scared.

[MyDarkestNight.]

I also posted this in the self-harm sub forum, but maybe it's more appropriate here...

I really need to get something of my chest that happened today.
Recantly my anxiety has been off the scale for a number of reasons, and it's never at a great level anyway. I haven't been getting much sleep and feel extremely strung out.

Today I was talking to my friends in the corridor at school when I took a sideways glance at my friends arms as her jumper was rolled up (I do this out of habit to everyone). On her arms I saw 3 big, deep, red open wounds on her arm. They looked awful. I stopped talking, eyes probably popping out of my face. I couldn't understand it. My friend has no scars, her sleeves had been up all day. But I saw them, and I felt shocked, disturbed, confused, I was scared. I stared for a bout 10 seconds. I looked at everyone else, unable to understand why no one else had seen them. My heart was in my mouth.

Then she unfolded her arms and they where gone.

I managed to hold myself together, and I don't think that anyone noticed. But I was terrified all day. Wondering why I'd seen gory non-existant SI scars on her. Am I crazy? It was so real. I didn't even consider that it was in my imagination, I could have touched them. But what else could it be, they were not real.

Very scared.
I am terrified (to the point of an actual phobia) of revealing my arms to anyone due to self-harm scars. I don't even change for PE even though I get a detention for it every week. Maybe this has something to do with it.

Can anxiety cause hallucinations? Has anyone experienced anything similar?

The worse part is that the scars I saw were extremely triggering and pit my mind in a frenzy.
I do not feel well.

[JaydeNJ]

I'd be freaked out too if I was in your position.

And I believe anxiety can, in some cases, cause hallucinations. The brain plays games and exacerbates those fears.

[louder-now]

High anxiety and stress can cause hallucinations, you're not crazy. That does sound terrifying, I hope you're feeling better. Love the quote in your signature by the way, hope you don't mind I added you as a friend

[MyDarkestNight.]

Ah thanks, and not at all