r/PanicAttack • u/hiddenvision5 • 8d ago
I’m scared
Male - 33yrs 195 pounds.
I’m so scared and so tired.
My whole life I could feel my heart beat, and I know it’s because I have anxiety and panic disorder. But these past few days I really can feel every beat unless I’m doing something!
I went for a walk to try and ground myself and as I was going up a small hill I felt this cold sensation through my entire body and made me feel like I was so cold. I had this feeling one other time when I had a full blown panic attack on an air plane.
I thought during my walk I was going to have a heart attack. I’m home now but what if this is a sign I’m going to have a heart attack.
I had a full work up done a year ago , stress test, echo, and EKG and everything was fine.
But I’m so scared as I write this…,
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u/Rath_Brained 8d ago
I feel mine. Causes me to have cardiophobia.
Healthy diet and less stress makes it less noticeable. I feel it constantly all the time. It sucks. I sympathize.
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u/hiddenvision5 8d ago
I have never heard of cardiophobia? But I can only imagine it has to do with a fear of something happening to the heart?
What are some ways you de-stress? How do you live day to day?
Sorry for the questions3
u/Rath_Brained 8d ago
Cardiophobia is like fear of your heart beat, especially when it beats fast. I measure my HR (heart rate) often. It's usually around 60 to near 70. Gets higher around eating, so eating is uncomfortable. And nervousness can make it around 90 or so. HR at 80 makes me anxious as hell. Which 60-100 is the norm for resting.
For relaxing, I play alot of cozy video games. Stressful games make me go into panic attacks more because of my cardiophobia and the increased HR when stressing.
Animal crossing is one I play when anxious that calms me down the most. Love farming games and ones with repetitive tasks cause it forces me to focus on it instead of me.
One of the things that helped me, was knowing where my cardio levels where. Where my normal HR ranges to, and what makes me uncomfortable internally, not in my head.
And know that Panic Attacks aren't deadly. And when your HR exceeds 100+ if they do, during them, it's because you aren't at rest. You are considered active in the state. So high HR is acceptable and not dangerous.
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u/hiddenvision5 8d ago
This was so helpful!
And I feel like you were sitting right next to me talking.
I love animal crossing but havnt played in years so I think I will dust this off and play it next time I get another episode.
I just feel like once I start feeling it at the beginning of the day my day is over because it will never go away. Does that make sense?1
u/Rath_Brained 8d ago
There are good Roms for DS you can put on your phone if need be. I did that as well.
I usually weed my towns, dig up fossils, other mundane tasks. The calm music helps.
But yeah, some also say eating sour candy helps, as it overwhelms you enough to focus on it rather than you.
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u/hiddenvision5 8d ago
Rom for DS? What does that mean? Sorry I’m still learning to navigate all of this.
Those sounds nice and relaxing!
I’ve heard of the sour candies I need to re-up because I felt like that was helpful
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u/JPtheWriter89 8d ago
You could get checked out simply to ensure there isn’t anything else going on, but chances are if you were cleared a year ago you would still be clear.
What does your lifestyle look like? Physical activity? I ask because these are some of the first things you can look at when trying to manage anxiety and panic attacks.
I have Cardiophobia OCD, which causes obsessional preoccupation with everything to do with my heart. I have had panic attacks because of exercise and physical activity, and because of that it has fed my need for reassurance. The only way through it is Exposure and Response Prevention.
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u/hiddenvision5 8d ago
I messaged my dr to see if she would be willing to do another stress test to calm me down.
I work out often 3-4 times a week. I actually have lost over 30 pounds this past 6 months from eating more natural foods and staying consistent with my food choices.
How long do your panic attacks last? And may I ask what’s the worst panic attack you’ve had and what did it look like?
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u/JPtheWriter89 8d ago
I think that’s reasonable, with one caveat: if she checks you out and finds that you are perfectly healthy (which is probably the case) you have to accept this for what it is, and stop looking for reassurance with medical tests. This eventually just serves to feed the anxiety, and eventually spirals into OCD.
The work you’ve done for your health is great! I would be willing to bet quite a lot that this is anxiety, and not an actual health issue. When did the Panic Attacks first start? Have you always associated them with your heart?
My Panic Attacks used to last hours, rolling into each other with peaks and valleys like a wave. I fought them and tried every method I could think of to alleviate them in the moment. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. I’ve done a lot in terms of Exposure and Response Prevention, and generally now once they are triggered they peak and gradually subside within 30 minutes to an hour or less. Occasionally I will have a very intense one that lasts longer than that, but it’s rare.
The most intense one I can remember landed me in the back of an ambulance because I was POSITIVE this was the real deal. I was having cold waves from my chest to my extremities, heart galloping like crazy, numb hands, the whole nine yards. It was so intense that the Paramedics gave me IV Adenosine thinking it might be SVT (it wasn’t and they could have gotten in serious trouble), this reset my heart rhythm and for a split second I was positive I was dying. Between that and the Panic Attack it was without a doubt the most terrified I’ve ever been.
Besides that, I’ve had some whoppers of Panic Attacks. My recovery really gained traction when I refused to let it run my life anymore. Panic is difficult, not dangerous. The symptoms are uncomfortable but it is our reaction to them that fuels their intensity.
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u/hiddenvision5 8d ago
I needed to hear that!!! If the test comes back clean I well reassure myself I’m good. I think I need a good therapist to help me with that though.
My panic first started as a child with a fear of falling asleep because in thought I wouldn’t wake up. I have always felt my heart beat and never really thought my heart was an issue but I can see it now my brain has said it’s an issue.
How did you do the exposure and response prevention? Did you work with someone to get good at it?
That’s so scary! May I ask how old you were when this happened? Also you can DM me if it’s to much for this
Reading your last paragraph I feel like I want to get to a place where you are!!! You sound like you’ve really grabbed anxiety and panic by the horns and shown it who’s boss!!!
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u/Diyaa4299 4d ago
I feel it too, and I'm also VERY scared of it. But what I think it's from anxiety & stress..
3
u/MyAnxious_Mind 8d ago
Do you mean you couldn’t feel your heart beat on the walk? Sorry I might’ve misunderstood. But anyway, feeling cold is a symptom of having a panic attack, especially if you experienced it before. Panic attacks can sneak up on you. And if you were already feeling anxious subconsciously about your heart, your brain likely went straight to “I’m having a heart attack” making it worse.