Saturday, June 23, 2012

Up Next: Over Sensitivity to Smells

Weeks after my panic attack I was still suffering the aftermath.  I couldn't drive my car unless it was for a trip to the grocery store - which were very few and far between.   During my 1.5 mile drive to the grocery store, I was in a constant state of panic.....waiting for my heart to start coming through my chest and waiting to feel as though I was being suffocated.   Not only was I in a state of constant panic about having a panic attack, I was now noticing that I had a major over sensitivity to smells.

Any time I would smell exhaust or gas, I would feel like it was going to send me into another deep state of panic.  This lasted over one year.

I realize now, that those smells were much more potent to my nose for whatever reason.  I'm certain that Lyme and I'm sure anxiety disorders on their own heighten many of our senses.  It could be that we are just overly aware of everything around us due to our panic, but I believe it is much deeper than that.  There is something else going on in the brain that I don't think is fully understood in the mental health/medical world.

Three years into lyme, this symptom has diminished.  Smells no longer throw me into a state of panic.  Actually, it's rare that a smell even bothers me anymore.  This is one of the little things that I need to celebrate.  Thank goodness that this symptom is gone!  Now I have to work towards eradicating the plethora of other symptoms that cause major pain and suffering on a daily basis!

No comments:

Post a Comment