Stress Center Peer Support

Okay...so I keep having this obessive thought that my heart is going to blow up because it beats so fast. I keep picuturing having a huge panic attack that will make my heart race so fast I will die!
Someone please tell me if they felt this way before!!
And no scary posts please!

yes. this is fairly common actually.

try listening to one of the tapes that helps you with your thoughts.

for example, i was really worried recently about starting a new job. i hadn't listened to the lesson on anticipatory anxiety in a yr. the morning of my first day i listened to it--and it helped so much!

Well, #1 Your heart can race for a long, long time and never blow up. I'm no doctor but I've been around a long time with anxiety and my heart pounds every morning before I rise.

Practice your breath. Breathe in slowly. Hold to the count of 4 and breathe out slowly. Repeat as often as you need to until you feel yourself slow down. Get your attention out of your thoughts. Remind yourself once that you have a strong and healthy heart. It can handle anything you dish out. Get focused on something outside of yourself. Count backwards from 100, go for a walk. Jog. (You'll definitely slow your heart down with exercise.), sing, garden, etc.

You really are OK. It's just your scare voice having fun at your expense.

Yeah...I read in this one book that it can race to over 200bpmin for over two weeks straight! THank you guys for your input...everything helps!!

I always tell people, when they ask about their symptoms, to go and get Dr. Claire Weekes Hope and Healing for your Nerves.

It tells you everything about every symptom, but in a good way. I read it two years ago and have not thought I was going to throw up since, which used to be one of my big symptoms. Dr. Weekes explains what your body is going through, why it does what it does, and how it can't hurt you.

about your heart racing, she says something about how strong your heart is. She explains how your body was created to have these fight or flight reactions, therefore, they can't hurt you. It is very comforting, cheap and a very easy read.

Your heart is not going to explode. You are fine. You will find comfort in that book, though, if you give it a shot.

Hello-
Today I picked up my kids from school, and my oldest son told me how a child in his grade had to go to the hospital for a heart issue. I have been thru the program and am able to see my way thru stuff much better than before, but this threw me back into the What if? What if it happened to me? to my kids? what if it happens when we go up to northern MN this weekend and help is not close? what if it hurts and I suffer and die??

I feel stupid for attaching on to this. My kids seems to be OK. They feel for the child but are outside playing happily. I am in the house quaking.

Any ideas?

Yes, your scare voice is having fun at your expense. Never, never answer a what if. It's in the future. We have no control of the future and you must reassure yourself (remember to soothe) that whatever happens in the future you will handle it. Use thought stoppage. Calm breath and then get busy with something outside of your thoughts. Follow your children's example and go outside and play and have fun. (Most of what we worry about NEVER happens.)

Everytime I go to the doctor, my heart rate is over 100 bpm resting. I always mention it and they say it's fine. I was in the hospital last year (before this program) and having panic attack after attack and my bpm got up to 150 each time. They had me on a heart moniter for a different reason and everything was ok with the heart.
You just have to remember that beating is what it's supposed to do -that's it's job and we sure wouldn't want it the other way.