For all my life, whenever someone tells me I have to do something, like do some public speaking or call up somewhere to book an appointment, I get butterflies in my stomach. And just any old butterflies, it feels like. I have the uncontrollable urge to go to the toilet. It's created some incredibly difficult moments for me in school and work. It has ruled my life.

I try to compensate for this by having a relaxed demeanor, and it helps that the sensation usually goes away once I'm doing the thing. It gives people around me the impression that I'm really cool and collected, even though I am dying of pain on the inside, trying to hold "it" in.

Recently, I've been trying to sort out bowel issues with my GP but I now wonder if this reaction to stress is making my situation worse, and whether a diagnosis of something like anxiety could help me on that road too. Obviously I'm not here for a diagnosis, just to see if anyone thinks it sounds like anxiety.

I've even got these butterflies in my stomach writing this post. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to try and tackle it (I'm 22).

When I'm extremely stressed (or sometimes randomly when I'm trying to be relaxed), I get tingling/stinging feelings all around my body and hands. Feels like I'm being lightly electrocuted.