Exercise-induced anxiety?

  • Thread starter Thread starter feelingok
  • Start date Start date
F

feelingok

Guest
When I workout I feel like I'm going to explode via heat rate, panic, etc. I worry that this "exercise-induced" worry/panic attack, etc. -- call it what you want -- is hurting my heart by sending through me additional (more than if I wasn't panicking & rather just normal rise in exercise heart rate) cortisol/adrenaline, etc. Is this true?

It is unreal to really love to workout, yet feel like this over the past few months. I've worked out for 25 yrs but over last several months, I get panicky before I workout, as if I'm "so not wanting to do it that I must force myself". I am 50 yo male, in very good shape & look younger body-wise -- since I eat well & workout (despite this feeling worry that I'm doing systemic damage via this very workout) daily for 30-45 mins w/ weights, cardio, walking, etc.

Please someone tell me, that this "unchecked anxiety-response" is harmless. There's an old thread from '06 on here asking this same thing but I made this new thread to update. I need validation that this panic feeling will NOT harm me, via cortisol/adrenaline coursing through my cardiovascular system, such that it'll damage the lining of my blood vessels.

Thus, setting me up for a cardio event later in life -- due to this stress/panic response to anything, I'm "impatient to get over with this thing", such as in this case "the thing" is, "the very workout I'm trying to BENEFIT my body/heart with" (I know this makes no sense to you all, but it is my WHOLE problem in a nutshell).

Other than ativan, I've no way to stop it during a workout but never did I need a drug, "to calm me during anything -- let alone a workout".:(

PS - Had a total cardio workup w/ blood tests, heart echo, ecg stress tests, etc. 1 yr ago. Doc says I'm fine but have a type A personality that is stressing me out. It is my risk factor for heart, along w/ my 75 yo dad's history, that he has some high bp & diabetes but he even seems calmer than I do, when I call him to ask his health.

Thanks so much.
 
If your doctor says nothing is wrong with you physically than its just anxiety. Not sure if this has anything to do with how you exercise, but when I run and breath through my mouth I feel as though my anxiety rises verses if I run while breathing through my nose. After attending a panic group I learned that if you are prone to anxiety attacks its better to breath through your nose because breathing through your mouth could actually egg on a panic attack. I hope that helps a little. But you should be fine, anxiety can be a real monster and take over your thoughts and make it hard to differentiate whats possible and whats not.
 
I've about that but didn't think breathing matterd (at least consciously). I thought any way you intake O2 while training is ok. But I'll look in to it more now.

I also get anxiety, to panic, to depression attacks while exercising & major mood shifts from nervous/tense, to angry/agitated (too revved up like), & then a drop or letdown post workout.

I think this may be a bipolar-like symptoms but will consult a doc on this. Thanks for your help.

All this while being very OCD/hypochondriacal & thus, it makes for a hard workout, or even a daily regimen fighting these mooRAB/anxiety disorder -- PLUS dealing w/ real life issues as they come up. I'm truly turned into a mess over last yr or so. :(
 
Im still getting this, & have now begun taking ativan post-exercise. But Im wondering if taking ativan pre-workout would be ok? It may slowdown my exercise though, & thus reduce its quality. Anyone got advice or experience feeling this way also?
 
I read somewhere that in some people anxiety attacks can actually be triggered by the heart rate and BP rising - which they do in a perfectly healthy and natural way during exercise.

If you want reassurance that you are safe, you can obtain a pulse monitor that is specially designed for people exercising or training for athletics, and use the various available tables to work out your target exercise heart rate. Then you can stop or slow down when your monitor warns you it is getting beyond that.
 
stop the cardio for about a month,just do weights.And when the anxiety sets in erabrace the feeling,and workout even harder.
 
Back
Top