Fainting/passing out - A different perspective

[nomore]

Ever since my health anxiety started, I've been scared of passing out. The feeling comes and goes, sometimes it gets pretty bad, my legs start feeling like rubber, I feel light-headed and feel the need to put my hand on the wall as I am walking. Most times I always have this fear in the back of my mind, even if I don't feel any of the physical symptoms. Sometimes the feeling goes away. But now it's back. I must say that I've never actually fainted, although sometimes it has felt pretty close.

This morning, as I was thinking that I might pass out at some point, something occurred to me; "I am really terrified of passing out but, in reality, somewhere deep down, I actually do want to pass out!?" Very weird, but I think that this stems from the fact that if I were actually to pass out, this would relive me of all the anxiety that I feel and would take me away from the usual dull routine (you know...wake up...work..go home..sleep, etc.) be it only for a couple of seconds or minutes. It also feels like “OK, I feel like I am going to pass out. Fine already! Let’s get it over with!”, but at the same time I am terrified of this feeling.

So it's like a cycle, I feel like fainting because I feel too much pressure and can't deal with it, I want to escape, but at the same time I am terrified of that, which actually intensifies the feeling.

[helenclaire]

Hi,
I know exactly how you feel, i feel like i am going to faint nearly all day every day, its a horrible feeling that has lead me to being agorophobic.
I also have never actually passed out and have wondered if i would feel better if i actually did, but my main worry is if i hurt myself when i fell and also the embarrassment i would feel if people had to come to my aid, i would hate the attention.
Its a vicious circle cause when i feel like this i think i shoud lie down incase i fall but if i did that i would be led down all day.
My son recently passed out and hit his head which resulted in a hospital visit, so this has only added to my worry.
I have had this for 8 years and i try telling myself it would of happened by now if it was going to, but it doesnt help and i dread each day.

wish i could be of help to you, but i am still trying to help myself.

Helen:hugs: