I have a very bad case of health anxiety about heart attacks and strokes

Mental health
1

As the title says, I am really anxious about having a heart attack and a stroke. I have smoked for a year but I quit, now I’m fifteen nearly sixteen.

It all began when I was sitting in my bed and I felt pain around my heart. I had a very bad panic attack and felt like I was gonna die. A few weeks later I went to a doctor and got an EKG (electrocardiogram) i think it’s called, and a heart x-ray, the one where they put a lotion on your chest and slide this thing on your chest around your heart. I’m not really good at explaining but I think you understand what I’m saying. But even after that, I am still very scared. Especially because my grandpa died of a stroke, but he ate a lot of meat with fat and I think that was the cause.  When I panic, i have some of the symptoms of a heart attack. I feel pressure and/or pain around my heart/back/neck. I get in a state of confusion and slight dizziness and feel like I can t breathe. I know it’s caused by anxiety but it still happens and I still get very scared when it does.. And yesterday and today I got suddenly dizzy for a few seconds. I am very scared of being alone in the house, because I might have a heart attack or something and no one can help me. Only my parents know about this amxiety I have, and I usually talk to my mom about it and I also can’t sleep alone sometimes because I am too scared. I am sorry for my bad english or rather my poor explaining. I hope you can understand what I’m saying.

2

Hiya sweetheart, you explained it perfectly well. I do understand just how challenging this is for you. Reading your post, I sensed that you feel as if everything is rushing for you. I want you to try something. Breathe in through your nose to the count of 7 hold your breath to the count of seven then slowly breath out through part lips, Slowly, to the count of 7. Repeat this as many times as you need. It's about taking control of your breathing. If you slow it down, you will feel calmer. Hope you feel better soon, Donna x

3

Hi manny,

Try as hard as you can to ignore the sensations that will trigger the panic to be worse. When you focus on you cant breathe know that you are breathing and that it will pass. The more emphasis we put on these things that happens to us the more it rules us. It's a tough struggle but we will all get through this! I am just so saddened that your dealing with it at such a young age.