Worry or fear focused on something that might happen in the future, rather than on a past event. While anxiety about recurrence is common after cardiac arrest, anticipatory anxiety is distinct in that it attaches to specific forthcoming situations — for example, dreading a clinic appointment in case of bad news, anxiety before an ICD check, or fear about returning to the location of the arrest. For co-survivors, anticipatory anxiety is often present when leaving the survivor alone for the first time, when the survivor resumes driving or exercise, or around hospital appointments. Anticipatory anxiety can cause significant avoidance and, if left unaddressed, tends to widen — with more and more situations becoming anxiety-provoking over time. CBT techniques, including graded exposure, are effective in reducing anticipatory anxiety.
« Back to Glossary IndexAnticipatory Anxiety
« Back to Glossary Index