Anginophobia (Fear of Chest Pain)

What is anginophobia?

People who have anginophobia have a fear of angina (chest pain) or choking. “Phobia” means fear, and “angina” is the Latin word for choke, strangle or suffocate.

Someone with anginophobia has an extreme fear of experiencing chest tightness or pain (angina) due to a lack of oxygen. They may refuse to travel too far from a hospital in case they need medical care.

What does someone with anginophobia fear?

Healthcare providers use the word “angina” to refer to chest pain brought on by a lack of blood flow to your heart. It’s a sign of cardiovascular disease and may indicate a heart attack or another serious problem. But there are many nonlife-threatening, noncardiac causes of chest pain, too.

A person with anginophobia excessively worries about potential causes of chest pain, such as:

• Choking on foods, drinks or medications.
• Heart attack.
• Narrowing of their esophagus.
• Physical activity that causes shortness of breath and a racing heart.
• Strangulation.
• Suffocation.

What is a phobia?

Phobias are the most common anxiety disorder. A phobia occurs when you fear something that’s unlikely to cause harm. Anginophobia is a specific phobic disorder, which means you’re afraid of a specific situation. With anginophobia, you fear angina (chest pain or tightness) from low oxygen.

How common is anginophobia?

It’s hard to know exactly how many people have a specific phobia, like anginophobia. Many people may keep this fear to themselves or may not recognize they have it. About 1 in 10 American adults and 1 in 5 teenagers will deal with a specific phobia disorder at some point in their lives, though.

Who is at risk for anginophobia?

Someone who has illness anxiety disorder (previously known as hypochondria) may be more likely to develop anginophobia. An illness anxiety disorder causes you to believe you have a serious medical condition when you don’t.

Other risk factors for anginophobia include:

• Family history: Having a parent or relative with a phobia or anxiety disorder can put you more at risk.
• Gender: Females are more likely than males to have a specific phobic disorder.
• Genetics: Certain studies suggest that a gene change (gene mutation) makes some people more prone to anxiety or phobic disorders.

What other phobias are associated with anginophobia?

It’s not unusual to have more than one phobia. Usually, there’s a common link between them. For instance, someone who has a fear of chest pain may also have:

• Cardiophobia (fear of heart attacks).
• Cibophobia (fear of foods or drinks).
• Nosophobia (fear of developing an illness).
• Phagophobia (fear of swallowing).
• Pharmacophobia (fear of medication).
• Pseudodysphagia (fear of choking).

What causes anginophobia?

A negative experience during childhood or adulthood may cause anginophobia. For example, you may have choked or seen someone have a heart attack.

You also may be more prone to developing this phobia if you:

• Have conditions like coronary artery disease or high blood pressure that increase your risk of a heart attack.
• Have a family history of heart problems, including heart attacks.
• Lost a loved one to a heart condition, choking or suffocation.
• Have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
• Choke on food or medicine and need help to dislodge it.
• Struggle to breathe due to respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Are at risk for or have experienced anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can close your airway.

What are anginophobia symptoms?

Someone with anginophobia believes they’re more likely to die from angina or choking than the average person. They may think they’re having a heart attack when they’re not.

They may have:

• Chest pain or tightness.
• Difficulty swallowing or speaking.
• Chills.
• Dizziness and lightheadedness.
• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).
• Heart palpitations.
• Nausea.
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
• Trembling or shaking.
• Upset stomach or indigestion (dyspepsia).

How is anginophobia diagnosed?

There isn’t a test for anginophobia. This phobia isn’t found in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). But a mental health professional like a psychologist can assess symptoms to diagnose a specific phobic disorder.

For a specific phobic disorder diagnosis, the fear needs to:

• Be present for at least six months.
• Bring on immediate symptoms when you think about angina or choking or actually experience these things.
• Cause you to change behaviors to lower your risk of chest pain or choking.
• Affect your ability to work, socialize and enjoy life.
• Exceed the actual danger.

What are anginophobia treatments?

A mental health professional can help you overcome a fear of angina. You may benefit from:

• Exposure therapy: This talk therapy helps most who have specific phobias. It involves gradual, continued exposures to situations that induce symptoms. Over time, you become desensitized to the phobia triggers.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a form of psychotherapy (talk therapy) that helps you change how you think about, and react to, triggers.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): A version of CBT, this therapy teaches coping skills like mindfulness or meditation. You come to accept your reactions and learn healthy ways to prevent or soothe fears.
• Medications: Anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants can ease symptoms while you go through therapy. These medicines can also help people with illness anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

What are the complications of anginophobia?

Someone with anginophobia may seek medical care for nonexistent problems. You may get unnecessary tests, which can be stressful and costly.

In addition, having an extreme fear or phobia increases your risk of:

• Depression, social isolation and suicidal thoughts.
• Panic attacks and panic disorder.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Substance use disorder.

When should I call the doctor?

You should call your healthcare provider if you experience:

• Difficulty eating or swallowing that leads to unexpected weight loss.
• Panic attacks.
• Persistent anxiety that interferes with work, daily life or sleeping.
• Signs of depression or suicidal thoughts.

What questions should I ask my doctor?

You may want to ask your healthcare provider:

• What’s causing this phobia?
• What’s the best treatment for me?
• How long will I need therapy?
• Can medications help?
• Should I watch for signs of complications?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Having anginophobia can affect your relationships, social life and career. You may miss out on fun activities or work opportunities because you worry about having chest pain or don’t want to be too far from a hospital. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is effective at treating specific phobic disorders like anginophobia. Medications may help, too, especially if you also have illness anxiety disorder or panic attacks.