Anxiety attacks can not kill you yet a fear of dying is one of the most common worries anxiety sufferers report.
Anxiety is part of the body’s powerful fight or flight response and as such has evolved to keep you alive, not harm you. It is a warning signal and is as unpleasant as possible without harming you.
The fact is, you won’t die from anxiety. Even though your heart is beating faster and your breathing is rapid and laboured, your body is not in any danger from the anxiety. In fact, only those people with very weak and compromised organs (such as those with a history of heart disease) should be mildly concerned. But even in those cases if your symptoms are well-managed it shouldn’t be a problem.
The main challenge is to stop the fear of dying from interfering in your life. And the best way to challenge these intrusive thoughts is by writing them down and arguing them out.
You know, deep inside, that you won’t die. So write down all your fears and then put forward some opposing arguments. (This post about self-help for anxiety disorders might be useful) In no time you will start to see your fear of dying for what it really is: a myth.
