Worried about anxiety and heart

Most of us who suffer Anxiety have been through this Anxiety and a panic attack can mimic the systems of a heart attack.  You have to believe the Dr and tests are ok. Your brain is going into override due to the chemicals it releases when we fear something. You need to take control and stop the fear cycles be more positive and disregard the doubts tell yourself it's only silly thoughts. In a nutshell you have to retrain your brain that this is not fear full. Panic attacks are horrid and can leave you feeling a complete and utter mess is an understatement.  But they won't kill you they are what they are called panic and nothing more. They happen so fast but they can be beaten and our complex brain can be re trained research cbt it helps tablets are only part of the solution but longterm as hard as it is we have to do lots our self's. After 18 years of meds and anxiety with hell panic attack I started cbt therapy my understanding and thoughts towards panic attacks changed and so far the last 6 months have been very positive. Please don't do 18 years on tablets waiting for the right ones and hoping it will all be ok in the morning. In short you have to change your thought process and cbt will help  good luck 

The best thing to do first is become aware of your physiology, or the very real physical symptoms you're experiencing. They are there. It isn't necessarily a symptom of anything else but if you fear it is, you should consult your GP. If you have physical checks and they eliminate the problem (ECG for heart, etc) then you should put it down to anxiety.

Anxiety comes because your brain is creating a 'fear' in your mind, and as with anything that creates fear, you become anxious.

The anxiety, usually, starts in your chest, so you begin to breathe faster and your chest becomes tense (as a muscle would if it is being exercised). Your lungs need more oxygen and no greater way of getting oxygen around your body is by blood. Blood gets to your lungs faster when your heart pumps it quicker, so your heart rate increases.

The lungs are working hard now. They are communicating with your brain asking for more help. Your brain helps by asking your heart for support. So the heart is working harder than it normally would to the point where it needs help from your brain again.

Your brain can't cope with both having a go at it asking for support - you get symptoms such as perspiration, pains in your chest, tingling in your arms, toes and fingers. So your brain panics and makes mistakes.

Your brain then tells you to react accordingly – panic.

The panic says, “focus on your heart; why is it faster? Why are my arms tingling? Why does my chest hurt?”. Your brain says, through duress and under pressure, “I'm having a heart attack; I'm going to die!”

You're not. Just stop and think before your lungs tell your brain that they need oxygen, fast. Focus on your breathing.

How to deal with anxiety is subjective and it depends on how disciplined you are in being able to set yourself space and time to be able to perform breathing exercises rather than rely on medication being there for you to help you. 3 things I've found are the most helpful - 1. Guided Meditation, 2. Mindfulness and Awareness, 3. The '7 to 11 Breathing Technique'

Guided meditation, first of all, is quite structured and disciplined in the sense you have somebody there guiding you through the process of meditation (obviously) and you don't want to disturb others doing it at the same time - but similarly expect others to respect you whilst you do it.

Mindful and awareness can often come hand in hand with guided meditation. Through mindfulness and awareness, you become aware of where you are and most importantly what your body is physically experiencing. In focusing on these feelings (chest pain, shortness of breath, pins and needles) by breathing them in, in a controlled manner, by breathing them out you are effectively telling your brain and body to breathe these pains out too, and they will eventually go away.

The 7 to 11 breathing technique is when you breathe into your lungs through your mouth, nose or both, until your lung capacity is completely full - it may even hurt; you may use parts of your lungs you've never used before - and hold your breath for 7 seconds. Following this, you purse your lips as though you were blowing out a candle and gradually exhale until your lungs are empty. You hold this for 11 seconds and don't take another breath.

Keep doing this for as long as you want. The longer, the better. During the exercise you might experience forms of euphoria; your fingers may tingle, your head may feel slightly dizzy - this is good; this is tension unburdening itself off you; don't worry about it. Instead, focus on it and treat it as a good feeling.

With all of this, it will not be an immediate cure. Mindfulness and awareness courses, and meditation classes take time to book and when you go to them, both take patience to master. The 7 to 11 breathing technique you can perform whenever you want.

My advice would be to understand for the first two you won't get anywhere this week but if you take steps now to look into them and how practical it is to do them, by the end of the week you may be on the right track.

Richard

I have the same issues my heart rate is always fast and I was just in the hospital for sinus techycaridia and it's very scary but I'm only 28 years old and the doctors say I'm fine too but my mind dose not think it I'm very worried about my heart rate cause I think it's going to get weak I need someones opinion on this too put me at ease