You're going to think im crazy... scared of dying from laughter

[AnxiousPansa]

I feel incredibly stupid right now but im scared of dying... from laughter. I keep thinking what if I start laughing and I cant stop and then I die. I know its silly but its freaking me out pretty bad at the moment. I really dont know what to do with myself!

[LunaLiuna]

Pansa, what are you doing to decrease these intrusive thoughts?

I've never ever ever heard of anyone dieing from laughter alone.

Read your quote, your focusing on the future not the present, it seems like your still charging those thoughts, so if you want to laugh, laugh at how silly they are and stop beating yourself up about it. The more you feed them the bigger and more hungry they'll become.

None of your other thoughts have come true have they?

[AnxiousPansa]

I have a counselling sesh tomorrow so I am going to bring this up with her! I know its another intrusive thought because its again about losing control. I picture myself losing control and not being able to stop myself laughing and then dying. It all kicked of because I saw a story about how its possible to die from laughing so thats what started it.

[scrumking]

No thoughts are crazy or stupid especially when dealing with anxiety
Here are a few of my gems

Can I die from sneezing too hard/much
During a bowel movement I was worried I would die if I pushed too hard
Can spicy food trigger a heart attack
And my all time most irrational thought that I can laugh about now:

Is my throat gone? I couldn't feel myself swallow water so I panicked because I thought my throat was "gone" so I sat there for over an hour swallowing things until I convinced myself my throat was indeed "there"

Except for the last one these all go back to things that could abruptly stop my heart was what I was thinking at that moment so I know where you are coming from.

[spuder]

These stories u see are made up. Laughter is actually good for us it makes us happy and releases chemicals in the brain

[AnxiousPansa]

scrumking i can relate to some of them gems hehe especially the throat one!
i keep telling myself that spuder because I did the silly thing and googled it and boy was there lots on it! Even a dedicated wikipedia page ;O

[Fishmanpa]

This reminds me of Monty Python's Flying Circus - World's Funniest Joke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ienp4J3pW7U)

Laughter is good for the soul :)

Positive thoughts

[AnxiousPansa]

I think I remember that sketch from a while ago!

[harasgenster]

We all have irrational thoughts like that sometimes.

I remember when I had panic disorder when I was 19, someone put '19 year olds' into Room 101 (reference only the Brits will get, I'm afraid) and I ran up to the bathroom and hid under the sink waiting to disappear!

You know it's not true even when you're doing it, but the fear just drives you!

This is just an emotion, AnxiousPanda. It can't harm you.

[AnxiousPansa]

I know that show! Yes its very annoying!I get scared even smiling! Anxiety goes woop here you go bursting into uncontrollable giggles that never stop until you die!

[bingjam]

Some of the things I have worried about....

Sneezing to hard
Coughing to hard
Having a 'poo' and pushing to hard
Swallowing my tongue
Drinking water and it going into my lungs and not my stomache
Eating spicy foods and it aggravating a stomache ulcer (which I don't have)

The list is endless

We overthink things sometimes

[sahara]

I tell you if was going to die that would be the way I choose. Sounds much more pleasant than the ways I worry about dying! xxx

[AnxiousPansa]

Thats what I was saying to myself but part of the problem is fear of dying now. Like I fear dying young because im only 16 x

[Fishmanpa]

Thats what I was saying to myself but part of the problem is fear of dying now. Like I fear dying young because im only 16 x

Jeez... Your parents were probably a glimmer in your grand parent's eyes when that Monty Python sketch came out! God I feel old! You're much too young to be suffering from such fears. I hope the CBT helps. Life is much too precious to waste worrying.

Positive thoughts

[AnxiousPansa]

I love Monty Python :) yeah I see my councellor tomorrow so I hope it will help

[greggs92]

I feel incredibly stupid right now but im scared of dying... from laughter. I keep thinking what if I start laughing and I cant stop and then I die. I know its silly but its freaking me out pretty bad at the moment. I really dont know what to do with myself!

This is completely normal in anxiety disorders, you have too much emotion of fear, and as there is no real threat, your mind will start to produce what if thoughts - "what if I start laughing and die" "what if someone else has died of laughing, and i might" etc.
It would be the same if there was a real threat, for example if there was somebody after you, you send out risk assessments automatically because it's the fight or flight response. "what could i do to protect myself" or "how am i going to get away" - but as there is no threat, the fight or flight response works with your creative mind and produces these what if thoughts.

[AnxiousPansa]

So guess what. I just found that the guy in the case in the news I saw that started this had an actual problem with his heart which is why he died! So there! Unfortunately cant seem to quell the other thoughts from when I did the stupidest thing ever and googled it!

[cut_out_stars]

Distract yourself! I can totally sympathise with this though I used to have really random thoughts that if I didn't run up the stairs in my house at a certain speed I would die. I didn't know what speed I meant, just.. Fast :doh:

Also, I never died so I'm sure you'll be ok! :hugs:

[AnxiousPansa]

thank you :) i have so many random and stupid thoughts! I can literally turn anything into anxiety!