Anxiety over loved ones death before finding out they have died

Around 12:30 a.m last friday I was relaxing like normal when suddenly it felt like my brain was turned upside-down, the ground felt like it was moving and I had a massive anxiety attack. I have never had anything like this before in my life. The last few days have been hard and I have had almost constant anxiety attacks since but they seem to be gradually going away. I was very worried at what it could be but I seem to be getting better already.

Right around the same time of that strange episode, someone who was very close to me passed away. Not necessarily a blood relative, but as close as you could be to one. She was 98 and it was not an unexpected passing. This person was a large figure in my childhood and I loved her like any other family member. I only found out the next day that she had passed away very early on friday. (May she rest in peace)

Has anyone else experienced extreme anxiety at the passing of a loved one before even knowing about it? Basically I had this attack right around the same time she passed away and am wondering if there is some deeper spiritual connection.
I woke up today feeling normal finally but on the way to the funeral had another massive anxiety attack.





[edit on 6-5-2009 by Trauma]

Something similar happened to me the day my step-dad died.

I was 14. It was June 18, 1999; the last day of school. I was about to leave for school and I tried waking him up to ask for money to buy a yearbook with. He wouldn't wake up, but he was making weird sounds, like loud groaning. He smoked a lot of pot and I know he's had sleep paralysis before, so I went to get my mom. She tried waking him up but he was making the same sounds.

I felt worried, but my mom drove me to school anyway, since I missed my bus and I guess she didn't feel worried at all. I tried to stop worrying and told myself that it was just sleep paralysis, like before. It was the same symptoms, so there should have been no reason for me to worry so much. I felt scared and I couldn't concentrate during my first 3 periods of classes. I told my teacher that I had to call home because my dad was sick, and I went to the office to call home.

I asked mom how dad was doing, and she said he was still sleeping. I asked her to go and check on him, insisted that I wouldn't get off the phone until she did. So, she went. She never came back to the phone.

I hung up and didn't know what to do, so I went back to class and got my stuff. I told my teacher that I needed to see my counselor.

While I was waiting outside her office, I heard them calling my name on the loudspeaker to 'please go to the office'

I went... I saw my brother there, looking very distressed. He said, "leslie, Dad died..."

and I said, "I know."

He ended up thinking that I saw my mom poison my step-dad (because he overdosed on liquid pain killer. He never ever took narcotics unless it was an emergency) and everybody knew that. He had a bad back and so much pain that he decided to try the pain meds.

I never knew how I knew something was so wrong, but I remember how I felt that whole morning. I was scared, and I knew that he wasn't going to be okay. I only wish that we would have done something sooner, before my mom drove me to school.

I am using my partners account for this.. Definitely would make my own soon..
I am originally from the Philippines and now lives in the UK.
I had a very similar experience... almost 6 months ago I was awakened and had difficulty breathing at around 11 pm. It lasted for about 5 minutes. I didn't really made a big deal about it although I am perfectly healthy and don't normally have episodes like that... I tried to go back to sleep but felt rather restless and I was somehow expecting something to happen... 1:00 A.M. and I was still trying to go back to sleep when I recieved a text message from a cousin in the Philippines for me to call. That's when all the panic attacks kicked in.. I was so restless that I couldnt bring myself to call as I know deep down that something terrible happened. I was crying my head off and was an absolute wreck before I managed to dial my aunts number 30 minutes later only to be told that my uncle is gone. He committed suicide by hanging himself It was the most awful feeling ever... ;(

[edit on 6-5-2009 by Neon Haze]

[edit on 6-5-2009 by Neon Haze]

Yeah a few times I usually know when somebody dies one of my cousins I think it was and for the next two days after his passing I could totally feel his presence it was like he was floating like next to my bed. I didn't know him all that well so that was a surprise to me. The other one is there was this girl I really liked and I didn't know where she worked but everytime I went into a certain store I'd get this anxious feeling and I found out she worked next door to the store.

Hey guys thanks a lot for the replies. There is another connection I forgot to mention. This lady had given to my dad (who I live with) her old electronic organ a few years ago. As a child I LOVED this organ and would always play it for hours when I went over to her house. The day of her passing when I had the strange anxiety episode I had been playing that organ for a few hours earlier making songs. After the episode I felt drawn to go and play the organ again because I thought it would make me feel better and it did.

Strange but true story. My Grandma's sister from my Mom's side had this uncanny ability to predict when a family member would die (usually within 1-2 days). She would have visions in a dream. Anyway in one dream she was at a funeral and saw all the family gathered around the grave site but couldn't figure out who was missing. This puzzled her for 2 days, later she was found dead in her apartment, apparently from a heart attack.