Constant fear of passing out!

I have the same problem, so I don’t know if I can be any helpful. I fainted many times in public, so I know how you feel. The cause of my passing out is a low blood presure. In medicine, this condition is known as loss or interruption of consciousness, and it’s called “syncope”. Every time when I feel weak, or like I’m getting dizzy, I get so frightend of fainting, I can’t talk or think straight, and I’m just looking for a place to sit. This fear is getting over me, and I have to do something about it before it turns into the real phobia. I don’t want to become a paranoid, anxious woman who never leaves her flat. I will go to my schoolpsyhologist, and ask him if there is any kind of therapy that could help me. I guess you should do the same thing.

I feel the same way. So at least we know we're not alone! I ALMOST passed while I was getting a shot a few months ago. But I was having a panic attack and my mind wouldn't let it happen. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. Since then, I'm afraid I'm going to pass out all the time. I start getting anxious and feeling like I can't catch my breath and feeling nervous. When I was getting my hair cut, I felt like I couldn't breathe suddenly and had to excuse myself to the bathroom where I wouldn't have to fear passing out in public. That is the main thing, I think. I want to be alone when I feel like that so I can re-collect my mind and realize that, no, I'm not going to pass out. I think I'm going to go see a professional about it soon.

Hahaha i am always amazed by how much these kind of forum messages mimic my life and what goes on it. I have only fainted once (for all of 10 seconds) and have nearly fainted one other time but the problem with me is i am an anxiety sufferer and get panic attacks. I fear fainting in a public place or where escape isn't optional without causing someone to think i am strange (i.e if you were in a queue at a supermarket and had a trolley full of stuff and just left it where it was and left the store, for an escape).

Panic attacks leave me constantly on edge and reignite my fear of passing out every time i step foot outside of my house. And i don't know about you guys and girls but when i leave the house if i am going to fear these things in a major way it always happens en route to somewhere away from my house and tends to be less exagerated when i am returning home. Must be a psychological thing in your mind knowing you are going back to your "comfort zone".

With panic attacks i overbreathe (as is a classic symptom of anxiety/Pa's) and this can cause you to feel dizzy and disoriented. Couple this with a heartbeart that can be going too fast or skipping beats it works just like a vicious cycle..the panic from your erratic heartbeat causes breathlessness if you focus on it and the more you focus on your breathing, the more you panic...and so the cycle goes :O(

With fainting my main fear is fainting in either a busy place or as i said a place where escape can be possible but not without causing either yourself or someone else inconvenience and the idea of people gathered around me and an ambulance being called would not make me feel reassured (as it may to some). Instead it would make me think "wow an ambulance is here, i must not be healthy".....if you get where i am coming from.

I find myself deliberately intaking enough food and drink before i leave the house just so i know medically i have not got low blood sugar.From there i check my BP with a BP machine and am reassured somewhat when i see i haven't got low blood pressure. Any feeling of faintness after taking those measures i assume would be down to overbreathing but who knows...it is as someone has said, the fear of the unknown what scares me.

Thanks for listening

Dave
UK

WOW! It’s not just me then!
Mine all started 3-4yrs ago. I passed out UN expectedly at a concert, I felt fine at the time, and thankfully my partner caught me. I had to sit with the paramedics the rest of the performance! From that night on I know have a fear of doing it again and cuz of that it keeps happening as I work myself up so much! I have now passed out sitting down at a concert, standing at a bar, sitting in a wedding ceremony and lots of other times! It now got to the point I won’t go to any crowded places, or unfamiliar places.
I try very hard to concentrate on something else or distract my mind but it doesn’t work!

Do you of you get RAGING headaches after? I’m normally knocked out for a few days as it almost like a get a severe migraine after I do it!

I was invited to London for mates birthday this wknd I had to turn it down as I didn’t want to risk it! I feel like I need to get a grip and I just can’t!

I saw a neurologist who put the passing out down to basilar migraines which I know it’s not as I get the headaches AFTER not before. I want to enjoy life worry free. Now I feel anxious about doing stuff I always used to even the cinema!

I think I'll be going to my docs again about it soon, they did try nervous flying tablets but that did sweet f all!

Jo

Letchworth
UK

I have passed out due to health issues - essential tremor and severe food allergies. In the past I didn't know the cause, and dealt with it fairly well. then 3 years ago, I had a big one. I was walking home and had to stop in a park. I wore a medic alert bracelet etc. I asked for help - call someone for me - my vision vanished, my hearing was that like being under water, and I could barely move. I asked several people for help. They all called me a drug addict or a drunk and refused to help. I sat in the park for a few hours. I didn't know what to do. I couldnt see or hear for a part of it. I waited it out enough to find a pay phone and call for help.

Ever since then I have had an irrational fear of going anywhere without someone with me who knows my health issues.

Lately I have been trying to train my brain to get over this. I can walk around the block. I can bike a few blocks. I carry a note in my bag stating my health issues, and have my phone # and address in there. It's very freeing to get around the block after being indoors for a few years. (unless with someone).

I talked to a shrink about this and he said I was normal. That because i have real health issues that cause passing out, it's understandable to be afraid to go anywhere. So my passing out is real. it's not caused by panic. but panic is caused by knowing I may pass out. (i do pass out at home too). But I didn't get help at how to get over this or through this.

I dont understand why, when i was younger, that passing out in public was not such a big issue. (sometimes, when i pass out, it can last a couple hours). I think part of it was, in the past, people would seek help for me if something happened. I remember waking in the hospital a few times. Also i didnt have tremor when I was younger. if you look up essential tremor, it says the tremors get stronger when in above the normal (or extreme) changes. for example - too cold? they get faster, nervous? again faster. pain? and so on. my tremors re in 80% of my body. the worst part is the ones in my head. if I shake too much, i get dizzy. If I get dizzy, I shake more, and then its a vicious circle.

I could really use some help in dealing with this but not sure who to talk to.

Wow guest. Youve described a couple of my little episodes really well. i am sitting here feeling extremley dizzie as we speak and Im finding it hard to breathe, (out my nose) ...the bbit "hearing under water is exactly what happen"im sorr to say it, but I guess people really aim to protext themselves. i know Ive stood holding onto a lampost for life, howling and not believeing that people actually just walk past. people walking past , not helping also makes things worse. I manage to get out now, do okay. i tend to go out with my girsl and yes, even with them at my side things have still happened.Gradually I got braver , and even though i still get treally dizzie ( an d paic starts when standing still , not when moving-when I stand stilll i start to think about what im doing, I never even used to think about /worry about how I am going to get from a to b. Now I find reallly upsetting-but I came to write to you-. My theory is this, if you pass out-then go with it, passout and see what it is your scared of. or get an ipod and use processes of distraction to try and prevent the panic from starting, or if it starts up and you can feel it coming on, then distract yourself turn the volume up-do anything. I know people say focus on your breathing and so on, when you feel so oout of contolr I think this is a dat thing to be saying to someone who really has a huge worry about somethings/issues about somethings, and when panic happenss, you dont think at the time, oh Im having a panic attack, at the time , you think/ok I think/Im dying, im positively dying, theres no way thta was just a panic attack. So if you can do the breathing thing, then do that, if you can get yourself in a nice relaxed hea place too, something like having a hot bath or something that YOU associate with feeling relaxed, and when panic sets in, think about that, or use the quick method-DISTRACTION!

wow, this is like an exact replica of what happens to me, well this gives me a source of confidence, I felt like the only weirdo this has happened to, and yes I tend to feel humiliated when it happens because I just don't like catching attention. It has happened to me in public 3 times and once at home, it REALLY upsets me when it happens because I feel like, "no...I let it get to me again", it makes me feel weak and pathetic and it just leaves me in a VERY bad mood and I just feel like staying away from people and especially the people who saw the little episode. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that I might never see those people again, and that some people who do see me everyday and saw what happened but are not important to me so I am like whatever, all that mattered was that nobody I knew saw what happened(say a girl you may like). I was told by my neurologist that it was syncope and that I needed to relax, but sometimes I just can't when a place is crowded. Unfortunately, these experiences have left me paranoid because I now believe that I am mocked everywhere I go which drives me crazy. I have a fear of ridiculous things which is another reason why I get mad when it happens, my best advice that I can offer to everyone is to take something like an energy drink if you know you are going into a crowded place or heated place, this especially helps if its a hot day, most of my episodes have happened in the winter when the heating systems can be ridiculously high and it is crowded, or in the spring in which the weather usually warms up, it will give you a bit of energy to "wake" you up from what is goin on, I find this effective and it helps to prevent it when I get close calls or as I like to call it, "when I survive a shut down".

This happens to me sometimes.
Usually in crowded places, or the mall, its sometimes hard to breathe and i just totally freak out.
it doesnt happen all the time, but during school, i would hate riding the bus in the morning because there are a lott of people that ride it, and idk i just think sometimes im such a freak, but i guess not.
im just afraid my friends would judge me pretty much because this doesnt usually happen to people.

some advice is to get a councelor, im seeing one and its reallyyyy helpful. usually going in, its hard to breathe, but eventually your anxiety gets down.
im no pro at this stuff, cuz im only 16, but i know that its all anxiety stuff and vitamin B12 can help also:)

Megan~ from spokane WA

wow! it's a relief to know that i'm not alone...i feel the exact same way. I passed out 2 years ago and ever since I've  been afraid of passing out in public. It's to the point where it is a legitment anxiety. I feel it usually around large crowds or for that matter anywhere where I know there is no escape. I got so nervous before an ice hockey game that i almost passed out on the ice. When I feel it my heart beats faster, my hands go cold & sweaty (Feels like a breeze is blowing on them) and of course the dizziness comes naturally. I find myself doing all i can to prevent this...for the most part finding distractions that allow my mind to think of something else. I'll check my e-mail on my phone or pull out my ipod. I know that because of this my blood sugar/pressure drops so I usually suck on a lifesaver or something sweet to try to rebound. I have also found that if I wear my glasses it sometimes helps, but I know these are all just things that my mind says "okay this is good & comforting".

I feel like i run away from this too much & it shouldnt control my life...but does anyone know how to do anything to help themselves calm down .Thank you so much, I'm so glad I'm not that only one! :)

Me in a nut shell! I have anxiety and panic attacks and I do a pretty good job controlling them without medication but sometimes they get the best of me! Scary for sure, and unless someone has experienced it they really do not understand!

This is EXACTLY me! I had it in the begging of the school year. ( and i still have i to this day) The scary thing is...i'm only 12. I went to the doctors before i knew what is really was, he just said to write down when i get dizzy/feeling faint. ITSS EVERYDAY 24/7. i LOVE school and seeing friends, but this fear i ruining everything. i'm terrified of being with friends, my grades have gotten terrible cause i can't concentrate in class. I have to perform on a stage and i don't know how i'm going to...

I think this kinda started like this: i was in school in the lunch line; i felt totally fine that day. i look down, and look up. i got super dizzy. i ignored it and it happened again. I wen tot go sit at my lunvh table; and i felt a shower and i remember kinda holding onto a chair and it was kinda a blur. Although i didn't fully pass out, i went to the nurse. I think this was because i didn't eat breakfast. But i never do anyway (now i do though.) And for the rest of the week, i was really dizzy. Now remember, this was back in May.

As for the summer, i was totally fine. i forgot about it, etc. Then school rolled by; 2-3 weeks into school i started having thoughts that i might pass out; or even something bad happening to me. i WAS terrified. In early/mid October i went to the doctors and thats when to told me to write it down, like i said earlier^

I am mentally and physically TERRIFIED. i used to love going to school; now it's like hell to me. i try forgetting about it, but, the thoughts always make me comeback and think. Now in school have to sit with my arms and chest laying on my desk (because i'm scared i might pass out). It's gotten soo bad; i got moved up 6 times, skipped school for (all-together) 12 days, and gotten put in 2 extra help classes. Now every morning (espcially on school days) i make sure i eat a FULL breakfast. But that doens't stop the dizziness.

I used to love going to my local grocery store and seeing neighbors etc, now i refuse to go. I used to love going out and going places, and now i'm soo scared. I can't just not go, my mom would flip

I left a party early because of this, left early from a ice skating place because of this...i'm soo scared. And i haven't talked about it to my mom in MONTHS. She thinks that it went away; it only got WORSE. And she refuses to take me to the doctor..she thinks i just wana skip school.

I feel so alone inside of my body. It feels like this won't go away..i feel like the bad thoughts/feelings/visions of passing out will just keep coming back and not stop.:'(

I just don't know how to convince my mom to go to the doctor...but even if i do it won't help..right?

Oh well, thanks for reading...and remember..i'm only a 12 year old girl.

Hi,

I am so sorry you are going through this. I was 16 when I had my first attack. It was at school. I was so scared of dying and passing out. Luckily I found a therapist and got on medicine that helped. My therapist had me write down every time I had an attack. I would carry a little journal and write my symptoms down then I would write I'm ok over and over. This helped because it would trick my brain to think I was okay. I also ate grapes through out the day. Helped with my low blood sugar. When you are hungry and thirsty your attacks can be worse. I hope you can get some relief from all of this. It can and will get better.

I have passed out once. I was working at Sears and I got very hot and I was standing for a long time. I didn't realize what has happening. I saw grey dots and then I hit the floor. Now I have been messing with hypothyroid meds and I FINALLY have the right meds. When I was messing with them I felt very weak as if I was going to pass out. And now all I do is worry that i am going to pass out when I know I won't. My 3t test was perfect.I will be going to a counselor tomorrow. Hopefully will get this fixed. I can't even go very far with out freaking out. I usually just sit on the couch all day while my husband brings me food. :S

 

I have passed out many times its either im feeling hot cant breath and when im going to fall down im like i want to stand up and take a deep breath and at the same time i want to not fall down but i couldn't do a thing after that i fell down and people helped and gave me water it happed to me many sevrel times and till now im scaired of it im also having a medicine (seroxat) my therpist told me that it will help but it helped me for not panicking but till now im getting this scary thoughts of falling down and its like been 6 months that i didn't fall down but im searching for a answer what do you think should i do?