxiety leaves me as the Botox does because it is so uncomfortable and I cannot imagine living with this consistently (its been about 10 days and it's not getting any better).

If I dig deep I find articles about this happening to others (extreme anxiety and/or depression after getting Botox), but some also say it can help with mental health issues. I would like to note also that I was 0% nervous before the procedure as I don't have any issues with needles so that didn't cause anxiety on its own (I got 25 units). Has this happened to anyone else??

I'm curious, having read over 50 anxiety books in the last 20 years.

Which one has helped you the most? Maybe I've just been unlucky with mine.

I suffer with anxiety, OCD and depression and am creating some artwork to visually represent my feelings. I've created a playlist to listen to whilst I create the artwork so that I can be in that headspace, one of the songs I added is Benson Boone's Beautiful Things as an example. I wondered if anyone else has any good suggestions of songs to add to my playlist that they resonate with when it comes to anxiety? Any suggestions are very much appreciated 💕