In need of some help/advice. 😕

I cannot be a passenger in a car or walk around at an event or stand in a spot for more that 2 minutes without feeling lightheaded and scared that I’m going to pass out. I just can’t shake it. It won’t go away. I’ve been dealing with this for a couple months but it feels like it’s getting more severe. I also have this reoccurring thought/image in my head of passing out randomly and being in the hospital. Like i can legit picture it happening and myself laying in the hospital bed. And every-time i step foot in a car that I’m not driving i literally feel like I’m going to pass out. Yesterday i went to a friends house with my sister and mom in the car as well. I was sitting in the back and i ended up having a heart rate of 140. And it’s somewhere that I’ve been a hundred times. It’s not like i was going into the unknown. It was a 10 minute car ride that I’ve been part of multiple times. But yesterday i had a dry mouth, heart rate of 140, felt like i was burning up and felt extremely lightheaded and was convinced i was going to pass out. And i don’t know why. Like me and my sister work together and when she’s driving I’m the passenger and i feel the same way. And it’s only a 5 minute car ride. 😭and when I’m standing in line or something i instantly panic and feel like i need to sit but I’m scared to sit down because i don’t want to draw attention to myself. And by the way i pretty much suffer in silence. So unless someone notices that i get fidgety or frantic nobody knows how i feel. And I’m scared to say anything because i don’t want to go to the doctors or hospital.

NotThatHardcore

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y

Oh man, it really sounds like talking to a doctor would be a good idea. One way they might be able to help is prescribing a beta-blocker, which my psychiatrist did for me because my heart rate was high. They'd also be able to rule out any physical causes. Can I ask, why don't you want to talk to a doctor? What's the fear? Would a telehealth option solve some of the issues? If not a doctor, please at least talk to a therapist about this. What you're describing sounds a bit like panic disorder, which they'd be able to diagnose.

Anon17

Date posted: 1y

@NotThatHardcore Honestly the sole reason i don’t want to go the doctor is because I’m afraid that there will actually be something wrong. Such as cancer, brain tumor, autoimmune disorder, Pcos, etc. And i won’t be able to live with the fact that i have a condition if I’m told that i do. And yes i understand that going to the doctor will either comfort me in knowing nothing is wrong or it will help me get better faster if something is wrong. But for me it’s just not that simple unfortunately. And it’s not like I’ve never gone to the doctors. I usually go every 2 years or so and my heart rate/blood pressure is always fine. And I’m scared to go on medication because I’ve had an allergic reaction to medicine before so now I’m terrified

NotThatHardcore

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y

@Anon17 - Okay, so no doctor. Talking to a therapist would still be a good idea. Do you have one? Can you get one? For what it's worth, I bet you're underestimating your ability to live with a condition. You wouldn't be the first to underestimate your ability to live with a fear coming true.

A-5H73Y

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y

I resonate with this on sooo many levels. I'm also an internal panic person and often feel overwhelmed, scared, anxious, worried, and panicked when I'm out around people or in the car and no one knows because I just pretend to be normal. I also have intrusive thoughts about myself being in the hospital and its so scary! What I do know though is that anxiety can mess a lot with our nervous system regulation, and I think because we believe our anxious thoughts of "what if I faint or what if I feel lightheaded" it actually leads us to feel that way because we are so anxious about it. What helps me in those moments is to acknowledge, yes it's scary if I fainted or felt lightheaded and went to the hospital. And then allow all those feelings and images to be there as I focus back on the present. Sending lots of virtual hugs!!! You're not alone!

Anon17

Date posted: 1y

@A-5H73Y You are so right about believing what we think so it leads us to feel that way. Literally one day at work i have a job that I’ve done a countless amount of times (which involves standing for like 30 minutes in one spot which is what freaks me out). But anyway I’ve done this job for 5 years and then one day i did this job with my sister and in my head i randomly had the thought of “what if you just pass out right now” and then i felt lightheaded the second after and then the rest is history. ( i don’t even know what bright it about either) Ever since that day i have had this reoccurring image and thoughts that won’t go away. And everytime i do this specific job i feel light headed and have a silent internal panic attack. And now I’m especially scared to go up with my sister because i can’t just randomly sit down in a chair because it would make it quite obvious that something is wrong and then she would severely question me and probably make me want to go to the doctor and i don’t want that 😕 but i can’t avoid doing this job with her all the time

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