I have been having anxiety attacks for a year and a half at this point. The episodes have involved several symptoms including GI issues, migraines, tingling arms and legs, and chest pain. When my chest pain came back I discovered that putting cloth pins on my body helped me deal with the physical pain caused by anxiety along with the emotional issues I was having. The pain produced a calming feeling that distracted me from my problems.

Right now it's the only thing that reliably works so I'm not planing on stopping. Since I am not doing any physical damage to my body I can't see any real reason to try.

I know I'm in a bad place mentally right now, but I'm not sure how to get out. Lately I've been having flashbacks to episodes i had when my physical symptoms were much worse.

I feel I was treated unfairly by western medicine, when I first started having symptoms. One time the ER doc told me that "I did not have chest pain. Old people get chest pain." I was then discharged from the ER with no info. I had already lost faith in western medicine when I saw the GI doctor for the first time.

I am worried that mentally associating pain with anxiety might have unintended effects, but I don't know what to do about that.