Physical pain related to emotions?

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I am not quite sure how to word the title......but I have kind of this issue and I was wondering if it sounds like an aspergers/autism issue. Anyways sometimes if I experiance sudden painful emotions I kinda get a physical reaction. Like if someone says something really hurtful I get this weird combination of increased heart rate and chest pain and kind of a feeling of being about ready to explode. It is kind of hard to describe but I've never found any information about anything like this.

So I guess I am just wondering if anyone here has experianced anything like what I am talking about........and how you cope with it or what you do about it. I'm kind of sick of it, makes me feel pathetic.

It sounds more like part of your PTSD. You did say you have PTSD, no?...

I have depersonalization which is the opposite of what your body's probably doing. Its funny what your mind can do to your body.

I get that feeling in my body. It can be quite painful rather often. PTSD can be an issue but also sensory hypersensitivity. So when something happens on an emotional level it's always magnified ten times more for me than it should be and I have to clamp down even harder to handle it because I'm an introvert I think. Trying to breathe and taking breaks a lot is good otherwise it can really tax your health.

I thought that was normal...

I don't see anything normal about it. It's painful.

What you described is called a "panic attack." This is a real condition brought about by extreme emotional distress. People have several things that they can do when under extreme stress. They can stay put and deal with the problem as effectively as possible, like someone standing off a saber toothed tiger with a spear or arrows. They can "freeze" to try to melt into the background for safety, so the Tyrannosaur won't see us. Or we can try to run away, to get out of reach of the danger. Sometimes though, either none of these responses fits the situation, or we are unable to pick among them, and go into emotional panic overload mode. That is a panic attack. Because something, no matter how serious, or how trivial, has badly upset us, our bodies ramp up to deal with it by generating more adrenalin and other biochemicals, to prepare us for the possible need to fight, freeze, or flee. However, sometimes people get so emotionally overloaded that they can't pick the right response,--it is like a computer going through a "hang". Meanwhile all those bio chemicals for dealing with trouble are still pumping through our bodies. If they aren't used to fight, flee, or freeze, they start to cause the symptoms you described in your post about your panic attacks.

Talk to a psych doctor about it. He/she can give you some ideas on how to deal with this, and even meds if necessary.

You need to find ways to calm down and distract yourself when you feel a panic attack coming on.

- Take several deep breaths
- Listen to and/or play music
- Read
- Do some kind of hobby activity
- Exercise

Remember, check with your doctor about your panic attacks.

It's a sensory issue for me personally. Communicating puts a strain on me even in writing and feel the stress even when nothing upsetting is happening. Being here for me is actually bad for my health because of it, even on a good day. I only visit to escape the isolation but at a cost. When anything stressful happens, it sends my nervous system into an intensely painful state that's hard to manage.

I hope you can relax, Sweetleaf, and take care of yourself.

I something makes me startle, like someone throwing something near me, or moving suddenly towards me, or a bang, then I get bad pains in my arms or legs that shoot down them really sharply. My family don't understand how I can be genuinely in pain if nothing hit me, its the fear/shock emotion that goes with it that causes the pain. Like with being tickled it is worse than actually being hit.

I thought it was the feeling of adrenaline being shot through the body, but I guess it's too quick for that cos its instant.
It is definately nothing like a panic attack, I would feel that coming on before it happens and that isn't sharply painful in the same way.