Health Anxiety

My advice would be to stop whatever you're using to monitor unless a doctor has specifically told you to. It looks like that's part of your compulsions now and so while the functionality might be useful in some circumstances, in your case it's now a hindrance and it's feeding your OCD. The above is easy for me to say as someone who doesn't have this type of OCD and I recognise this might make your mind scream "no frickin' way!" but if it does, that's likely a sign it's a compulsion and your OCD wants to keep it!

I've been here with this exact obsession, including struggling to sleep in case I don't wake up. First of all, there is light at the end of the tunnel, but yes I absolutely agree with titaniumonetwo, monitoring your heartrate is worsening your anxiety, and your heartrate is gonna deviate more anyway because your nervous system is activated. Your anxiety is worsening your perceived symptoms. The only way to break this cycle is to stop monitoring your heart, and I recommend uninstalling all of your apps that you're using to compulse. You'll feel extremely anxious at first. I know it's hard. Best of wishes.

I had to stop monitoring!! I used to be so obsessive with an Apple Watch then whoop. Then I grounded myself in that all of my physicals, blood work, etc are always normal. I have health anxiety/ocd as a result of always being sick as a kid, having epilepsy, being in that sick role. It’s almost like it provides me relief or comfort to affirm that I’m sick physically as opposed to mentally anxious, hyperaroused, on edge. I took away the monitoring tools. I connected my mind and body and slowed down my breathing when I noticed it elevated. I asked myself what triggered it. I used more coping skills.

Thank you for the advice and kind words! I’ve tried using the skills that I have developed with my therapist but sometimes the fear and anxiety get the best of me. I just hope it gets a little better with time.