Can anyone help me with tips on how to manage the physical symptoms?
I suspect youve heard of thunder shirts for dogs. You might order yourself a heavy vest that autistic folks wear to help control anxiety. Barring that, a heavy leather jacket may also help. When at home and relaxing, get a heavy blanket. The appropriate weight is 10% of your body weight. You might consider watching the movie: Temple Grandin. Based on a true story, it will help explain the need for the pressure. (Watch for the squeeze machine). Another thing that helps me, a highly sensitive person, is acupuncture. The treatments help balance the nervous system. I have had astonishing results with pain mitigation as well as the lessening of anxiety. Furthermore, consider other holistic systems including cranial sacral therapy, Reiki therapy, Hellerwork, Polarity, massage, Jin Shen Do, and RoHun Therapy. Working with the underlying issues has been substantially healing in my case. I have had many therapy sessions with counselors, worked on my own by watching John Bradshaw inner child you tube videos, and Gabor Mate you tube videos. Other valuable transformation and healing has been shown through regular attendance at 12-step meetings including Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional Families. There is a website and you can find meetings on line world wide. They are free. You might also look into EFT. Laurel Brookes from EFT Soul Path does wonderful work. She has helped me resolve many core issues of this nature, is gentle, effective and affordable. Can work by phone and Skype. Adding meditation, yoga and possibly reading books written by Joel Goldsmith and Eva Bell Werber. Helpful do it yourself exercises to resolve issues are included in the many wonderful books by Lucia Capaccioni, Ph.D. I particularly recommend the one for healing your Inner Child. One more tool that many of us have found invaluable: hypnosis. Dorothy Neddermeyer is excellent and a Quora contributor. I suspect she could help you via Skype. I pray you find resolution soon. Blessings and light, Linda