Health Anxiety

[Binky4]

Wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this? I had a panic attack a couple of years ago (only one thankfully), and ever since I have had health anxiety, particularly where my heart is concerned.

I have had CBT which has helped and I can manage it more now, but I really need to eradicate this as it is ruining my life.

I tend to be more susceptible to it when I am tired or I have had a drink the night before, if it was just the drinking I would honestly give up alcohol completely but it's not, even when I haven't drank I still suffer with the anxiety. It seems to be worse when I am tired, I literally feel like I'm going to die like it's my time.

I don't want the anxiety to control my life, I like having a drink with friends and family and I will inevitably have days where I am absolutely exhausted ..like most people.

Does anyone have any suggestions/ advice on how I can eliminate this? Or success stories of people that have overcome this? I don't particularly want to go on meds as in my opinion they are a temporary fix and I would rather deal with this head on.

Anxiety, when it reaches panic levels, can feel like we are going to die. It is visceral and physical. A lot of people will end up in A&E after their first panic attack as they mistake it for a heart attack or some kind of stroke. This can, in turn, cause further anxiety: we subconsciously set up early warning signals and closely monitor any shifts in our heart rate or breathing in case that life-threatening situation once again arises. The fear of that threat happening again can cause a panic of its own.

The reality is that no one ever died from a panic attack.

When we accept that any time we panic, we are guaranteed to survive the experience, we can stop treating the potential of such attacks as life-threatening. As a result, we stop going into a panic when we feel any physical shifts.

(Our body creates physical shifts every day. Our heart rate, body temperature, breathing etc., all change as we process our intake and output of energy. This is natural and for most people will usually go unnoticed.)

It is only when we fear those physical shifts because they might be signs of another panic attack - that perceived life-threatening situation - that we start to notice them regularly. As soon as we come down off of high alert and accepts changes in our physicality as natural and without significance, then we stop noticing them so much and stop triggering any panic.

As an aside, next time you think you are having a heart attack try running up and down the stairs a couple of times - just to prove yourself wrong!!

Thank you so much this is really helpful.

I will put this to practice the next time I feel this way and hopefully it will make a difference.

I long to be who I was before this panic attack as I don't feel like myself anymore as the health anxiety / worrying there is something wrong with me and my heart consumes me.

Can you try medication for panic attacks, such as propranolol (obviously only if Dr says so!)? I am on that and it has meant I can leave the house which just over 8 mo ths ago felt almost impossible. I still feel panic but it's not to the point my breathing becomes dysregulated which spirals my thought process. It basically helps squash the physical symptoms of anxiety. Been waiting for MH help for longer which might actually mean I could come off them...I won't hold my breath (pun intended). Hopefully after some therapy I'll feel confident to get back to work!

I'm very lucky. I have only had one panic attack (touch wood) so meds aren't for me, mine is more of the thought process so thinking about it and thinking I'm going to die, once I can get out of that cycle I'm hoping I can get back to normal.

Have you tried TalkWorks? They are free and you have 6 sessions I believe, or you could try learning about the anxiety you have, drinking herbal teas I find lavender tea helps me a lot!