PTSD?
I’m a 20 year old guy and ever since going through cancer treatment/chemo months ago, I feel like my brain and nervous system haven’t been the same. Physically I’m in remission, but mentally I feel stuck in survival mode all the time.
I’ve been dealing with constant brain fog, exhaustion, panic attacks, derealization, anxiety, and this overwhelming fear that something is wrong with me again. If I feel tired, dizzy, weak, numb, sick, or off in any way, my brain instantly jumps to worst case scenario. I feel hyper aware of every sensation in my body now.
Some days I feel disconnected from reality, almost like I’m not fully present or like I’m “high” even though I’m completely sober. My concentration feels terrible, I overthink everything, and I constantly feel on edge. It’s exhausting because outwardly I still work and function, but internally I feel like I’m fighting my own mind every day.
Part of me wonders if this is some form of PTSD, health anxiety, or lingering mental effects from everything I went through during cancer treatment. I feel like my body survived it but my nervous system never calmed down afterward.
Has anyone else experienced this after cancer, medical trauma, or prolonged stress? Did it eventually get better?