Constant Low Level of Anxiety/Negative Thoughts
Constant Low Level of Anxiety/Negative Thoughts
Hi Everyone! I am hoping that you will be able to help me because I am really stuck. I am constantly feeling this low level of anxiety - kind of like I could go into a panic attack at any second, but it just sits there like that all day long. One of the hardest things for me is to stop worrying - I am so afraid that all of this stress from worrying is going to cause me to have a heart attack!! So I worry about worrying!!! My biggest fear is having heart disease/heart attack/heart problems because let's face it, if you're heart isn't working, you won't be alive!!! It's all centered around the heart and I can't stop thinking about it - every little ache, pain and wooziness/spaciness *must* be a heart problem! Heaven forbid that I get nauseous because that *must* be related to the heart too! That's what causes me to have that constant state of anxiousness. Does anybody experience the same thing? When I have a good day, I have a good day without this anxiousness, but most of the time it's constant. Any tips on how to conquer this fear and stop worrying about it? I think if I could do that, the constant anxious feeling would go away. I'm trying really hard with the positive self talk, but it's not easy! I don't know what to tell myself and how to convince myself that I don't have a heart problem! I can say/think the positive thoughts, but I'm not believing them. Please help!
Re: Constant Low Level of Anxiety/Negative Thoughts
Oh boy, can I ever relate to that. Worrying about potential health, pariularly heart, problems seems to be the driving factor beind my anxiety. There are other things too of course, but that is my biggest problem. Listening to these tapes have helped me so much already. I keep repeating to myself, "No one ever died from a panic attack." It's made me feel a lot better. I actually had an EKG because I was worried that something may be wrong. The tests, of course, came back normal. I was creating all the symptoms in my mind. It was amazing to see that as soon as I found out that everything was okay all my "symptoms" disappeared.
Re: Constant Low Level of Anxiety/Negative Thoughts
Hi KMMeyer! Thank you for responding! I know I'm not the only one that has this fear and I've heard it's very common for anxiety sufferers to fear having heart problems. I've had all of the tests too, seen a cardiologist, had a baby (actually 3, but the most recent was last year) and I'm still here, but I can't shake this worry! My worry is completely unnecessary! My primary doctor sent me to the ER for a panic attack once (by ambulance because my heart was racing at 151 bpm) and I had a doctor at the hospital scare me and tell me that I needed further testing because he thought I had coronary artery disease because my EKG showed lack of oxygen to the heart. Well that was one EKG out of 10....and the lead was not attached to my chest - it unstuck. The nurse said that was the problem with the EKG, but the doctor said that wouldn't cause the abnormal reading. So he ran another EKG, it came back normal and I was sent home with anxiety. He told me if I don't knock it off, I will have a heart attack!! I was only 29 years old!! I had never had an abnormal EKG before that, and I also had an echo and a 24 hour monitor the year before that. The cardiologist that I saw for all of that testing told me my heart is in great shape and I didn't need to see a cardiologist anymore. But I keep thinking "what if"...."what if" that EKG was right? That one, lonely EKG that was abnormal out of the dozens that I've had done...."what if" I really do have a problem and they are missing it? Am I going to drop dead at any second? Have a heart attack? I don't know how to get over these thoughts!!! Knowing that everything is OK has done nothing for me other than give me temporary relief for about a week after my doctor visit. But then I get the symptoms like the wooziness/feeling like I'm going to fall over and pass out, chest pains (which are ALWAYS gas or muscle aches from carrying my heavy baby), tinginling in my arms and legs, etc. How do I stop this??? I KNOW there is nothing wrong with me....but then I let that doubt creep in. It's terrible.