Are you anxious ?

[warriorgirl]

Hi! It’s me, again!

For those experiencing anxiety, we’re you anxious prior to diagnosis or you believe that the CFS Caused your anxiety.

For my part, I am struggling with anxiety since a young age. I also had a couple episodes of health anxiety.

 

[Moof]

Lucky enough that it's not something I've ever suffered with – I feel for you, it must be very difficult.

 

[Shoshana]

For me, I think mostly the CFS causes mine, and past bad life experiences, also.
The times I had anxiety previously, I could use many coping methods that worked. They don't work as well, for me, now, with anxiety episodes that are caused by, or worsened by the CFS neurological conditions.

If I thought my anxiety might be primary, I would try therapies for that, to see how much, if any better, I could get.

However, I think that even if someone had anxiety before, that would not prevent you from getting CFS, it wouldnt make you immune to other conditions including CFS, so one could then have both, and they would each be even more difficult to deal with.

 

[Dechi]

I’ve had GAD from a young age. Just found out about it after ME, but I know I had it very early on on my life, probably as a baby.

 

[Wolfcub]

I think, looking back, that I've had my share of anxiety over my life (65 years) and it's usually been a passing thing (many bereavements....nursing my husband through terminal illness....and other traumas etc) I've usually come through okay without an "anxiety disorder" kind of thing.

But I have to admit, I felt a form of anxiety from the word go with this 4 month whatever-it-is illness. I am still not fully diagnosed with CFS. The symptoms came on out of the blue and were totally physical in nature. But as time went by it began to make me feel somewhat anxious....if you know what I mean.

Also some of the physical symptoms themselves could have been confused with an anxiety disorder. Only I know they were not that. (An inner trembling and shakiness. Restlessness and some sadness.) Restlessness is my usual response to "not feeling well suddenly". I get that for the first day every timein the past I caught a cold or flu or had a tummy upset. The trembling and shakiness felt like when you hold your body in a "stress position" for too long and muscles can't cope and start to tremble. Big difference from primary anxiety.

But yes I have developed now a more anxious feeling deep down, which I never used to have. I do believe it's because my instincts recognise that my energy is so severely depleted I would have a harder time coping with a sudden emergency situation -for example -and I feel that is a rational visceral reponse.

 

[Shoshana]

I do believe it's because my instincts recognise that my energy is so severely depleted I would have a harder time coping with a sudden emergency situation -for example -and I feel that is a rational visceral reponse.

I have that , too. It is difficult and at times, scary, and definitely unsettling, to be realizing that I am not as capable as I might and likely will , need to be, to respond to or to cope with sudden situations, well and fully.

 

[Wolfcub]

Yes @Shoshana , I think we are bound to have some form of instinctive anxiety response when we know deep down we are not capable of coping if we had to rise to some extreme situation for example.
There is a sense of "Being" and when we're fit and strong we have no worries. We know our sense of Being is ready for anything. It's just an instinct and most of the time we don't think about it.

 

[Aerose91]

I'm writing this at 5 am because intense anxiety has kept me up all night. I never had anxiety prior to the encephalitis and subsequently, ME

 

[Shoshana]

SO sorry for what you are going through, @Aerose91

Also I have been thinking of you, @warriorgirl

There are many types of anxiety, I think, and they are all very difficult to hang in there and cope with.

 

[Aerose91]

The organic anxiety is rough because it's not something that you can necessarilly talk or meditate out of. Your brain and body just malfunction and you have to do your best to cope

 

[Shoshana]

I agree. It is even very difficult to remember or to remind ourselves, that it is organic, when it is.

And that the messages, in most or all anxiety, are faulty messages.

Or temporary.

Or sometimes the messages are not faulty, (such as when brought on by an environmental or chemical or mold or allergy issue, smoke or such)
that do or might have solutions, when they do not seem to.