Can Anxiety cause a...

[Haley]

Heart Attack?

Just I think that with all this stress It could actually cause one? Am I being silly or is this really possible? I have a big fear of heart atatcks :(


What is the worse anxiety could do to you?

[Mark1886]

Hi,

The short answer to your question, from what i have read and been told by my GP is no.

The racing heart is what you would get from jogging or climbing etc, so your heart is actually exercising and can do this for a VERY long time without any damage etc. If just feels incredibly uncomfortable and scary when it happens because it seems there is no reason for it.

Beta blockers will stop the heart doing this, but are a short term solution, eventually, when you come off of them you will feel your heart speeding up. Beta blockers stop a nerve in your heart, responsible for conveying emotion to the rhythm (it speeds up when you are happy etc) from conveying that message, so your heart sits at the normal resting pulse which is usually between 50-60 bpm (except when exercising). When the beta blockers stop, your heart might speed up noticably because it is now reacting to your emotion. A good drug, but in the short term because it allows you to try and see what is causing the anxiety in the first place.

[jitters]

Mark has pretty much answered this one the answer is no. Try and relax. :)

[Haley]

Thanks for your replies.

It really does feel like you could die from this. Especailly when it goes on for like 2-3 weeks at a time :( I dont really like the sound of the beta blocker, as im scared of tablets if that makes sence :(

And also, I really do feel like im losing my mind, I just dont know what to do when I feel like this, all I do is cry and dont know where else to turn :( I cant really talk to family as they dont understand

I've had head aches for the past 2 weeks and they just dont seem to go. I'm sure I have a problem with my lungs, and I also have really bad aching pain below my shoulder which ive had a while. :(

[Haley]

I dont know how to relax :(

[jitters]

Beta Blockers are a bit OTT try an SSRI first. As hard as it can be to accept you are not physically ill. Try to accept it.

Duncan

[Mark1886]

Hi,

the headaches and shoulder pain are some of the symptoms i have - just muscular pain and will go when you relax. Generally, i feel that a beta blocker is the best way to go initially. An anti-depressant is somewhere that i personally never intend to go as i am not clinically depressed. As panic attacks cannot do you any real harm apart from being highly unpleasant, i don't see the point in littering medical notes with anti-depressant prescriptions. If, however, you are actually depressed then do what you need to.

As for losing your mind - you aren't. By definition, people who are losing their mind or becoming "crazy" are totally unaware of it happening. People who wander about the town naked don't realise it is inappropriate. The fact that you consider that you might be going crazy means you absolutely aren't. If you are becoming forgetful, this is a symptom of the anxiety and will probably go in time.

It is all incredibly upsetting and unpleasant, but ultimately not harmful. There will come a point where you start avoiding your life - not going out incase you have an attack etc, where the panic will start ruling your life. I make a conscious effort to go out every day for at least an hour, if possible more. This helps me know that nothing has happened to me whilst out, giving me the confidence to keep going out.

Hope this helps. Mark

[Lawo]

@haley: when you are in a state of high anxiety next time, try to run or sth. else which challenges your body in a physical way.
i presume your heart is in a good state - and then nothing will happen.
if your heart was sick, you wouldn't be able to do exercise while you got a fear attack.

greetings
michael

[stillfighting07]

i have been thinking the same thing about having a heart attack, it feels so intense at time I think how in the heck can my heart handle such stress, but i guess it does.