Having fits brought on by anxiety/stress.

[Dead_on_Arrival]

I would have posted this earlier but couldn't find a thread that relates to it.
Does anyone else experience fits at times of anxiety and stress. This happened for the first time last night. I was on the computer and was having uncontrollable spasms and sharp body movements like my arm shooting across my chest and my fists clenching, but I can't speak to my therapist because she's on holiday for 2 weeks. It scared the crap out of me. I have looked it up and this is what I found.

Stress and Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures. A seizure that occurs in a person who does not suffer from epilepsy is called a psychogenic non-epileptic seizure. Although the seizure often appears to mimic an epileptic seizure, it is not caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Often people that have psychogenic non-epileptic seizures are misdiagnosed as having epilepsy. The causes of a psychogenic non-epileptic seizure, also known as a PNES or pseudo seizure, are emotional or stress related. This type of seizure can also result from experiences from the past that seem forgotten but had a traumatic psychological effect at the time.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

Ah-- I do get these sometimes, still.

Years and years ago I suffered from PTSD after an assault and I'd asked my doctors about it but they said there wasn't much to be done about it.
Perhaps that was because I was still considered a child, so they couldn't suggest any medication for it?
I haven't asked recently because I just got used to the spasms so I ignore them when I do get them.

So... sorry, I'm not very helpful; but you're not the only one at least.

 

[Dead_on_Arrival]

They are starting again right now
This is scary

 

[A86]

I dunno about fits. But if I am in a realtivly motionless position (sitting, laying in bed) and my thought patterns work up my anxiety levels, yeah I do have the occansional muscle spasm. Its mainly the fact its involuntary thats scare me. Anyway, I found pacing up and down while going through my thoughts and just generaly working those muscles seems to prevent it. Thats just me though.

 

[Shy_Gurl2007]

I've always felt this way.

 

[awkwardamanda]

I have similar body spasms. I always just assumed it was some sort of nervous tic or mild panic attack. Sometimes it's just like a weird shiver. If I'm sitting or standing, it seems to be more in my upper body, like my shoulders will just shake a little. If I'm laying down, it's more in my pelvis. Sometimes it'll be a quick little shiver and sometimes its more violent and I'll just lay there spazzing for a minute or two. When it's bad like that, I usually feel like I just need to squeeze something real hard, like a pillow, to let the tension out. Then I just wanna cry. It's usually brought on by stress or intrusive thoughts. Sometimes something I'd rather not think about pops into my head and then I'll just spaz a little. But if I'm really stressed or upset it's more intense. This started happening a couple of years ago during my last few months of school. I was so tired and about as stressed as I have ever been. The last push was just brutal. I couldn't take the stress and then this started happening.::

 

[Dead_on_Arrival]

I have similar body spasms. I always just assumed it was some sort of nervous tic or mild panic attack. Sometimes it's just like a weird shiver. If I'm sitting or standing, it seems to be more in my upper body, like my shoulders will just shake a little. If I'm laying down, it's more in my pelvis. Sometimes it'll be a quick little shiver and sometimes its more violent and I'll just lay there spazzing for a minute or two. When it's bad like that, I usually feel like I just need to squeeze something real hard, like a pillow, to let the tension out. Then I just wanna cry. It's usually brought on by stress or intrusive thoughts. Sometimes something I'd rather not think about pops into my head and then I'll just spaz a little. But if I'm really stressed or upset it's more intense. This started happening a couple of years ago during my last few months of school. I was so tired and about as stressed as I have ever been. The last push was just brutal. I couldn't take the stress and then this started happening.::

Do you still get it bad now and have you ever seen your doctor or therapist about it? It sounds like you get it the same way I do. I have mild seizures, not the full blown ones. I am still aware of myself and surroundings and I can still speak. Some people lose all senses for the duration of the seizure.

 

[awkwardamanda]

Do you still get it bad now and have you ever seen your doctor or therapist about it? It sounds like you get it the same way I do. I have mild seizures, not the full blown ones. I am still aware of myself and surroundings and I can still speak. Some people lose all senses for the duration of the seizure.

I've never told anyone about it. It sorta comes and goes. It might happen a few times in a week if I'm really stressed, or at least the more intense ones. Then I might be fine for a few weeks. The milder shivers happen regularly. Maybe a few times a day. Whenever random intrusive thoughts are bothering me. I'm still aware of everything around me. It's not like I'm zoned out entirely.