Health anxiety advice

Hi. I have been having extreme anxiety about passing out and fainting. I constantly am checking my blood pressure and heart rate and last week I passed out and went to the hospital. But it turns out it was just stress all my tests were clean. This happens especially when driving feeling faint and anxious. It’s causing me to have high blood pressure. If you go through the same thing what do you do to help yourself? Or coach yourself through it? It’s been a struggle lately.

Username: curefan6curefan6

Date posted: 20w ago

hello! this may not be exactly what you’re experiencing but i have had/currently have similar anxieties. i’ve passed out at the sight of blood since i was 4, and it happens at least two or three times a year now. in my senior year of high school, i passed out in front of my entire class due to a bloody nose scene in a movie! sounds silly but it was very sudden and scary for me. ever since that experience ive been petrified of passing out in public. in my first year of college i would have panic attacks before class and always sat closest to the door in case i felt like i was going to faint and needed to leave. it never once happened. but even now, im still always so conscious of how my body feels in certain situations and always seek an escape space wherever i am in case it occurs. i don’t rly have any advice as im still trying to figure it out myself, but i wanted you to know you’re not alone

Username: A-5H73YA-5H73Y

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 19w ago

Hi! I also suffer from health anxiety and am constantly hyper aware of my sensations. Its so hard because the stakes feel super high if we dont give into urgency we feel we may end up in the hospital. My therapist and I have been working on my core fear of death, and whenever I feel “off” or worry about fainting, I honestly just tell myself so be it if I do. I also like to watch cherellethinks on Youtube, and the book Breaking free from death anxiety is super helpful. I also do my best to refrain from googling or checking my body for sensations because in the end it only fuels the cycle of health anxiety. There’s also a helpful health anxiety support group through NOCD on Tuesdays! You’re strong, and we can beat this obsession. Sending lots of support 🫶🏼

Username: Whatifs

Date posted: 2y ago

Health anxiety

Does anyone have health anxiety fears around heart attacks, strokes, seizures, etc. basically fear of passing out or dying suddenly? Do you get physical symptoms such as headaches, chest pains m, lightheadedness etc? What has helped you?

Username: TT2022

Date posted: 1y ago

Panic attacks

I went to the hospital Sunday night because I had a racing/pounding heart.. it woke me up from a dead sleep. I thought I was having a heart attack. My partner put their hand over my chest and could feel how fast it was pounding and they got up from a dead sleep to take me to the hospital. I was so confused when they tests came back normal. I think I just had another episode. I got this intense fear that I was going to act out or harm myself. I then felt derealization and an intense anxiety. I almost called 911 on myself. I’ve had small episodes like this before but these last 2 have been super intense. Anyone else experience this?

Username: paylo28

Date posted: 1y ago

Health Anxiety/OCD

7 years ago I was a raging drug addict. I took any and all kinds of drugs without second thought of consequences. When I had my first child it’s like a switch flipped in my brain. Within her first 6 months of life I had over 12 visits to the ER. I was (still am) constantly afraid of developing a life threatening disease / illness or having a sudden health event (stroke / heart attack / heart failure / brain tumor / cancer ) develop. I’ve seen over 10 Specialist from autoimmune, heart, eyes, neurology , stomach , skin, etc. I’ve got a seemingly well bill of health but I become so hyper aware of every small change within my body. It’s. Constant state of fear and anxiety. Headache = likely tumor / aneurysm , small pain in chest or arm = heart problems , mild cold = covid or some rare disease , etc. Lately, my heart has been my fixation. I was having tachycardia going to the ER 2x a week. EKGs normal, 24hr monitor normal, X-RAY normal. Shortly after I notice my resting heart rate went down as low as 50bpm. I looked through my history over the months and that seems pretty normal for me I just hadn’t noticed before. Now I’ve been worried about my heart for weeks even tho my dr says I’m okay. It’s exhausting to be afraid of sickness and death 24/7. When I get focused on these thoughts it pulls me away from my kids and husband and daily tasks. I either full blown panic or shut down in fear. Anyone else relate? What helps you? I don’t want to rely on medications as I have so many adverse reactions to the 10+ I’ve tried! - oh year here’s another one - I’m afraid of allergic reactions as well I CONSTANTLY fear I will have an allergic reaction to medications / foods or over dose on things like Tylenol and Ibuprofen or mix meds and have reactions.

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