EP 125 - Surgical/Medical Procedure Anxiety w/Dr. Frank Catanzaro

Send in a question or comment via text. For many, having to undergo a surgical or major medical procedure is "worst nightmare" territory anxiety-wise. There are quite a few fears at play here. Fear of being out of control. Fear of being away from safe places and people. Fear of sedation and anesthesia. Fear of complication or problems cause by the procedure in question. It can add up to an almost tragic level of avoidance in some cases, even when surgery or other medical procedures are critical to one's well being. Today I was joined by practicing anesthesiologist Dr. Frank Catanzaro. Dr. Catanzaro has been practicing for over 25 years in the Rochester, New York area and has encountered all these fears in his patients. Frank was kind enough to take some time to share his knowledge and experience with us. Takeaways: 1. EVERYBODY has anxiety or nervousness going into surgery or other major medical procedures. Anesthesiologists and other healthcare providers encounter this situation all the time. They are experienced in dealing with it. 2. If you are worried or anxious because you're not sure how things are going to go, ASK. Rather than playing the "what if" game in your head, speak your concern to your surgeon or other members of your healthcare team. Dr. Catanzaro's team is always happy to answer patient questions to help ease anxiety and worry. Odds are your team will be willing to do the same. 3. Pre-surgical treatment with a benzo is EXTREMELY common. This will likely be made available to you. Take advantage of it. Taking a benzo to lower your pre-surgery anxiety level is NOT avoidance and will not lead to addiction in any way. Dr. Catanzaro explains how refusing that option may mean a more difficult recovery post-surgery, so do your best to trust your medical team to give you good information and use the tools available to you. 4. Your anxiety and panic may change the parameters that your anesthesiologist will work within, but in the end even level 10 panic is no match for the medications used during surgery or other major medical procedures. A common fear is being "stuck" between awake and sedated because of severe panic. This does not happen. Thanks to Dr. Catanzaro for taking the time to discuss this with us today! For full show notes on this episode visit https://theanxioustruth.com/125 My social media, books, and other links: https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music Credit: "Afterglow" by Ben Drake ( https://facebook.com/BenDrakeMusic ) with permission Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website . None of this is never required, but always appreciated! Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link . Disclaimer : The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.