Has anyone ever fainted from anxiety ?

[Houstongirl51]

I have had anxiety and panic attacks forever and was wondering what is your biggest fear? Mine is that I will pass out (faint) while driving so how do you get over such a thought ? I have never passed out while driving or while doing anything but I feel like it when I am having a panic attack. Any suggestions on how to help me get over this feeling?

[teemo1]

Hi Houstongirl,

According to this article (by a psychologist who specializes in anxiety):

"Temporary dizziness leads people with panic to feel that they may pass out. This is not possible because, during panic, your heart beats faster, and your blood pressure rises. As the blood pressure rises, it becomes impossible for you to 'pass out'. When people faint or 'pass out', it's because of a sudden DROP or lowering in blood pressure."

Here is a link to the article. Hope this helps!

anxietynetwork.com/content/...

[Houstongirl51 in reply to teemo1]

Hi teemo1 Thank You so much for the information I really need to hear this from somebody other than trying to convince myself that I won't pass out even though I feel like it while driving... Helps more than you known

[teemo1 in reply to Houstongirl51]

You're very welcome! As far as what to do to get over this feeling...

Observe what you are doing in response to the feeling of anxiety/panic. Are you engaging with it, struggling with it, trying to make it go away? This actually fuels and feeds anxiety, like gasoline on a fire.

The thing to do is...nothing. Relax and allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling. Let the anxious feeling be there. Do nothing whatsoever to try to make it go away. Just accept it completely and float right through it. This sends the message to your brain that you know you are not really in any danger, and that you don't need your brain to respond by continually producing adrenaline surges.

Notice how anxiety starts to slip and lose its hold on you when you just accept it and refuse to struggle with it.

You will gradually get better and better at this, which can lead to full recovery.

[Houstongirl51 in reply to teemo1]

I actually watched a video on this website about driving and feeling this way and it told me to challenge the anxiety to come on and give me all you got and then flow with it. I have been doing this around where I live (not on the highway yet) plus making sure my breathing is the 1 2 3 method through the stomach and out the nose and it has really helped. I haven't been ready enough to face the highway but hoping soon I will be able to conquer it a little each day. Thanks so much

[teemo1 in reply to Houstongirl51]

It sounds like you're making really good progress. A little each day is absolutely the way to go. And the thing is, you need for the anxiety to be there in order to keep training yourself to manage it. This is just one reason why you should welcome it and be glad it's there. When you practice acceptance, the presence of anxiety just helps you to strengthen your mind. (Ironically, anxiety hates it what you welcome it. Anxiety thrives on your rejecting it and wanting it to go away. Welcoming it just weakens it).

As you get better and better, there will likely be setbacks...days where you feel worse than you did, say, yesterday. Instead of getting discouraged, remember to WELCOME any setbacks. Think of setbacks as golden opportunities to get in some more good practice! This will help change your whole attitude towards anxiety, and this change in attitude equals recovery. This was the case for me and for many, many others on this forum.

[teemo1 in reply to Houstongirl51]

For further reading, when you have time you may want to check out some of this member's posts. They helped me a whole lot!

healthunlocked.com/user/beevee

[Kkimm in reply to teemo1]

Thanks for this link, really helpful.

[Houstongirl51 in reply to teemo1]

Thank You so much It sure helps to talk to people who understand how all this anxiety works.

[kvolm2016]

glad to see that you are already making progress with this. Are you under a doctor's care for the anxiety? If so, have you talked with doctor about this concern?

[Houstongirl51 in reply to kvolm2016]

Yes I am seeing a Psychiatrist / Neurologist and she also done a DNA on me to see which medicine helps me and we found out the two I am on is not helping me according to my DNA so we switched and I am currently completely off of one (the side effects of getting off of it was hell to say the least) now I am weaning off of the other one that did not work. Plus, with my DNA we found out my folic acid was not absorbing my medicine anyway so I was put on a prescription called Deplin which I take nightly for the folic acid I need. It has been 6 months of seeing her so far but I got set back to a halt in July as my father passed away and couldn't handle the side effects of going off my the other medicine so I need to start tapering off again so I can continue my progress. Thanks so much

[kvolm2016 in reply to Houstongirl51]

sounds like a really good and proactive plan of care. And yes, the weaning off can be horrible if you have been taking a med for a while.

I am sorry for the loss of your father. That would definitely add another layer of stress/anxiety. Do you feel like you are adjusting to him being gone?

[Houstongirl51 in reply to kvolm2016]

I am adjusting but still feel heartbroken as they say the pain never goes away but you learn to cope which I am. I just need to move on with my plan getting off this medicine that I hate and it does me no good but cause withdrawls. Otherwise I think with time I will just hope for the best. Thank You

[Lallie79]

I'm afraid I don't have any suggestions to help you get over this feeling, however I have the same fear. I was convinced I was gonna pass out at 4am this morning when I woke up midst panic attack. I woke my 17 year old daughter convinced I would need the ambulance as I feared I would black out! Its a terrifying feeling.

[Houstongirl51 in reply to Lallie79]

YES I have done the same thing except I did call the ambulance once I was so embarrassed by I thought for sure I was going to pass out and die right in front of my kids.

[Houstongirl51 in reply to Lallie79]

What did you do after you woke your daughter up or did you feel better knowing she was with you?

[Lallie79]

Aw it's awful isn't it....I called an ambulance several weeks ago... thought I was having an allergic reaction to a hazelnut I had eaten ( as I'm mildly allergic to nuts and had a piece of chocolate with one in). Turned out I'd had a panic attack....no kids in and imagined myself dead on kitchen floor. It was technically my own fault but it was my brain playing tricks on me. I've always ate that chocolate but as soon as I felt funny I was convinced I was gonna pass out and the kids would find me! I was so embarrassed when paramedics left. Heart was racing...tingles....cold shivers... sweating.... disorientated....felt I was going crazy!

[Houstongirl51 in reply to Lallie79]

Yes it is awful Lallie79 I get so sick of wondering if I am sick or just having panic or anxiety. Yes it does help when someone is with you when you feel like your going to pass out even though it never happens it sure feels like it.

[Lallie79]

Yes I felt better when my eldest was awake cos I just kept thinking she could call for help when I passed out!