Normal anxiety?

Ask a Therapist Is This Normal?
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Is this normal? I get told I’m paranoid/ always scared.Sometimes , I feel that something is watching me but like it’s actually nothing. I also sometimes think people are talking bad about me and hear their “conversations” but it turns out it’s actually nothing. Another thing is that I get sick most of the time ( eg. Stomach ache, nausea) from overthinking.

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get professional help. i had that when i had a psychotic episode

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Thank you so much for your advice user1138!

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Hey @user1826,

It sounds like you’re dealing with a lot of anxiety and fear, especially when it comes to thinking that others are watching or judging you, and this would often lead to feeling overwhelming, to feel like your thoughts are taking over your body, causing physical symptoms like stomach aches and nausea.

I recognise the courage it took for you to express this, as it can be unsettling to share how you are struggling with these types of thoughts and feelings. Often these thoughts can sound very real. In contrast, these thoughts may be irrational, like thinking people are talking about you when they aren’t. These types of thoughts can make us feel disconnected from others, and the anxiety can leave us feeling isolated.

So one way to help is to ask, “how can we work on ways to challenge these thoughts and see if they truly reflect the reality of the situation?” You may also find it helpful to learn some techniques that can calm your body when it feels overwhelmed—deep breathing, mindfulness, and grounding methods can be really helpful.

It might also be useful to explore the deeper roots of these fears—where they’re coming from and why they have such a strong grip on you. Do you have someone close that you can trust or a counsellor you can speak with to talk about these?

You have taken the first step by reaching out, and that’s an important part of this journey. Take care, and let us how you have been progressing. :slight_smile:

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Hi, thanks so much for replying!

I don’t really have anyone that I am comfortable with talking about this problem yet. However, I have an appointment with REACH.:blush:(I’m a student) I also wanted to ask, is it normal to get sudden shortness of breath when I am angry? Sometimes I experience this but don’t worry it’s not severe.

Thank you!

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Sure! When you get angry, your body starts to react in a way that prepares you to face a problem, kind of like when an animal gets ready to fight or run away from danger. This is called the “fight or flight” response. Here’s what happens:

  1. Your Heart Beats Faster: When you’re angry, your heart starts to beat faster because your body thinks it might need to run away or do something quickly. This can make you feel like your heart is racing.
  2. Your Breathing Gets Faster: You might notice that you’re breathing faster when you’re angry, almost like when you’re running. This is because your body wants to make sure you have enough oxygen to act fast. Sometimes, though, your breathing gets too fast or too shallow, and that can make you feel like you can’t breathe properly.
  3. Your Muscles Get Tense: When you’re angry, your muscles might get tight, especially in your chest. This can make it feel like you can’t take a deep breath.
  4. Stress Hormones: When you’re angry, your body releases special chemicals called hormones (like adrenaline) that help you feel strong and ready to react. These hormones can make you breathe faster, which can sometimes make you feel short of breath.

How to Help It:

If you feel short of breath when you’re angry, you can try breathing slowly to calm yourself down. Try breathing in slowly through your nose for a count of 4, holding for a second, and then breathing out through your mouth for a count of 4. This can help your body relax and make you feel better.

So, it’s normal to feel a bit out of breath when you’re really angry, but with practice, you can learn to control your breathing and feel better faster!

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