Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
I'm a really big worrier. Worrying is a huge part of my Autism, its caused me so much grief, especially as I've got older. I'm now 21 and it's like I've had a lifetime of worrying. In the last three years alone...
My dad was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, which looks like it's getting worse.
My mum was diagnosed with a brain tumour, we later found out it was benign.
We were involved in a car crash.
My brother had a blood clot on his lung, he is now better.
My gran passed away.
And I keep fluctuating between different states. Some days I'm happy and other days I'm really depressed and sad, and I'm unable to talk to my family about it because I don't like worrying them. I find it relaxing and soothing talking here, and also listening to music and watching Disney movies.
I just worry all the time, I can even wake up in the middle of the night worrying. And I also get stomach pains, chest pains and headaches. The pain varies between a 5 and a 7 but very rarely any higher than that. I always thought I was seriously ill but this year we took me to the doctors and they did a blood test, which resulted in me passing out outside of the doctor's and being found by a woman and her daughter - very embarrassing! Luckily it turned out that nothing was wrong with me, but the pains I get are still very uncomfortable and I don't even know what they are.
Does anybody else here worry and get pains? If you've got any good coping methods I'd love to here them.
Hi - yes I can really relate to what you describe. As a child I got really strong pains in my chest and thought I was having a heart attack. I had lots of ear ache too, and pains in my arms and legs, stomach problems... usually the GP couldn't find anything wrong. I felt like a hypochondriac.
Anxiety and pain continued into adulthood. I would get toothache, go to the dentist and be told nothing was wrong. In the days before the internet I kept phoning my mum to look up various symptoms I was having in her medical encyclopaedia - she gave the book to me in the end so I could look things up myself.
I have begun to work out that a lot of what I experience pain wise is probably due to being hyper-sensitive so I feel sensations in my body very strongly. Also anxiety gives me physical symptoms and when I worry that something is wrong with me this then makes me even more anxious!
This video explains about some mental and physical health stuff that may be relevant. The section discussing health is at about 26:45
m.youtube.com/watch
I usually have quite a few small health problems at any one time, plus a couple of long term conditions that won't go away. I am trying to work on ways of reducing my anxiety levels generally by not putting myself under too much pressure, doing activities I enjoy and asking for information and support if I am worried about something.
Hope this helps a bit.
Sunflower said:I have begun to work out that a lot of what I experience pain wise is probably due to being hyper-sensitive so I feel sensations in my body very strongly. Also anxiety gives me physical symptoms and when I worry that something is wrong with me this then makes me even more anxious!
I am exactly the same, have been all my life and it is only since my diagnosis that I've come to the same conclusion. I've had quite bad back and hip pain over the last few years, recently I had both x-rays and and MRI but neither came up with anything substantial but the pain is very real to me and stops me doing things. I haven't played in a band for the last 3 years partly because of it... and partly because of my difficulties in socialising with band members etc.