my story

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fedup

Member
Hi There,

I have posted a couple of times but just wanted to explain my story to see if it matches with anyone on here. The problem I have is with sweaty hands and feet but the thing that continues to confuse me is the cause. I dont understand how for example right now as i type this i am completley dry and then earlier on today in work my hands/feet get all clamy and ends up wrecking my day. What I cant seem to work out is if I am suffering from an anxiety disorder or HH. There are factors in my life that I feel have contributed towards me being anxious in situations as I have been through some stressfull times with being in debt and having a close relationship break down, losing my house etc... I have also in the past used drugs such as ecstacy, ketamine, acid when out clubbing with friends and have recently given up completely for about 8 months now and wonder if my previous lifestyle choices have contibuted to my anxiety/ low mood and as a result the sweating. The sweating problem only seems to have come about in my late teens early twenties (when I started taking drugs) I cannot recall this being a problem for me when I was in school. I have tried things to treat the sweating but the only thing that i have been able to treat successfully is my underarms. I started having CBT for my anxiety and the therapist seems to think most of my sweating is anxiety related and that because of everything I have been through and my over thinking of things that is the reason I start to sweat. Sorry if this is a bit long I feel like im going crazy sometimes cos this sweating happens at the most awkward times
 
M

mmichel07

Member
I know how you feel. I often feel confused about the causes of HH. But you are most of us HH usualy starts between the early to late teens. i don't think the drugs caused it. i have hear that alcohol makes you sweat more, but for me it helps me relax at parties.
 
Waybuloo

Waybuloo

Well-known member
I don't know much about sweating or HH, although there has been a short period in which I had sweaty hands constantly to the point of my palms cracking. It was shortlived, went away, and I don't know how. With my anxiety though there is always at least one symptom present at any time, so soon that was replaced by blushing or shaking.

Do you sweat when you are at home along and relaxed, for example having a bath, listening to music or watching an engrossing movie? If so then it might have something to do with your physiology. If you only sweat when anxious or thinking about anxiety, events or sweating itself then it is probably psychological. When you say that you are dry now but befoer at work you were sweaty, could it be that work was causing you anxiety, even if you weren't conscious of it at the time?
 
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fedup

Member
i dont sweat when i am relaxed its just when i start thinking about things it normally comes on. I thought that with HH it would be sweaty 24/7 but it seems to come in waves with me but on a pretty much daily basis :( i cant get my head around it one minute i think i got an anxiety disorder the next its HH maybe its both? I kinda wish it was just anxiety related cos i think i can overcome that but knowing HH is for life makes me feel down i dont wanna feel like this forever its getting in the way of too much
 
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Sprawling

Well-known member
With HH our sweating just happens. We think, therefore we sweat. We sweat, therefore we are anxious. Any therapist who thinks they can cure HH anxiety by wanting you to change your thoughts needs have their own head examined. Our sweating is physiological, not psychological.

Being anxious can and does exist without sweating. Plenty of people have anxiety disorders and do not sweat. Those of us who sweat excessively may or may not have an anxiety disorder. For certain we do have a physiological disorder where the brain signals are always in fright and flight mode... unless we're not.

Solving your core anxiety issues most likely will do little for your sweating. If you are like most of us with HH all you have to do is ever so slightly think about sweating and bingo, sweat happens. I can deal with the body doing it's sweating on demand thing during the warmer months. Keeping my hand sweating under control is my major priority. I control this with iontopheresis, others use medication. My treatment helps me with sweating produced anxiety. I still have other areas of my life that produces anxiety which I deal with as best as possible.
 
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SweatSweatGoAway

Active member
Hello,

We sweat because we're trying to understand and concentrate using our brains. Let me explain this picture I made quickly in mspaint:

braine.png


Look at the subconscious part of our brain. This is where our animal instincts are: eating, sleeping, etc. There's no sweat on you when you wake up, right? Notice how big this portion is; as animals this is where we feel most comfortable in, so we try to be in it as much as possible. ;)

Now see the left part. This is where our human capabilities lie: understanding language, thinking analytically, and being able to conceive science, and mathematics. When we're thinking, we sweat. An example is participating in society. We have to think, and react rationally in the infinite situations we're given.

Now see the right part of our brain. This is where our creativity lies. Just listening to music, and glancing at pictures of art is when we're using our right portion of our brain. It is our intuitive thoughts. We sweat a little here, but not as much as when we're using the left portion of our brain.

I read this in a book once, and I hope it helped as much as it helped me understand when our brain decides to start sending those sweat signals! :)
 
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Sprawling

Well-known member
I still sweat even when my right side takes over. My body does not seem to know the difference between left, right or center. Very simple diagramming. Concentrating on stopping the sweat, only makes it worse. Being in the subconscious while conscious still causes sweating. Maybe I'm missing something here.
 
W

WhatTheF

Member
Oh man. My hands and feet are almost always moist/sweaty. I really never thought anything of it. In fact I didn't know that it was abnormal until my girlfriend started complaining about it. But I still didn't think much of it now I find out that there is yet another thing wrong with me. Thanks a lot. ::p:
 
geordielasstx

geordielasstx

Banned
I hear you and know your story too well, I also suffer from HH and hate it on a daily basics.

WE hear stories like yours daily and formed a support forum just for hyperhidrosis, we can give you support, help and friendship.

I have made two documentaries on this also. I sweat badly all over, most bothersome is my face, head, chest, armpits and groin.

There are so many of us who suffer from this, most in silence until they find it has a name.

your not alone,

Hugs,

Anne xx

Very Sweaty Betty

Sweaty Betty, Facebook
 
geordielasstx

geordielasstx

Banned
I hear you and know your story too well, I also suffer from HH and hate it on a daily basics.

WE hear stories like yours daily and formed a support forum just for hyperhidrosis, we can give you support, help and friendship.

I have made two documentaries on this also. I sweat badly all over, most bothersome is my face, head, chest, armpits and groin.

There are so many of us who suffer from this, most in silence until they find it has a name.

your not alone,

Hugs,

Anne xx

Very Sweaty Betty

Sweaty Betty, Facebook
 
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