I live with severe heart anxiety. I have PVCS and PACS for several years. The scare me so much. For about a year now I’ve been having a racing heart. Normally it bounces between 90 and low 100s. I can feel every beat and it drives me crazy. I’m so scared it’s going to kill me. I’m so paranoid about my heart stopping or having a heart attack.. I just wish this would end and o could feel normal.
All OCD and anxiety are fueled by lies.They survive by convincing you that danger is present when it is not. A helpful acronym for FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real That is exactly what’s happening here.You are experiencing real sensations in your body, but your brain adds a false story “This is dangerous.” “This will kill me.” “I’m not safe.” A few grounding truths: • PVCs and PACs are very common and usually benign, especially when they’ve been present for years and checked. • A heart rate in the 90s to low 100s is very common with anxiety and adrenaline. • Feeling every heartbeat is a sign of hypervigilance, not heart failure. This might help: Identify your fear and name it “I am afraid that ____.” Now change it to a different fear “I am afraid to walk on the street because a frog may jump on me.” There are people who genuinely have that fear, and their mind and body react with real anxiety. Your body would react the same way if you believed that fear was real or probable. When you walk on the street, it does not bother you because you do not believe that fear is important or likely. The difference is not the body. The difference is belief. This is important: Anxiety feels life threatening, but it is not life threatening. Your heart knows how to beat without your supervision. When fear shows up, try saying: “This is FEAR, not danger.” “This is uncomfortable, not unsafe.” “My heart is doing its job.” You are not broken. Your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, and that is what’s creating this experience.
That's what I'm going through right now.I am super aware of my breathing and feel like I can't get enough air.Anything triggers my nervous system right now.
@Anonymous I feel the same as you. I’m constantly feeling short of breath. Almost like drowning, I’ve seen every doctor and did every test. They all say I’m fine which made me feel worse at first. I take hydroxzine, it makes me feel like a shadow of myself but I can breathe when I’m on it. Guess you gotta take the wins when they come 😕 I’m wishing recovery for everyone. Much love you guys don’t give up! ❤️
Oh man I get that so much, health ocd when you actually have been diagnosed with a condition. I’m aaallllways checking my symptoms and pulse. Sometimes it feels like trying to calm down while you’re choking or smth. That uncertainty is so freaking frustrating. I’m sorry I can’t offer much comfort since we’re strangers but I get it. I just wanna feel normal too.
i feel the exact same way just about my breathing, it’s like you’re trapped in the space you’re supposed to feel the safest and it can be really uncomfortable
This is something that really helped me. One day I was feeling quite anxious and dealing with OCD triggers. I intentionally shifted my focus and thought, why don’t I focus on the beauty of this moment instead? “What a beautiful sunny day… that tree is lovely…” To my surprise, the anxiety faded. I realized that thoughts of doom don’t need to be fought or suppressed, they can simply be replaced with better, life-giving thoughts. I didn’t battle them; I just gently moved on. Soon, I was doing other things and continuing with my day.
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