Anxiety ridden

Posted , 10 users are following.

ive suffered with serve anxiety for about 15 years

i had agoraphobia and i have to take diazepam to be able to leave the front door this all got better then covid happened and i didnt go out again so it all started back up! now when i go into a restaurant cant swallow any food its like i forget how to swallow and then im so scared im going to make a scene and choke its ruining me so bad i feel like whats the point in being here if all i do is worry and panic its no way of living ... does anyone else have the swallowing struggle ?

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10 Replies

  • Edited

    hi. i got covid just over a week ago. i was fine for a few days anxiety wise but then qhen i got the sickness and diarrhea with hit the anxiety started. the isolation and lack of routine amd control made my anxiety awful. im.not able to do normal things atm. i need people with me all the time. i think your swallowing issue is a part of your anxiety. is it worth not going out for full on meals atm?? maybe go for a coffee with someone and build it up. e will fight anxiety forever and this set backs will happen. im here to talk if you need to. i find this really helps

    • Edited

      hiya hope your feeling better now after covid i havent actually caught it yet even though my partner had it and shared a bed with him the lot but i was testing everyday anixous i had it but test were always negative!

      thank you for suggesting about trying a coffee shop first i will give it ago i just find it hard becausr family want to go out for meal on birthdays and other occations and i want to go to be on mt partners arm so he has his fiance with him instead of keep saying no i cant but it effects my mental health so bad after i go and i fail to eat but they always say but atleast your here but to me i just want to feel normal!

      and im always here to if you need to talk how is your anxiety ?

    • Posted

      Hi. please don't feel bad about your mental health. if you had broken your leg and couldn't go walking with him you wouldn't feel guilty. Mental health is harder to battle and lasts a lot longer if nit a life time. Accepting it and learning to live with it is the only option. You have to protect yourself and your mental health. Be kind to yourself. My anxiety is ok today. Im still not eating but feel more in control. Its a long road to recovery and acceptance and kindness to ourselves is the best we can do to help us

  • Posted

    hiya hope your feeling better now after covid i havent actually caught it yet even though my partner had it and shared a bed with him the lot but i was testing everyday anixous i had it but test were always negative!

  • Posted

    Yes, I have had this swallowing struggle in the past when my anxiety was very bad.

    I had it for a long time, and like every other anxiety symptom, once I accepted it and was no longer afraid I would choke or make a scene it eventually passed.

    I started by eating things like soup and yoghourts, then things like mash potato and little by little I introduced solid foods. Plus I noticed that when I was at home and not thinking about it I could eat fine.

  • Posted

    This has happened to me as well! I have had it happen several times. It made my anxiety go through the roof though, it was as if i forgot how to swallow. I'm not sure if my mouth was just dry or what the cause was but it is definitely a scary feeling. Does it happen to you often?

  • Posted

    Yes, I had a hard time drinking water ten years ago with my first experience with anxiety. I said the same thing as you that it seemed like I forgot how to swallow. It felt like I might drown. Nobody understood what I was trying to say. I didn't have a fear of leaving the house. I had no idea what I was afraid of. No clue at all. Just jump up sweating and pacing thinking "oh no" but I didn't know oh no what? I did overcome the swallowing and the anxiety. For me, I did it on my own, not knowing what to do and it took a while but I did it. Don't give up. You will beat this. I know it's painful and takes everything out of you and it seems like forever but hang in there. Some ppl here say that you tube or other sites have anxiety relieving meditation courses you can listen to. I never tried it but they say it helps a lot. I recently had an episode but much milder than ten years ago. I kept telling myself I will think about this later. I have things to do. I can think about this later. It kept my mind from thinking of the same things over and over. Worked for me. Talk to friends and loved ones. Don't talk to ppl you don't care for or ones that don't care about you. It takes time but you will see that the days will get better and better with time. Eventually you will be you again.

    Try doing things you liked to do. Force yourself a little at a time.

    Hope this helps. Wish you well.

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