Hey @winterr002 thank you for sharing your story with us tonight, sounds like you've had a particularly hectic day. Whilst public speaking can definitely create a lot of nervous feelings for most people, it does sound like there's a bit more to what is going on with you.
Anxiety and panic attacks look different for everyone, even if they have a lot of commonalities too. It sounds like you have been trying to figure out if what you're experiencing is a panic attack, or more of an anxiety attack, and from the sounds of it, it could be both. It might help you to have a read through this article, which explains in a bit more detail what panic attacks can look and feel like. In any case, anxiety manifests very physically in the body - our minds and our bodies are not separate entities, and sometimes physical symptoms can induce anxious or racing thoughts, and vice versa. And just because your physical symptoms aren't 'crippling', it doesn't mean they're not causing you pain and distress.
It is actually remarkably common for folks with anxiety to tell themselves that they don't have it bad enough to deserve getting help, or that other people have it so much worse. But the truth is, if you're suffering, if you're confused and distressed and always plagued by overthinking and assuming the worst, then you deserve the kind of compassion, kindness, and care that you can get from seeking ongoing mental health support. Even if you're able to handle some situations without feeling too anxious where others have you completely overwhelmed, that kind of unpredictability is stressful in and of itself.
The good news is that all of these things can be worked on, and I do implore you to seek some professional support, if you are up for exploring that avenue. What do you reckon?
