r/therapy 11h ago

Advice Wanted Help!

I have been dealing with intense anxiety since last 3-4 months. I don't even know how I am keeping myself alive right now. Everyday feels like a different battle with anxiety. No one except for one of my friends knows about this not even my family. I don't even know what's going on with myself. I try to distract myself and be happy but it all just feels fake. The inside of my mind is one big chaos. Every sensation in my body triggers a panic attack because of health anxiety.

The physical symptoms started with mild left leg edema which got better in 2-3 days. Then there is my heart that feels like it's beating in every part of my body. Tingling sensation in my left leg. Random twitching in my body. I don't know why I feel like this but there is a tugging feeling in my left throat/neck/jaw like something is there but isn't really there. It kind of feels like my throat is closing up from the left side. Shortness of breath. Focusing on my breath so much that it becomes difficult to breathe. Tightness in the chest. Muffled feeling or mild tinnitus in left ear. I can't even differentiate between what I am actually feeling and what anxiety is making me feel. I was quite literally just cooking with my friends and I wasn't even feeling anxious but all of a sudden there was this tightness extending from my left jaw to chest. I am running out of words to describe the sensations I feel on a daily basis. I feel overwhelmed all the time. I get anxious over the smallest of things. I have developed terrible health anxiety too which I can't even describe. It has put me through hell. I am constantly googling and reddit-ing symptoms for serious illnesses. Sometimes I get so freaking convinced that I have it and it scares the crap out of me. I feel like going to a doctor who can do my complete body checkup and give me reassurance. My mind is barely at rest. I sleep with anxiety and wake up with even more anxiety. I can't do any chores or work properly. I don't know how to seek help. I am 19F living with my parents. I am just a student. I've got no money to directly seek help without telling my parents about it which feels like a completely different anxiety inducing task altogether. I have OCD which makes everything even worse. I want to be happy and healthy but I can't help but feel that happiness is just a fleeting feeling. I want to be truly happy in the moment and continue to be so without anxiety or anything else stealing it from me.

I would accept any kind of advice, suggestion or moral support right now.

Thanks!

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