Why am I scared of my heart

[Anxiouslizzy2000]

I’ve had health anxiety for 5 years now and it comes in waves. I can go a month or 2 without problems and then I go a month or 2 where I suffer daily from severe anxiety. I feel like no one can relate still because everyone is afraid of cancer and things like that but I’m afraid of sudden death. Like a heart attack is my worst fear as well as having a brain aneurysm or a blood clot that is deadly. Right now it’s my heart and it started a few days ago because on a daily basis I every now and then have a weird like flutter in my throat/chest and I can’t tell if it’s a palpitation or a gas bubble or acid reflux but my brain of course assumes my heart isn’t beating correctly. And now I’m starting to check my pulse a lot and make sure it’s the right bpm because lately my resting heart has been beating faster and it’s scaring me. FYI I’m 19 and I’ve always been extremely healthy.. so why do I suffer with the fear or sudden death

 

[Cuchculan]

What you are really doing is placing your full focus on your heart. This only leads to more problems. Because you start to become aware of every little beat of your heart. You have to try and take your focus off your heart. People with anxiety do get palpitations. Skipped heart beat and the likes. But as I don't focus on the heart all of the time, things just right themselves in no time at all. If I was to focus on the heart I am sure things would be much worse.

People have many ways that they fear dying. Not something I would think about as a rule. Much like when you focus on your heart, the more you think about ways of dying, the more you will imagine every little pain or twitch is a sign that something must be wrong with you. When really it is nothing at all. Distraction is the main thing here. To try and take your focus away from such things. Find other things to do. Other things to focus on.

 

[Anxiouslizzy2000]

Thanks so much for replying and I know people suffer in all kinds of ways it just really helps when people feel very similar to how I do. And also ill try to stop focusing so much on my heart. I guess in the end I’m just basically terrified that I’m healthy now but in the future when I’m older I’m gonna have severe anxiety and something will actually be wrong with me and I’m terrified of that thought.

 

[Cuchculan]

Growing old frightens a lot of people. Think people wonder what they will be like if they make it that far. Used to have a friend on another forum who simply feared having to depend on others and not knowing who people were and the likes. To me that would be a common fear. Dementia and the likes. But there are a lot of years between now and then. What we do with those years is up to us. Do we waste them worrying about our older years? Easy thing to do. But I would rather take a chance and whatever will be, will be. Try and enjoy your time now. While you are still young and healthy. Look after yourself and you will grow to be old and healthy.

 

[Kelculator]

It's definitely a common, and understandable thing to be afraid of heart issues. I used to have palpitations all the time. I'm talking about nonstop, rapid and strong missed beast. Turned out to be hormonal issues. My doctor explained that a lot of people suffer from palpitations at least once in their lifetime, and a lot of heart issues cannot be explained, really, but thankfully the patients usually end up okay.
In fact, the flutter in your throat can very well be a strong pump from a heart palpitation. But that's okay, I still get those here and there, and as far as I'm concerned, I have had no follow-up heart issues, or any chronic medical issues to be exact.
Your fear can be illogical, because hey, you suffer from anxiety. And you have time to learn to cope with it, live more comfortably with fear... etc.
As you're 19, your heart should be really healthy, assuming you have no alarming symptoms or chronic heart issues. Don't be shy about reassurance, we all need it some days!

 

[Anxiouslizzy2000]

Thank you that actually really helped. I feel a lot calmer. I think I’m gonna go to the doctor just to tell her what’s going on and double check to make sure it’s not my anemia acting up or anything small like that.

 

[Kelculator]

Thank you that actually really helped. I feel a lot calmer. I think I’m gonna go to the doctor just to tell her what’s going on and double check to make sure it’s not my anemia acting up or anything small like that.

That's a great step to take! Im proud of you for both outsmarting your anxiety and be attending to your body's health at the same time.

 

[Jennycard]

Not sure if you’re still having this problem but this is SO me!!! I’m very afraid of sudden death and aneurysms, heart attacks, etc. is there anything you do in particular in the months that you don’t worry about it? I’m really struggling right now.


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[Anxiouslizzy2000]

I honestly don’t do anything differently then the months I do have anxiety it kinda just comes in waves. But is there a particular reason you are so anxious?

 

[Jennycard]

I had a really bad headache. So I took 3 Tylenol extra strength earlier (about 2hours ago) I just took a 0.5 mg klonopin an hour ago as well. Now I’m afraid of dying of an overdose. Isn’t that crazy?! I’m going crazy! Just the idea of sudden death is what’s been really getting to me lately.


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[bbenedict]

Been having palpitations off and on for last 48 hours - totally out of the blue - try to just roll with it and know that it will go away at some point

 

[TDS74]

I had a really bad headache. So I took 3 Tylenol extra strength earlier (about 2hours ago) I just took a 0.5 mg klonopin an hour ago as well. Now I’m afraid of dying of an overdose. Isn’t that crazy?! I’m going crazy! Just the idea of sudden death is what’s been really getting to me lately.


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I take 3 ibuprofen Everytime I take them, you'll be fine!

 

[AiThink]

Health anxiety is such a mind f!#%. I been suffering from it for 16 year's. And it all stems from the fear of dying. And that fear stems from childhood trauma. When i was 7 my parents took me to see a cousin at the hospital who was on life support , not cool mom and dad. When i was 9 i saw my neighbor only a couple years order on life support after he was shot. When i was 14 my sister on life support as she died of cancer. I became obsessed with death and not in a cool Gothic horror movie way. I had to come to grips with how fragile life really is. And all this at an age when i couldn't fully understand. Now i live with constant anxiety. Thanks childhood trauma. Sorry, don't mean to be such a downer.