Is it bad for your body?

[magen7984]

Ok here is another anxiety question for ex: lets say i am 60 years old and i have had anxiety for 40 some years. Is anxiety bad on your body like your heart always racing coildnt that trigger a heart attack if your heart is unhealthy. Im only 23 but just worrying about the future

[suzi-q]

Anxiety and panic attacks WILL NOT hurt your heart in any way.  As a matter of fact, according to Charles Linden, it actually gives you a little cardio workout!  Do not worry about it!

[Barbarella]

I've been having PVC's (skipped beats) at times severe for 45 yrs, and my heart is fine.  However, due to my severe anxiety in the past and always "what if" I had developed severe white coat hypertension.  When I found out that I reacted with high blood pressure when having severe anxiety as in going to the doctor not knowing what he will find especially when I had a symptom my blood pressure would go through the roof.  Once I found out that I react "hypertensive" my BP phobia started and I had another worry "what will my BP number be today at the doctor's office", "what if its real high, and they put me on meds".

Long story short, my white coat hypertension over the years got higher and higher at the doctor's office, I refused meds because it always went down again at home.  Then came the day when it also creeped up at home, and I am now on BP meds.

My advise:  If anybody experiences what I did/do and the doctor wants to start you out on like half a BP pill like I was told, DON'T fight it.  In my case my white coat hypertension over the years went into always high blood pressure.

I researched it on the Internet, and some doctors say that people with white coat hypertension once they get older will develop high BP, and some doctors don't believe it.  The opinions among doctors are split.

But my heart is healthy and was not effected by the PVC's for the last 45 yrs.

[be still my beating heart 13]

I too posed a similar question almost a month ago, and had a somewhat reassuring responce.  In regards to the racing heart, pounding heart symptoms a guy told me that after you've had a through examination by your GP and Cardio and been told your heart is fine, that you should stop worrying about it and take comfort in the fact that we anxiety sufferers are experiencing the equivalent of a really good cardio work out every day!  Our hearts are being made stronger by it.  But if you accept that theroy, what are we going to do when we still have anxiety at 60 years old and our hearts can no longer handle such extreme "cardio workouts"?  :-)   Have any studies been done researching the effects of anxiety on the bodies of older people?  If not, they should!  Hope you had an "up" day today!

[uphill7584]

i have always wondered that as well. I feel like my body is constantly working double time, and I am cutting my lifespan, by things like constant heart racing and palpitations. I hope somebody answers you question.