Can anxiety really feel like a stroke or blood clot?

People Often Ask

Can anxiety really feel like a stroke or blood clot?

Absolutely. Panic and health anxiety can be terrifyingly physical:- Racing heart, chest tightness- Shortness of breath or “air hunger”- Dizziness, tingling in hands/face- Feelings of unreality or impending doomThat overlaps a lot with clot and even stroke symptoms, which is why people end up frozen, trying to self-diagnose instead of seeking help.The key differences: clots and strokes usually bring **focal, specific, or persistent** symptoms—like one-sided weakness, clear leg swelling, or symptoms that don’t ease with grounding or time. Panic tends to **peak and fade** and is often linked to a trigger.But you’re not required to perfectly separate them alone. If you’re in that “is this anxiety or am I dying?” limbo, you’re allowed to seek care. And you’re allowed to want a human to talk it through with first.If you’re sitting there with a symptom spiral and 37 open tabs, you don’t have to white-knuckle it solo. Bring your questions, patterns, and “is this normal?” moments to Gush—whether you need help deciding if it’s ER time or just want to understand your body without getting talked down to.