I’m curious what it’s like for everyone else. For me all the thoughts (the paranoia, the delusions, the extreme negative thinking) are all inexorably linked with physical anxiety symptoms. For example I’ve been obsessively thinking about apocalyptic scenarios and once the thought hits or even a proto-thought that has that same tone my whole body responds. I feel it in my chest, my breath gets short and my skin crawling, which goes on all day long anyway, gets even worse. Even when I figure out a way to resolve the catastrophic thinking for awhile my skin still crawls with anxiety. My body is one big ball of tight muscle. I guess I have some hope that if I can stop the worrying / catastrophizing and establish some kind of routine that eventually reliably reduces the physical symptoms I feel that it’s at least possible I get better. Idk. This has been going on for years. I’m constantly looking for some new technique that clicks. People have praised me for being so persistent but there’s really nothing to be proud of. Anyone who was this uncomfortable would be relentlessly looking for a way out. Idk. If this sounds like you and you somehow figured it out please let me in on the secret.
I get the physical anxiety as well. Not from paranoia but from other stuff. Usually feel it in my legs arms face. Its not fun
Those are the same places I feel it. Legs especially. Is it a constant thing for you or does it come and go?
It depends. Right now its fairly constant as i came out of a psychotic episode not too long ago. So i obsess, worry, catastrophize about doing anything complex. Or ill obsess about time or body position its pretty much ocd.
I was fine like 3 weeks ago but i was probably still coming down from some mania.
I have yet to figure out the secret to stop it.
I try to just accept the thoughts then try to move on. Easier said than done though
I heard one tip earlier today. It’s to respond to any type of catastrophic thought like it was any other mundane thing in your life. Like on an emotional level give it the same value as something that doesn’t matter at all.
Here it is, in case it helps.
I do very very light exercise. I don’t push myself past my comfort limits. My anxiety has turned into anger kind of. Frustration kind of. Rather than the old symptoms you were describing that I used to have. Those feelings were feelings of being wrong as I describe it. I felt really wrong for some reason. And felt like I am in the wrong situation. I am doing the wrong thing with myself. I did something wrong. Oh my anxiety was coming from the spiritual realm. So I studied religion. I was told to stay away from spiritual teachings by some therapists. My anxiety wasn’t coming from feeling others were personally after me personally. But I did have anxiety from a lot of the political things going on. And I told myself I’m just gonna enjoy everything I can while I can. I have developed some kind of faith that helps me. And I respond to medication of course. If I miss one day of medication those symptoms you were talking about start creeping in. So I just go back to full strength and they go away but my body needs a lot of sleep.
This happens to me too. I get these angry intrusive thoughts, usually in connection to my family and how I was raised.
A mood stabilizer and SSRI has improved my situation. Other wise it’s as you describe. Worst feeling ever and no reason to feel it at all is perplexing.
Yes my anger is from the way I was raised. But after deep deep thought. And some talking with a therapist. I realize my life is very appropriate. I still live under my parents rules. I’m still told to do things every day by my parents.