- Username
- Pink Dinosaur
- Date posted
- 6y ago
Hi! I’m Mera. ??♀️ You are not alone. I’ve had OCD most of my life, but after my first panic attack two years ago, my OCD has wrapped its nasty hands around my heart health and this has by far been my hardest fear to let go of. I used to be a long distance hiker and for the last two years most days I just have to muster up the courage to leave the house. My compulsion is around measuring my heart beat. I have spent entire days checking it. I’ve had about 10 EKGs, one I had when I was checked into a psych ward last year. My heart skips a ton of beats. An EKG is used to assess the heart rate and rhythm. This test can often detect heart disease, heart attack, an enlarged heart, or abnormal heart rhythms that may cause heart failure. An EKG is used to find any problem you may have with your heart. You don’t have a problem with your heart. You have the tests to prove it. It’s all in your head. Everyone gets heart palpitations and having a heart rate that varies is healthy. I understand how hard it is to let go of this one. I’m still working at it myself. It’s difficult but not impossible and you are not alone! Xoxox
Dude, I had the same problem! Always thought I was the only one lol. I was always afraid I’d accidentally stop my heart from automatically beating if I thought about it too much (kinda like when you have to manually breathe if you think about it too long). I knew it wasn’t possible but couldn’t shake it. I’m sure your heart’s fine. Apple Watch’s aren’t the most accurate thing ever.
I use my heart rate of an indication of how much stress I’m feeling. If you’re not symptomatic with chest pain or dizziness, you’re probably okay. My heart rate tends to run high but a healthier thought than I’m dying is to think, oh my heart rates up, I better take a few deep breaths or take a few minutes to calm down some.
Try to make your heart stop. Just try. With all your concentration powers. You’ll see
I’m right there with you! I just got an Apple Watch on Friday and it told me this morning that my BPM was 143.?but then it said 102 like a minute later so I don’t know if it’s super accurate!
As someone with diagnosed ventricular tachycardia I totally understand what you mean. Often times when I’m really focused on my heart and chest pains I can tell other anxieties are coming too. I find it’s good to just practice breathing, stop checking your pulse (this may be hard for those with the Apple Watch) decrease caffeine intake and make sure you are doing cardio because that allows for a healthy heart along with eating healthy foods.
When anxious, does your heart every skip beats? Been to the ER 10 times and they tell me its anxiety and I need to relax. I’m beginning to believe it, but what do you guys do to relax and slow your body down and not get scared when you feel palpitations?
Anybody struggle with their heart health? I’m constantly worried about a heart attack. I keep feeling like my left arm hurts and I’ll continually press on it and think about the way it feels. I check my pulse constantly. Any slight feeling in my chest that isn’t “normal” freaks me out. I also keep thinking that I can’t breathe deep enough. I’ve started avoided eating because I don’t wanna eat foods with fat or something that could give me heart attack. I’m 18 and there’s no way I could be having a heart attack. What can I do to get over this?
I’ve had many different intrusive thoughts over the years, but I can’t seem to shake this obsession with my heart. I continually think it’s going to just stop or that it can’t handle being elevated. I don’t even have family history of heart disease or heart attack or anything of the sort. I keep myself healthy between exercise and diet. I’ve reassured myself a million ways from Sunday. I saw a cardiologist once, years ago, who reassured me that my heart palpitations were nothing to be afraid of. I try to look at every workout as an exposure, pushing myself to trust my heart and ignore the thoughts. But sometimes I just want to relax and enjoy dinner with my boyfriend or being out with my friends without ruminating over what would happen if I had a heart attack in the restaurant, the bar, where’s the nearest hospital, can I trust the people I’m with to know what to do, etc. It’s exhausting.
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