Been dealing with anxiety for a year and a half...

Hi all, 

This is my first post here, but I've often researched my symptoms and have been taken to this site, and some of the discussions here have really set my mind at ease.  Just wanted to tell you all that you are awesome first.

I'm 24, and have been suffering from anxiety for a year and a half now, ever since I graduated college.  I also tried smoking weed for the first time the summer after graduation, and I think I over did it because I experienced a panic attack about half an hour later.  I was afraid I was going to stop breathing, and couldn't stop shaking.  I was freezing, but needed an ice-pack to calm down.  It was the first time in my life that I had felt fragile.  

Since then, I've had so many symptoms of anxiety that I've lost count.  As soon as one thing goes away, something else comes around.  

I've had:

-dizziness & light-headedness

-stomach pains

-tightness in the throat

-feeling like there's a lump in my throat

-shortness of breath

-feeling like I can't take a deep breath half the time

-random chest pains, due to either the the anxiety or me trying to compensate for my shortness of breath by breathing too deep

-quick, short exhales, like a nervous tick I think

-LOTS of GERD (stomach acid coming back into the esophagus) (rarely a day goes by without this; i drink soda, I know I should stop, and I think I overeat at meals to deal with stress)

-heart palpitations (these are the scariest)

All of this has contributed to an overall awful way to live, and I know each of these cause the other in some way or another.  I used to fear even leaving my house or going anywhere alone, but over time that became easier.  I still enjoy MANY things in my life, I just feel uncomfortable for around half of the day.  To deal with many of these, I have been to therapy for a few months, tried meditation, have taken up yoga, have tried breathing tricks, and have started eating healthier snacks, and have noticed little improvements.  I've been to a doctor about 3 times in the past 18 months, and I check out just fine every time.  No heart problems, no blood pressure problems, no thyroid issues, nothing.

I still suffer from a few of the symptoms in my list above, especially GERD, tightness in the throat, heart palpitations (which usually send me into a frenzy when they hit) and feeling like I have to take a deep breath ALL THE TIME.  I could usually control them or weather them until I felt better, but I recently moved from the peaceful, quiet midwest to bustling Los Angeles, and my gosh this seems like one of the most intense and anxiety-inducing places to live.  It's also been quite sad to leave home, leaving my parents, my friends, my comfort zone, and even my cat.  It's gotten the better of me since I moved here less than a week ago, so I thought I'd seek help. 

I would really love and appreciate any advice anyone could give me, to let me know of any ways to help ease each of my symptoms, to help me survive in this city, and even to share solidarity if you're overthinking things as much as I know I am.  I want to feel better already.

Thanks in advance <3 

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