I ALWAYS think im dying

I'm 15 years old and not in anyway shape or form unhealthy but i always think i'm about to die. It usually happens before i go to bed. It's either i'm having a stoke, my liver is going to fail or i'm just going to die in my sleep. I know that all of what i think is completely irrational but whenever i try to calm myself down it just gets even worse. And since this happens at 3 in the morning or later i can't wake up my parents. They obviously don't understand and they will just get upset with me and tell me to go to sleep, which i completely understand. But this causes me to lose sleep which makes it hard to concentrate in class. Then i get a headache and assume im dying of some sort of a brain tumor. Not just all this but I also get super anxious when i have to go out anywhere like school or even just out with my friends. I get this overwhelming anxiety that i don't know how to control. Like i get shaky, my heart starts racing, and my palms get all sweaty. But that's not even the last of it because it also happens whenever i have to speak out loud during class or any type of group where the focus is on me. Just thinking about it makes me nervous. I want to talk to someone about this since it's gotten so out of control but the thought of having to talk to a stranger about all of this scares me to death. I just need a way to at least cope with this sometime soon.

My anxiety started when I was in my mid teens, that was 40 years ago. Of my lifetime with anxiety, the teens were the worst. I had anxiety attacks in my mid teens, it's easy to see why people fear they are dying. My parents were sympathetic, but it wasn't until 40 years later that my mother had her first anxiety attack, she apologized for not taking me seriously enough years ago.

Watch the breathing, there's probably links on Healing Well about it, but hyperventilation contributes to anxiety, if we hyperventilate we actually have too much oxygen and too little carbon dioxide in our blood, this upsets the blood chemistry and can lead to some odd feelings.

Hi Nicole and welcome!
I am really sorry to hear about the fear and issues that you have been dealing with currently. We know how that feels, and it is very hard to deal with at any age...but especially for adolescents/young adults.

The good news is that you recognize the need to reach out, get help...and find recovery, which is possible!

I would recommend starting with your parents, family doctor and school counselor. These people will form your support system, and help get you the treatment options that you need.

Your doctor can help refer you for therapy if you so choose. Your school counselor can help facilitate things for on campus, and be a liason between you and your teachers....and of course your parents are your home defense, and main advocates.

Getting a plan together with all of these supporters will be a good goal to set for now...

Keep posting with us as well. We understand, care and are here to support you.

Scaredy Cat

Let me give my story maybe this will help as we have the same fear. I have always been perfectly healthy UNTIL November 1 st of last year. I woke up with a stomach bug, after three days I went to the dr and the first words out of his mouth was.. You probably have lung cancer! Now I don't normally stress about things, but my wife and I had just recently lost a baby and she was now pregnant again. I have always been an extrovert, living a happy silly life of the party person until the day that dr told me I probably had cancer. I then started researching every twinge, every pain, every "symptom" I felt in my body. I became hyper sensitive to everything going on inside me. I have had every test known to man done from, dvt, pulmonary embolism after my gallbladder surgery, hiv tests, hepatitis, Addison, chrons, celiac, you name it it's been tested or ran on me and everything has come back spot on normal. Today I was released from the hospital after my appetite went on vacation two weeks ago. I had lost almost 25 lbs and was admitted due to the scare that the first muscle your body goes after when there's no more fat is your heart. I have since been cleared of every major and minor physical condition pretty much known to man and on PAPER I should be out running marathons but I have been diagnosed with stress/anxiety disorder. The brain and your gut have the same chemicals and any off balance in your brain can dramatically effect your digestive system. I can't even take a shower without fear of something happening and me dying alone. I have been put on remeron starting tonight and klonopin for when I feel those anxiety attacks coming. Everyone thinks they are strong and can beat anxiety by themselves. While some do, most can not. The imbalance of the chemicals in your brain that initiate the "flight or fight" response are almost always in high gear hence the anxiety and fear. Please get some help. I am NOT a fan of medicine but in this case, my anxiety has over ran my life and without help anxiety can lead to serious issues. I am here and willing to chat email text whatever with anyone as a supporter because I know just how devastating the "I'm dying" fear can be.