# Have you ever blacked/passed out from anxiety/panic attack?



## Sean 561 (Apr 19, 2010)

I have, twice. This added considerably to my anxiety because of the new feeling of a loss of control over my body. I wanted to see what other people have experienced because I have read in numerous places that our DP/anxiety is harmless and I feel that blacking out is a definate threat to my safety. In fact its the number one trigger I have now for my social anxiety, the thought that "this would be a horrible place to pass out again!" when in public places.

Tell me about your experiences?


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## PositiveThinking! (Mar 5, 2010)

Sean 561 said:


> I have, twice. This added considerably to my anxiety because of the new feeling of a loss of control over my body. I wanted to see what other people have experienced because I have read in numerous places that our DP/anxiety is harmless and I feel that blacking out is a definate threat to my safety. In fact its the number one trigger I have now for my social anxiety, the thought that "this would be a horrible place to pass out again!" when in public places.
> 
> Tell me about your experiences?


Can't tell you about my experiences, as I've never blacked out from anxiety, but my mother-in-law has. She was really anxious and depressed about 6 years ago, and she kept blacking out. She took some meds back then, some anti-depressants I think and it stopped happening. Now she's not taking them anymore as far as I know and she hasn't blacked out since then. I really hope I never get anxious to that level, but if I do I guess there's no other way but doing what she did, or maybe there is but I would do what she did.


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## 2deepathinker (Aug 17, 2009)

I have never blacked out due to anxiety. I don't think anxiety on its own can make that happen. I suffer from panic attacks, and it used to be a major fear of mine to loose consciousness. If you would ask me, have I felt faint due to anxiety, the answer would be a resounding yes!

I did some research on fainting and panic attacks. Here is what I discovered to be true for me everytime, and also in line with what I have read. True fainting, that being losing consciousness and what I am presuming that you are calling: blacking out is due to your blood pressure taking a sudden drop down low. You faint because blood and your heart have to work harder to reach your brain. When you faint, your head automatically becomes level with the rest of your body.

On the other hand, when you have a panic attack, your blood pressure goes up, and you will absolutely not faint. The feeling of fainting occurs during a panic due to breathing so quickly and there are a number of other reasons. I have absolutely felt completely uncomfortable like for sure I was going to faint during panic, and it has tricked me every time. Why? It is because I would check my blood pressure and even though I felt so faint, my blood pressure had risen.

I am not a doctor, and I hope you check with your doctor or health care professional on this. Not to scare you, but it is better to be safe than sorry in regards to your blacking out. What I wrote above is based on my experiences with my own panic, research, and talking to my doctor.

I wish you luck, and I hope you feel better.


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## Sean 561 (Apr 19, 2010)

2deepathinker said:


> I have never blacked out due to anxiety. I don't think anxiety on its own can make that happen. I suffer from panic attacks, and it used to be a major fear of mine to loose consciousness. If you would ask me, have I felt faint due to anxiety, the answer would be a resounding yes!
> 
> I did some research on fainting and panic attacks. Here is what I discovered to be true for me everytime, and also in line with what I have read. True fainting, that being losing consciousness and what I am presuming that you are calling: blacking out is due to your blood pressure taking a sudden drop down low. You faint because blood and your heart have to work harder to reach your brain. When you faint, your head automatically becomes level with the rest of your body.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your response and well wishing. When I passed out the second time (I was in a class full of people watching a slide show of "shop accidents" full of dismembered body parts, nails in the eye, etc.) I started feeling dizzy and I took my focus away from the slide show to the back of the guys head in front of me. Next thing I knew I was on the floor with all the lights on and the whole class around me looking down. I didnt know who I was or what happened for a minute then it all came back. Since then my research has taught me that this was my bodies "fight or flight" mechanism reacting to the rush of panic I experienced. My body constricted all the blood vessels at once in a flight mode and I passed out. Now when Im around a bunch of strangers sometimes I start to think about how embarassing it would be to come to with all of them standing around me. Especially at work!


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## 2deepathinker (Aug 17, 2009)

Sean 561 said:


> Thank you for your response and well wishing. When I passed out the second time (I was in a class full of people watching a slide show of "shop accidents" full of dismembered body parts, nails in the eye, etc.) I started feeling dizzy and I took my focus away from the slide show to the back of the guys head in front of me. Next thing I knew I was on the floor with all the lights on and the whole class around me looking down. I didnt know who I was or what happened for a minute then it all came back. Since then my research has taught me that this was my bodies "fight or flight" mechanism reacting to the rush of panic I experienced. My body constricted all the blood vessels at once in a flight mode and I passed out. Now when Im around a bunch of strangers sometimes I start to think about how embarassing it would be to come to with all of them standing around me. Especially at work!


Oh, definitely this can happen to people. I know of many people who would faint during this type of thing. Luckily, I haven't had to look at things like this, but I know my Mom for one will pass out while watching bloody accidents. I think this is quite a common occurance among the population (to pass out while watching gory things happen to people). I can imagine that this is embarassing.


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