Confused.. Panic/Anxiety and Fainting

[JAug]

So i've fainted a few times over the course of my life, i'm 30 now and i've fainted 3 or 4 times in the last 15 years.

The first time I was 15 and had a wart removed from my foot.
The second time I was 24 and fainting after eye surgery.

The third time was the one that sent me into a constant sense of fear, anxiety, panic, worry and so forth. There was never any real defined reason for the 3rd time. All I can say is a day or two before it happened I physically pushed myself to the point of complete exhaustion in the heat. And the day it happened it was a hot day and I had just come out of the gym a few hours earlier (also feeling VERY weak during my workout). Prior to this for about 8 months, I was experiencing all of the tell tale symptoms of anxiety and stress, the dizzyness and so forth. The reason why I'm in this constant state of worry is because I don't know if I fainted from anxiety or as a result of being physically exhausted/dehydrated.


Fastforward to the present: I've been seeing a therapist for over a year now (no meds), and i've been feeling about 40% better. I'm trying to just move forward with my life, but i'm having a tough time because depending on where you go for information, you get a different answer. Some people say you CAN'T faint from anxiety/panic (any self help book i've ever read) and others say you can (just Google "fainting triggers"). So, what's happening during my self talk is there's constant conflict.

What advice do you recommend? Naturally, my fear is passing out while driving (which is a very common fear).

[Demon Cleaner]

Jaug,
I have had a panic disorder my entire life and it first manifested in fainting spells as an adolescent. This is how it started I think this is very important for you to hear. I was 10 years old and I was going to alter serve or be an alter boy for my first time. There were two older boys scheduled to be there to train me and I was already nervous. Neither boy showed up and the priest didn't realize it was my first mass. I already had a fear of fainting because it had happened to me before. The mass started and I made mistake after mistake I became increasingly nervous and self conscious. Half way through the mass while kneeling next to the priest I started to see spots and dropped cold. I came to In the rectory the priest had to drag me by my feet across the alter. This experience lead to a chronic fear of fainting and during jr high it started happening regularly. It happened again while serving mass and then started to happen during class at school. The more it happened the worse the phobia I got. Anytime I was around people I.e. school, church, etc there was a good chance I would faint. I created the panic in my head and it manifested in fainting. I eventually outgrew the fear by rationalizing through it. But as I became a teenager instead of fainting I began having panic attacks. I was hospitalized in jr high for the fainting spells after many tests nothing was found wrong with me. (it was psychological). You never fear having a panic attack until you have your first one then you can never get over the fear of having another one and so that fear leads to recurrent panic attacks just like your fear of fainting could lead to more fainting spells. There is an absolute connection between fainting and panic attacks in my opinion they are both manifestations of extreme fear and worry. The fear feeds upon itself and it can become chronic.

[Demon Cleaner]

Jaug,
Good news though I no longer have either panic attacks or faint. An easy way to prove to yourself it's psychological is this next time you feel the fear of fainting or the fainting feeling coming on take a Xanax, or I guess a beer but Xanax better idea. If after taking the Xanax the fainting feeling or fear subsides then you have your answer it's an anxiety related disorder. It took me 30 years to figure out the simple way to stop panic attacks and it's this. Don't take yourself so damn serious cuz trust me no one else does. No one cares if you faint or have a panic attack it's no big deal. Try paradoxical thinking try to make yourself faint or breakdown you won't be able to. It's not anxiety that is causing the fainting it's the fear of fainting itself causing the fainting. I used to be afraid of shitting in public places how stupid is that I used to carry Imodium around in my pocket. Then one day I realized hey everybody shits if it's gonna happen oh well shit happens. No more Imodium in my pocket, no more fainting, no more panic attacks and hiding in bathroom stalls. All I did was stop worrying about being embarrassed and stopped caring about what others thought of me. Keep a Xanax in your pocket for a couple weeks and I guarantee soon you'll forget to worry about fainting.
Demon

[JAug]

Thanks for the advice Demon. It sounds to me like you had a very sensitive nervous system growing up. Also good to hear you have things under control.

I'm avoiding medication at all costs, though. I've been trying to just go through life with a "just live, who cares" attitude, which works 90% of the time. It's a little more difficult when driving though.

[Demon Cleaner]

Yes, I have a real sensitive nervous system but I adapted over time. I'm completely with you on staying away from meds. They create more problems then treat usually. But I'm grateful for the people they do help. Some people have anxiety disorders so severe that they can't live their lives and for those poor souls benzodiazepines are a godsend. I'm a recovering pillbilly though so I can attest to the dangers of prescription medications. Natural is always the best choice first.