Touchy subject if you are at all shy about potty talk please abstain.

I wasn't sure if i was gonna write this down but i do want to know if this is normal. Everytime i get anxious, close to panic or in a full-blown panic state my bladder and bowels start acting up. Depending on the level of anxiety/panic is it worse. Sometimes i litterally feel like i will have an accident in my pants! And that is a feeling i just dont like! On top of it now, since this feeling is so closely associated with anxiety, everytime i feel the need to go to the bathroom my first reaction is to feel anxious by association. As if the fact that i need to pee ( or more ) means i am feeling anxious. I don't know exactly what is behind all this. I have heard it is linked somehow to the fight or flight response. Also i do not know exactly how to desensitize myself to the fact of not overreacting everytime i feel nature calling. Anyway, if somebody has any ideas on this please let me know :)

School day success

Hi this is me again. I just wanted to share the fact that up to now my day today went well. I feel very happy and proud. I was a good day. I got up and went to school. I managed to get ready in relative calm. Then once in school i actually managed to participate in class discussion and had times here in there where i actually forgot to feel anxious lol (I love those moments when they do decide to show up!). Then i decided to go to the library to do some reading for another of my courses. Now you must understand that the library is on the second florr and that my nemesis the staircase stands between me and my goal. I am a bit out of shape and overweight so as soon as i go up stairs my heart pounds wether i am anxious or not. Then i start reading it as something horrible and give myself anxiety or Pa... But i decided... up the stairs we go. So i hauled myself and my various schoolbag and aparatus up the stairs and got to the library completely winded and heart pounding. So i sat myself down in a quiet corner and i took slow deep breaths and reminded myself over and over again that it was normal for my heart to beat fast after physical effort. That in fact it is healthy for your heart to change rythm to compensate for the effort. And eventually i felt better. So i did my reading feeling pretty happy with myself . Now of course people going by and such made me jumpy but i just took a deep breath and concentrated on distracting myself with my reading. I managed to read 5 chapetrs out of six before i got tired. I was real happy with myself. Now i am home telling you guys all this. I must admit that finding this site was a godsend for me. I really love knowing that some people out there understands how big theese little steps really are. Now i would love to hear all about your little big steps and your big-big steps and all the steps in between just so i can give you cudos. It makes me feel good to write to you all about my success and i wish somebody would share what they are rpoud of with me. I am a long writing (talker) but i am also a good reader (listener). Anyway thanx for your time guys and you all take care :) -Diva

Hmm transition anxiety?

Hi guys diva again,it seems i have many things to understand or share lately. Thank you for your patience with me :) I have this ehrrr i guess i could say symptom... that has been bothering me lately. It is like a fear of transitions. I have found lately that when i keep my mind interested in something, when i distract myself, like with reading a nice novel or some short stories or somthing, i don't tend to ruminate or have stray negative thoughts so much. I mean if my brain is occupied i don't have as much time to think wayword thoughts. So i do stuff that i find interesting and that keeps my brain occupied and then i get tired of it and i want to do something else. But i am terrified of stopping what i am doing. As if the minute i change what i am doing i will be anxious or panic. I figure what i am doing works what if the next thing doesn't ? and then i don't know what to do! Cause if i keep doing what i am doing i feel stuck doing something i am no longer interested in and that makes me anxious. But switching to something new makes me anxious! And doing nothing makes me real anxious! I am not so good at the meditative stitting quietly with yourself thing i am afraid. So i guess you could say i have a slight case of transition anxiety and i have no idea what to do about it... I am not even sure if anybody else has ever felt that way ... I have suffered from Pas and anxiety for a long time but this is the first time i have had this "symptom". Anyway, if there is anything you can share with me or advice you can give me please do. I feel abit at a loss. Thanks so much -Diva

Ok another post! Heart rate checking

Hi there is anothr thing i wonder. It seems i have developped a tic or compulsion or just plain bad habit. But i tend to check my pulse for my hear rate a lot. I am the only one who does this? I just try to discreetly pur my fingers to my neck and check my heart beat. It has become a bit obsessive. I do it when i feel anxious ( which makes things worse cause then my heart is racing and i have proof!)but i do it now even when i am feeling rather calm, just to be sure my heart is on board with me. I am not to sure how to stop doing this. It has been going on for months. I mean what i am looking for? I mean i know my heart is beating! And when it beats fast and hard i know that too! i feel it. Getting proof of it doesn't help me but i can't seem to stop doing it! Am i the only one who does this? and does anybody have any advice? Thanks again guys! -Later and take care! -Diva

Scared

Hiya Toni! Hang in there. I think what you are feeling is quite like what i feel when i am having a panic attack. I feel faint and sick and my head and eyes hurt and i feel scared and silly and all that kinda stuff... It is all harmless tho. Just hang in there and keep breathing deeply and slowly making sure to exhale properly. Try to distract yourself, i know it helps me. I am no professional, but i do have panick attacks and thesse things help me. Like knowing that even tho i am scared and uncomfortable i am safe. Anyway, hang in there and i send you the best. Take care and let us know how you are doing :) -Diva

Ok another post! Heart rate checking

Thanks i will try that. And it is nice to know i am not the only one who does this. I really appreciate this :)

Sleep starts, body jerks when falling asleep

Well as for being sensitive to every little backround noise till i feel like shutting out the whole world i get it too. I just make sure to have backround noise that is soft so it cushions the louder noises. That is what helps me the most. That and taking deep breaths after loud noises happen. As for the sleeping thing i get that too. What i do is i give myself the right not to sleep. I tell myself that i don't have to sleep that being a bit tired is ok. I read and distract myself (nothing that would induce arousal like dancing etc) i read or do something relaxing and eventually i fall asleep. Then i give myself the right to take naps to compensate for the lack of sleep. I find the more i put pressure on myself to sleep the less i do. So just by giving myself the right to have different sleep patterns i take a lot of the pressure off myself. Plus reading softly sure is relaxing or whatever else you like to do . I know a girl she likes to crochet or knit till she falls asleep. And when it is truely too bad and i really need sleep then i take my meds to sleep. But i am always surprised to find that if i don't pressure myself to sleep i end up sleeping. And if i am too tired well a little cat nap is good^^ Also, i haven't tried it yet (but i will) but i hear more exercise during the day (not in the evening) helps you tire your body out for the night. Also i hear that some herbal teas are good for sleep and relaxation. I wish i could help more. Theese are the tricks that i have uncovered in the last few days. I hope they help you in some way or another. -Diva

Sleep starts, body jerks when falling asleep

Well i am glad i could help. I know that your post of congratulations about the shower and tub thing really helped me a lot. I actually felt understood. I thank you again for sharing that with me :)

School day success

Thank you so much Isabella for your support and thank youfor sharing with me that you know how it feels . It feels incredibly good to know i am understood :) Thanks so much and yes i will try and remember :) Have a good evening and take care :)

Sleep starts, body jerks when falling asleep

And the same to you :)