Totally freaked out now!!!

Fox7

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2011

Posts : 839

Posted 1/16/2012 4:57 PM (GMT 0)

I just learned from a friend of mine, on the Power-surge forum, that she had a heart attack yesterday, and she's only 44!!! She was always in good health, low cholesterol. But she is taking HRT, wonder if that had anything to do with it?

This immediately threw me into a panic attack, which I haven't had in a while, with palpitations that only freaked me out more! However, it did only last a few minutes because I took a xanax and did some breathing exercises to calm myself, but none the less, it was still there.

God I wish I could control this health anxiety!!! I am starting to calm down now, but does anyone else have this reaction when they hear of news like this? It's just horrible!

She is doing ok now, but I still am freaking out because she is young, and so am I (i'm 39), and there's a long history of heart disease in my family, so immediately the palps made me think the worst!

I have been doing so good with my recovery up until now, it feels like i've had a setback... *sigh* Is this normal to react this way?

Thanks for letting me get this out....((hugs)) Fox

Scaredy Cat

Elite Member

Joined : Sep 2006

Posts : 28868

Posted 1/16/2012 5:31 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Foxy,

I am really sorry to hear about your friend. I am praying for a complete recovery for her!

It is a very rare occurance for a healthy young-middle aged woman to have a heart attack. Think of all of the other women you know that did not have a heart attack at this age.

For some reason, we only fixate on the negative things that come across our anxiety filters! I am just now at the point where I can hear about someone who is sick and not have it derail me. I used to not even be able to read the prayer page in our church bulletin because of all of the sick people mentioned with their various illnesses.

Magical thinking is pretty stong in those of us with health anxiety...but hearing about it/thinking about it does not make it come true!

For example when hearing about a friend having a heart attack, someone without anxiety would think something along the lines of this:

"I am so sorry about my friend, I hope she will be allright...this is a reminder to take good care of myself."

Someone with health anxiety would automatically start worrying that it is bound to happen to them, start thinking of all of the reasons that it is probable, and maybe even start having symptoms.

See the difference in thinking? The one with anxiety filled thoughts is bound to end badly!...not in a heart attack, but a panic attack:(

Try to use your CBT training to help calm your nerves, and bring your rational thinking to the forefront. Good job on using your breathing to stop the p/a!

Give your friend our well wishes.

S.C.

Fox7

Veteran Member

Joined : Oct 2011

Posts : 839

Posted 1/16/2012 5:49 PM (GMT 0)

Will do SC. Thanks for your response. I am feeling alot better now. I think it was just a shock to my system, to have someone you speak to, almost on a daily basis, have something so horrible happen.

Thank God her husband forced her go the the ER! She said she was just going to lie down and go to sleep! God only knows if she would have woken up.... I think the older we get, we really start thinking about our health, because we are not "spring chickens" anymore. LOL!

I totally get the difference in thought patterns, I just kept telling myself that I had an EKG and bloodwork done in September and November, and nothing was wrong. Everything was fine!

I was trying so hard to "derail" the negatives, and think of the positives. I have proof that my heart is ok, yet I still doubted it at the moment. So I just kept telling myself, "you are fine, your heart is fine, this is a panic attack, you've had hundreds of them and made it through all of them, and it will pass in a few minutes", along with the deep breathing, it really helped bring me out of that "funk".

I love this place! No matter how long you have been suffering from this horrible anxiety, there are still times when you need the support of others! Thank God for all of you here! (( hugs)) Fox

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