How does depression cause actual heart ache after the end of a forty year marriage? or is that anxiety? i am experiencing twinges of pain in the chest, especially when i think about the separation from my husband of 40 years. the closer the time comes f

Panic : Panic anxiety (which is not the same as ordinary anxiety) can cause chest pain, can increase blood pressure, and can make people very unhappy. Panic often happens together with "atypical depression" which includes a more than usual senstivity to rejections, including to serious rejections like a separation. If this sounds familiar, you might track down a first rate psychiatrist and discuss it with him or her. Ssri anti-depressants can be helpful for both syndromes, but are often supplemented by Clonazepam for panic (taken every 12 hours, but not taken as needed), and good psychotherapy is always important.

Hello. : Hello. Dr kahn provided excellent input. We now know that depression can be expressed as physical symptoms. Consider the person who has fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or chronic pain - there are usually components of depression. In addition, your painful situation, is likely to have brought it home that you don't have control over the situation. Feeling as if you don't have control can lead to feeling anxious. I would anticipate that you will grieve for quite some time, however with help, hopefully you can do so without so many symptoms. Be kind to yourself. Take care.

Grieving: Drs. Kahn and fowler have provided great information here. It's also true that intense grief can cause feelings of actual heartache. Ending a marriage of so many years is a huge loss for both spouses. I hope you have supportive friends and family around you, and a spiritual or church community. Also, your doctor can continue to check into any worrisome symptoms. Take care.