Anxiety before surgery

It is very common for patients who require surgery to get anxious beforehand. However, when that anxiety is severe, it is called surgical anxiety.

Surgical anxiety is present when a patient’s fear of surgery is so significant that they can experience physical symptoms such as

racing heart
nausea
chest pain
panic attack

Anyone can experience surgical anxiety when preparing for surgery but patients with an anxiety disorder may be more prone to surgical anxiety and fear than the average patient.

Reasons for anxiety vary and include:

having a bad experience with previous surgeries
fear of the unknown
fear of the result of the surgery, like an alteration in the appearance of the body, such as a mastectomy
fear of losing lose sexual function such as with prostate surgery
fear of death

If you are suffering from surgical anxiety, it is essential to seek treatment so that your health will not suffer further. Anxiety can be a vicious cycle, with stress and physical symptoms causing sleeplessness, which in turn will make your anxiety worse and your ability to cope will be diminished.

Many patients with severe anxiety postpone or avoid surgery, even if it is very harmful to their health. Do not be one of them. Learning to control your anxiety well enough to allow surgery to proceed is essential for your well being.

If you find you are struggling with surgical anxiety, our team at Anxiety Solutions CBT is here to help. We offer a range of options including group and individual therapy. Contact us or call us 02 9328 5899 now to learn more and book an appointment with one of our warm, empathetic and experienced practitioners.

By Renee Mill|2022-07-18T12:55:44+10:00September 6th, 2012|Anxiety|

About the Author: Renee Mill

Renee Mill -- Anxiety Solutions CBT Director, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Supervisor and Best Selling Author -- has counseled hundreds of individuals, couples and families for over 30 years. She cares deeply about her clients and has created a warm and safe environment for all thrive. Renee has worked intensely on creating a new technique for dealing with generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety, fear of public speaking, performance anxiety and panic attacks. Renee’s other key areas of interest are depression, relationships and couple therapy, self-worth, parenting, resilience and well-being. Renee has published 3 best selling books and lectured in Australia, China, Israel, the United States and South Africa. She is well known on the speaker’s circuit and is often called upon by the media for her professional opinion. To hear Renee’s interviews or read her articles have a look at our Media Section.