HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Please help me, am I alone?

Support Forums
>
Anxiety & Panic Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/21/2013 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
Hi my name is Nick. I'm 19 and about two weeks ago I went to the er with chest and arm pain. They did blood work and an ekg and said I was fine. It got worse after I left. Every day since then I've had chest pain, back pain, my arms are sore and I'm convinced I'm dying. I went to my doctor and he said its anxiety and prescribed me prozac. I haven't picked it up yet. But every one keeps saying its all in my head. I just don't understand how my mind can cause me such severe physical pain. Its gotten to where I'm seeing "omens". I saw a crow outside the other day and was convinced it was an omen of my death. My dog barks at me andI'm sure she senses my looming death. I ddon't want to die I just can't see how I'm not, its like I have a heart disease I have all the symptoms and I can't convince myself I'm fine. Please help, I feel alone.
Posted 11/21/2013 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Nick, The hardest part with a health anxiety is convincing yourself your not having a heart attack. I have the same Heart Health Anxiety, even though I have been to a cardiologist, had the stress, ekg and echo done and my cardiologist tells me I'm fine. Tell that to my head! I am getting better with it. I have learned that anxiety will cause you to tense your muscles, and it includes the chest muscles, it's a vicious cycle. Try deep breathing it really does work and the fact you were to a Dr and your tests came out ok, that should be a relief to you also. It's telling yourself you don't have a problem with your heart. Tell yourself when you feel chest pain that your not having a heart problem it's anxiety and do the deep breathing at the same time.
Posted 11/21/2013 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
I try but my head won't stop convincing me I'm dying
Posted 11/21/2013 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
Nick, have you ever played football or soccer? What do you do when you think your going to take a shot from another player? Yes, you tense up swell up and prepair to take a hard lick. Well thats what fear of death will do to a person, and yes we tend to shallow breath, stay tense, and wait for the good old angel of death. "The only power PAD has over you is Fear, Fear of death, Fear of what if, but if we are honest with ourselves we are afraid of dying! I was too! If you accept the inevitable and refuse to die every day, or keep rehearsing your death this will become weaker and weaker and you will get stronger". then one day you will be stronger than the sum of all Fear! Peace

Larry ***
Posted 11/21/2013 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Nick and welcome to the forum.

I am really sorry to hear of all of this that you are currently going through.

It is not unusual for the physcial symptoms of anxiety to then trigger something that we refer to specifically as health anxiety.

It is an understandable progression. It does feel like there is something seriously wrong with our bodies when these symptoms all come on and cause us pain and fear!

The good new is that there is hope in treatment. You have received an Rx prescription that you can fill at any time.

If you feel like this is not the thing you want to try right now, then why not attempt some self-help techniques and treatment options...or look into getting into therapy?

In our Resources (main page, 1st post) you will find all sorts of great ideas for managing stress...including coping exercises like breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. There are even two book recommendations for health anxiety recovery!

Keep posting with us as well as you start to find your path to getting better.

We understand and are here to cheer you on!

Talk to you soon,

Scaredy Cat

p.s. I used to be afraid of a crow crossing my path or flying over me as well...same reason...at that time I was so anxious, I saw bad signs/omens everywhere.  Now I can see it for what it is...a hamless bird.  It can and will get better.:)
Posted 11/21/2013 6:22 AM (GMT 0)
The mind is a VERY powerful thing. You are convincing yourself of things not true, but your body believes, so it prepares for what it thinks is coming. You must learn to use your mind to think in a POSITIVE way. No, it's NOT easy, but anything worthwhile is truly worth doing!
I hope you will avail yourself of the resources that Scaredy cat mentioned and take the wise advice of the others here that have been where you are now!
janet
Posted 11/22/2013 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hey nick,
I know exactly what you mean. I have been struggling with this for 3 years. Every time I have an anxiety attack I feel like I'm about to die. One time it'll seem like a heart attack. The next a stroke. The mind will take a fear and multiply it by what seems like hundreds. For me my arm will start to go numb. Then my legs and my chest and eventually my head. But once I accept it is just the anxiety the feeling comes back. I know it is extremely hard. But you have to accept that it's the anxiety and eventually it'll go away. What's the worst thing that'll happen. It's just anxiety. I repeat that over and over and it calms me down. Hang in there buddy. It will get better


Ryan
Posted 11/22/2013 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Nick. As you are seeing, anxiety can be surprisingly powerful. It can make you think things in a very "real" way, even though they are not in fact true. What I am learning, through CBT, is that people who suffer from anxiety tend to overestimate risk and jump to the worst conclusion. So, for example, you get a pain and assume you must be dying -- even though, objectively, the odds that you are dying are probably EXTREMELY remote. Maybe same chance as you winning a billion dollars in the lottery (which, by the way, would probably be more fun than dying). One thing you might consider is going to a good, reputable internal medicine doctor and getting a comprehensive medical exam. If there is anything wrong, that will show it. Assuming there is not, you may feel better because you will have had "all the tests" and they will show you have a clean bill of health. Then you can focus on the anxiety. Best wishes. Medved
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply