Yes, very much so. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress are all recognised clinical responses to life-threatening events, and cardiac arrest is about as life-threatening as it gets. These are not weaknesses or character flaws. They are your nervous system responding to something genuinely terrifying.
Anxiety is particularly common after cardiac arrest, often centring on fear of another arrest, heightened awareness of the heartbeat (sometimes called cardiac hypervigilance), or avoidance of activities that feel risky. Depression affects many survivors too, often arriving some weeks after the event, once the initial adrenaline of survival has worn off.
If feelings like these are persisting beyond a few weeks, are severe, or are affecting your daily life, speak to your GP. There are effective treatments, including CBT, EMDR, and medication. Peer support also helps many people enormously. Members of our community may also be eligible for free private counselling sessions through our partnership with SADS UK.