Is this normal

[Lee777]

I have had anxiety for about 4 years now which started after a very stressful time in my life. I was on medication but only for a short time because I was coping fine. In the past 2 years I have lost my dad due to heart failure, lost my job in the past 2 weeks. Over the past year since my dad's passing I have been getting chest pains. I've been to my doctor about a year ago when it started and he did an eKG and told me that my heart is stronger then his. I still however get chest pains, every single a ache or tingle in my body and I think that I'm dying! I visited the ER about 5 months ago because I couldn't breath and felt like my chest was closing and they sent me home because they said that my chest is completely clear. I still have aches and pains in my chest every day. I feel like I'm losing my mind and I don't even tell anyone. I just put on a smile yet no one knows what is going inside my head.

[Beevee]

Hi Lee

You have classic symptoms of anxiety which are completely harmless. It is your fear of the symptoms that keep them coming.

To recover, remove the fear by understanding what causes anxiety (thrashing your nervous system which has become sensitised through your stressful period and then constantly worrying about the symptoms caused by your sensitised nerves i.e. Anxiety) and how it manifests itself (chest pains being one such symptom which is not caused by your heart - it's all the tension in the muscles in your chest and exactly the same thing as a headache caused by tension in muscles in your neck etc).

Once you know what is going on with your mind and body and the reason why, this will help you to accept the symptoms which us the key to recovery and the exact opposite to what you have been doing so far which is fighting the symptoms, trying to control them, trying not to feel them, trying to get rid of them. All the trying doesn't work because it keeps your mind and body tense. Relax towards them as much as you can and relinquish all control. Have the attitude so that you are comfortable about not feeling comfortable and the symptoms will gradually disappear.

[Lee777 in reply to Beevee]

Thanks so much. I appreciate it.