fear of fainting?

[mckennaxo]

Hey im just new to the boards, Im 15 years old and i was diagnosed with a GAD 5 years ago. My biggest fear when it comes to anxiety is fainting is anyone else afraid of this? I have fainted about 5 times in my life not due to anxiety. Everytime i get nervous and feel the slightlest bit dizzy or light headed i panic and think i am going to faint. My fear of fainting has stopped me from going out i cant do everything that my friends can i, im currently at a bad stage with my anxiety i get anxious everyday and i feel uncomfortable having to leave the house and i barely do. I now avoid seeing my friends incase they think im a werido. I feel so alone. Yes i am on the waiting list for therpay.. 6 days time ill see someone about my anxiety. Ive seen many physcariscits over the years ive got better but i always end up getting back to where i started. Does anyone else have/had this fear?

[02Batmobile]

First off, we all have fears. It is unique to the individual though. That is, if my father died from a heart attack, than I may tend to panic at symptoms that involve my heart or chest area. If I saw a bad accident on the highway, I may tend to avoid the highways - fear or phobias affect people differently because of outside circumstances. I've heard of people having a fear of fainting though. It is normal. Even though the majority of the people with an anxiety disorder don't faint, we can all relate to you. In my case, you can take out the word 'faint' with 'panic attack' and we are exactly in the same boat. "I fear of having a panic attack. My fear of panic attacks has stopped me from going out. I can't do everything that my friends do. Everytime I get nervous andfeel the slightest bit dizzy or light headed, I panic and think I am going to have a panic attack." We both are troubled with what is called "anticapatory anxiety." The anticipation of something so to speak. This anticipation causes our anxiety. Once you get into the habit of not fearing these faints, then your life will open up. Realize that even if you do faint, so what? You'll be back up in a bit in no time. You cannot let these issues control your life. You need to work on slowly coming out of your house and slowly getting used to being outside. Take baby steps. Its called "desentization." You are slowly desensitizing yourself to feel less anxiety being outside and will work but it'll take some time.

A side note - It is extremely, extremely, extremely rare from what I've read that people panic or have high anxiety and then faint. Fainting deals with an issue of having low-blood pressure periodically. However, feeling anxious or panicky has the opposite effect. Are heart is pumping out more blood and raises are blood pressure which makes fainting under anxious conditions impossible.

Hang in there!!
-James (AOL Instant Message Me!!)

[Cindy]

I have this also... when I had the panic attack and all these different symptoms came on me I thought I was going to pass out. So now almost everytime I get anxious when I am in public I am afraid I will pass out. Have been to the Dr. and am also waiting on therapist appt. My Dr. explained the same thing to me that James is telling you... "anticapatory anxiety" and also about the blood pressure. Are you a doctor James?!! Ha Ha. Each time I go out it gets better but does creep back now and then. Anyway we have to just keep trying.