How to Stop Worrying About Heart Attack?

 

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Panic Attacks and a Fear of Heart Attack

Here’s a typical scenario of getting anxious about your heart:

“While sitting at my desk, I was feeling edgy, and I could feel my pulse rate increase. I kept working, and then I felt pins and needles going up my left arm. I immediately thought to myself, “I’m having a heart attack.” Literally seconds later, my heart was racing. I then looked around to see if there was anyone at the office. I was by myself . . . I really thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. Knowing I was alone, with no one to help me, made me feel more desperate and scared. I ended up calling 911. After extensive tests at the hospital, they told me it was anxiety. Even though I know it’s just anxiety related, I can’t help worrying that they may have missed something, I’ve become paranoid and check my pulse all the time. I also get really frightened if my heart beats fast or skips a beat.”

Most people who have experienced panic attacks at some point fear for the health of their heart. It goes without saying that everyone should investigate any unusual symptoms in their chest or heart. Heart disease almost always produces major electrical changes in the heart, which are picked up very obviously by an EKG. In panic attacks, the only change that shows up on the EKG is a slight increase in heartbeat.

If you’re worried about heart problems, treat yourself to a full examination, and put your mind to rest. If you’ve had a full medical examination and the doctor has cleared you, you can safely assume that you don’t have heart problems.

Let’s first look at the facts of heart disease and see how this differs from panic attacks. The major symptoms of heart disease are breathlessness and chest pain as well as occasional palpitations and fainting.

Such symptoms are generally related to the amount of physical effort exerted—that is, the harder you exercise, the worse the symptoms, and the less you exercise, the better. The symptoms usually go away quickly if the individual rests. This is very different from the symptoms associated with panic attacks.

Palpitations

Palpitations are short, abrupt periods in which the heart suddenly starts beating fast.

If you’re in a sensitive state, this can ring alarm bells because you fear a sudden heart attack. The more you panic, the faster the heart beats. It’s therefore understandable why many people in this situation jump to conclusions and call for medical help.

What you have to remember is that palpitations are perfectly natural and can often be caused by exhaustion or stimulants like caffeine. Your heart is an incredibly strong muscle, and it won’t stop or explode simply because it’s beating hard and fast.

A healthy heart can beat fast all day long and not be in any danger.

Missed Heartbeats

The medical term for missed heartbeats is extrasystoles. A missed heartbeat is usually an extra beat between two normal beats. Given the pause that follows this premature beat, it just seems as if one beat was missed. And because the heart’s lower chambers fill with a greater-than-usual amount of blood during the pause, the next regular heartbeat can feel like a bit of a jolt. When you feel this sensation, you often freeze and wait in terror to see if your heart is in trouble.

Such missed beats are generally harmless. It can help to sit down when you feel this sensation, but if you wish to keep moving, do so. Exercise won’t cause the situation to get worse, and don’t convince yourself that going home to lie down is the only way to help the situation.

If you retreat every time you feel an unusual sensation, that behavior can reinforce a negative idea that your home is the only safe place to be. Our hearts are not atomic clocks that always keep time; they speed up, slow down, or occasionally beat in an irregular fashion. People with anxiety are very keen observers of all bodily functions.

From time to time, you may notice an irregular beat or two. This is nothing to get upset about.

Sometimes, individuals go through similar worries about their heart as they do with their breathing. People convince themselves that if they worry enough about their heart, or concentrate too much upon its actions, it may somehow get confused and forget how to beat correctly. It’s quite common for people who suffer from panic attacks to check in on their heart at regular intervals to make sure it’s still beating away.

If you simply can’t stop obsessing about your heart, here are some tips:

• Get a full medical examination. If you don’t, your mind will always bring up the “what if something really is wrong” card. When you get a clean bill of health, trust in the results and don’t second-guess them. If you really must, get a second opinion—but after that, stop doubting your good health.

• Remember that your body has incredible internal intelligence. Simply telling your heart, out of panic, that it might stop doesn’t mean that it heeds your fears. Learn to become more comfortable with your heart, and let it do its job. Listen to it when you’re relaxed and also when you’re exercising. The more comfortable you are with the diversity and range of your heartbeats, the more confidence you’ll have in it.

• Allow your heart to beat in whatever rhythm it sees fit. Don’t try to control the natural rhythms of your body by always insisting on a calm heartbeat. The more you allow your body to flow in the manner it so chooses, the faster it will return to a state of rest.

Very often, your heart only wants to palpitate a bit, thump a few beats harder. Why? That’s the heart’s own business. It’s your mind that interferes and panics, causing the adrenaline to kick off a longer cycle of rapid heartbeats.

So from now on, make a verbal agreement with your heart that you’re going to stop interfering and obsessing over its health and trust in it 100 percent. Then hand over the controls.

Let go to whatever way your heart wishes to behave. By allowing the sensations to happen and simply getting on with your day, you release the anxiety that you hold around your heart as well as the cautious monitoring of every heartbeat.

For more ideas on how to stop worrying about heart attack, watch the following videos –

Difference Between Heart Attack and Anxiety Attack Explained!

Scared of having a heart attack? Here’s what to do about it

By Barry McDonagh, who is an international panic disorder coach. He created the Panic Away program to help people around the world deal with their anxiety and avoid panic attacks – a subject that he is personally attuned to because he himself found that he was prone to these issues since he was young. His hatred of his powerless lead him down the path of finding natural ways to treat himself without having to depend on expensive medications.

His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Natural Anxiety Remedies – How to Stop Worrying About Heart Attack?

How Can I Stop My Anxiety Without Using Medication?

 

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Anxiety and Headaches

If you experience high anxiety or stress, it’s very likely that you also experience headaches, or even migraines. Some describe their headaches as dull pain or a tight band around their heads. A migraine is usually experienced in more severity, sometimes associated with sensitivity to light, sound, and movement.

The most common of all the various headache types is a tension headache. This is caused by a tightening of the muscles in the upper back, neck, and head. Many cite anxiety as a major trigger for this type of headache.

Researchers in Taiwan have found that the majority of people, particularly women, with chronic daily headaches have either anxiety or depressive disorders.

Anxiety can make tension headaches worse by increasing muscle tension, flooding the body with stress chemicals (such as adrenaline), and reducing the amount of “relaxation” chemicals (such as endorphins) in the body.

It’s beyond the scope of this course to discuss in detail possible cures for headaches, but I’ll briefly summarize some short- and long-term solutions. Your doctor is best able to advise you on how to treat your particular headache.

Short-term treatments

Short-term treatment options to provide pain relief include the following:

• Painkillers, such as aspirin or paracetamol (acetaminophen)
• Heat treatment, such as a long soak in a hot bath
• Ice packs to the face
• A scalp, neck, and shoulder massage
• Microcurrent (TENS) and magnetic therapy
• Stress-relieving activities, such as relaxation, meditation, or hypnosis
• Exercise

Long-term treatments

If you feel your headache is directly related to stress and anxiety, then the best long-term strategy is to reduce the amount of anxiety you experience.

Research has found that regular exercise can relieve muscle tension and help alleviate stress-related symptoms, such as tension headaches, and should also be included in your long-term strategy. Aerobic exercise—such as cycling, swimming, or walking—are good examples.

Weak Legs/Jelly Legs and Anxiety

Anxiety creates the sensation of weak or “jelly” legs. When anxious, adrenaline is released into your body. The adrenaline can make sensitive people feel very weak in their muscles—especially the leg muscles, because they’re supporting the body. You often hear people say that when they have to stand up and speak, they go weak at the knees and fear they might topple over. It’s important to note, however, that the jittery sensation you may feel in your legs is not a signal that your legs are any weaker—they’re not. In fact, your legs are being primed for movement, so don’t fear that they’ll go out from under you.

If you’re out walking, then continue to walk; if you’re standing in a line, then continue to stand. There’s no need to find a place to sit, and doing so often reinforces your anxiety about weak legs.

If you train yourself to continue to do what you were doing, you’ll quickly learn that the sensation of weak legs is an illusion and your legs are strong and well capable of supporting your body.

The more you challenge anxious sensations in this manner, the faster the sensation will disappear. Many of the anxiety symptoms are worsened by anxious thoughts about the sensation.

For example, if you feel your legs go weak, you may jump to extreme conclusions:

Weak legs mean I’ll fall over—and that means I must be about to faint!

When you think like this, the anxiety can then trick you into feeling dizzy, thereby creating an even greater cycle of anxiety. The answer, as you’re now well aware, lies in accepting the sensation and moving on.

Don’t try to wish the sensation away or pretend that it doesn’t exist. Simply say this to your body:

Okay, legs, I understand you’re feeling a bit weak. But I really don’t feel it’s something serious, so I’m going to finish my walk regardless.

By not retreating, you build up your confidence to the point where you’re not bothered by the sensation—which, in turn, creates less anxiety, resulting in fewer occurrences of weak legs.

For more tips on how can I stop my anxiety without using medication, watch the following 3 videos –

Anxiety Headaches & Migraines – Symptoms and Relief

How To Stop Legs Shaking From Anxiety / When Nervous

How to Deal with Intense Anxiety and Panic Attacks (Dr. Glenn Livingston interviews Michael Norman)

By Barry McDonagh, who is an international panic disorder coach. He created the Panic Away program to help people around the world deal with their anxiety and avoid panic attacks – a subject that he is personally attuned to because he himself found that he was prone to these issues since he was young. His hatred of his powerless lead him down the path of finding natural ways to treat himself without having to depend on expensive medications.

His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Natural Anxiety Remedies – How Can I Stop My Anxiety Without Using Medication?

What are the Best Ways to Keep Anxiety Levels Under Control?

 

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Keep Anxiety Levels Under Control – Blood Sugar Levels and Anxiety

Do you wake up in a highly anxious state? Is it hard for you to focus and get control over your thoughts after a meal?

If the answer is yes, one of the critical links related to your anxiety could be traced to your diet and your blood sugar levels throughout the day.

If you have a history of diabetes or other health conditions that cause low blood sugar, you may be more vulnerable to high anxiety, stress and even a panic attack at certain times of the day.

Many people who are suffering from hypoglycemia experience anxiety on a regular basis because their blood sugar levels are too low. Low blood sugar levels can trigger a number of responses in the body including inability to focus, nervousness, trembling, dizziness and racing thoughts.

Sound familiar?

If so, you may need to be tested for hypoglycemia and diabetes, and take a close look at your diet.

Many people get a lot of relief from anxiety simply by changing their daily diet and eating more nutritious, wholesome foods that don’t negatively affect their blood sugar levels. I talk more about this in my book Panic Away.

Simple diet modifications such as eating oatmeal with milk for breakfast, eating more protein-rich foods at each meal, and eating smaller meals throughout the day can help keep blood sugar levels in check and keep anxiety levels under control.

If you experience frequent mood swings and anxiety attacks that you can’t trace to any particular source, take a close look at your diet and lifestyle and see if your mood tends to change after a meal. This can be a good indicator that your blood sugar levels are out of balance, so it’s important to have that checked and start making the necessary changes in your diet.

Keep Anxiety Levels Under Control – IBS and Toilet Phobia

There are a number of different phobias related to the toilet, but here I’m going to discuss one of the most common: the fear of not getting to the toilet on time. No one should feel ashamed of this problem; it’s common and can be overcome. This fear is almost always connected to social embarrassment, and it rarely happens in situations where other people are not around.

Anxiety can give people the impression that they have a weak bladder. When anxious, they may need to use the toilet several times. In most cases, there’s no physical problem, and the frequency of needing a toilet is purely psychological.

Toilet phobia is strongly connected to panic attacks because it’s the thought “How do I escape this if I need a toilet?” that really triggers the anxiety. People often run scenarios through their minds of not being able to reach a toilet on time and the social embarrassment this would cause. If you experience this fear when you leave home, I’ll outline steps you can take to minimize the anxiety.

The solution lies in rebuilding confidence in your own body and putting less focus on the fear of embarrassment or ridicule. Start by putting yourself in situations where you know there are toilets, but position yourself far enough away so that it causes your anxiety be activated.

Let’s take a shopping mall as an example. As you enter and the fear escalates, find a place to sit down. As the fearful thoughts surface, don’t try to suppress them.

Simply say to the thoughts that you’re not worried by that scenario because you know you have full confidence in controlling your body. You work through the anxiety while seated. When the anxiety lessens, you stand up, then walk slowly and calmly to the toilet. By the time you reach it, you might even find that you no longer need to go.

The important point is to move toward the toilet only when you feel that you—not the anxiety—decides when to go. If you keep running to the toilet every time you feel the urge, you reinforce the idea that you have no control over the situation. By working through the anxiety and going only when you’re ready, your confidence in the ability to control your body increases tenfold.

You might want to begin by setting up these opportunities when you’re alone. When you’re with friends, fear of embarrassment can make it more difficult. As you practice this, you’ll reach a point where you feel more confident in controlling your body’s need to use the toilet. This takes practice and time, but soon you’ll be able to go anywhere without this worry dominating your thoughts. Practice is key here.

To learn more about toilet phobia, visit Toilet Phobic Society

For more tips on how to keep anxiety levels under control, watch this video – How to cope with anxiety | Olivia Remes | TEDxUHasselt

By Barry McDonagh, who is an international panic disorder coach. He created the Panic Away program to help people around the world deal with their anxiety and avoid panic attacks – a subject that he is personally attuned to because he himself found that he was prone to these issues since he was young. His hatred of his powerless lead him down the path of finding natural ways to treat himself without having to depend on expensive medications.

His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Natural Anxiety Remedies – How to Keep Anxiety Levels Under Control?

3 Best Strategies for Handling Morning Anxiety

 

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For many people who suffer from panic attacks and experience high levels of anxiety, mornings can be a particularly stressful time of day. Some people find themselves always getting up in a frantic state, while others feel very depressed and experience a heightened state of worry upon waking.

If mornings are particularly difficult for you, you need a strategy for getting your day off to a healthy start. I talk more about starting the day right in my book, Panic Away, and you can start implementing these strategies right away:

1. Start with a light stretch. Stretching will help increase circulation to all your major muscle groups and help you reduce some stress and tension. Stretch your arms and legs lightly before you get out of bed so you become more mindful of your body and can increase oxygen flow.

2. Think about things you’re grateful for. Take a deep few deep breaths and focus on a few elements of your life that you are truly grateful for. This can be a person, place or thing, and all it takes to change your state of mind from anxious one to a positive one is spending a few minutes being grateful. You’ll notice your mood state changes pretty quickly once you develop this habit.

3. Journal for at least 30 minutes. Writing a journal is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety and get in touch with your feelings. Writing your thoughts can help release some of the negative thoughts and make you stronger to face the day ahead. It is a mental release as you do not feel the same pressure to obsess about what is on your mind. Once it is on paper you will have a better perspective.

These are just three simple strategies you can use to handle bouts of morning anxiety and get through your day on a more positive note.

Reduce Stress and Anxiety with Morning Pages Exercises

Alleviating mental anxiety, you experience upon waking isn’t always easy. How often do you get up in an anxious state? Do you feel calm and well-rested when you first wake up, or is your mind just reeling with thoughts and ideas?

If you suffer from frequent anxiety attacks and panic attacks, it’s likely that you experience a high level of stress and anxiety shortly after waking. The good news is, you can use this energy in a positive way and clear out those mental blocks before you tackle the day ahead.

Julie Cameron talks about writing “Morning Pages” in her book, The Artists Way. She encourages people to set aside about 30 minutes in the morning and write down the first thing that comes to mind.

I explain how to do this in my book Panic Away, and it’s one of the most effective ways to clear out anxious thoughts and get your day off on a positive start.

Just start each day by writing down the first thing that comes to mind. You don’t have to worry about grammar, spelling or even the format. Just jot down your thoughts, even if you have no specific thing to think about.

The goal is to continue writing and writing until you’ve filled about three pages. You want your mind to be free, to just ‘spill out’ all those disorganized thoughts so you’re not holding them in your head.

Use a pen and paper – the old-fashioned writing style seems to be more cathartic for most people – and keep the pages in a notebook or folder. These are strictly your Morning Pages, so you don’t have to worry about sharing them with anyone.

This is a really great technique from Julie Cameron. Do this regularly, and you’ll soon realize that you have greater mental clarity and can focus and concentrate better throughout the day.

For more tips on handling morning anxiety, watch this video – How I FIXED My Morning Anxiety (STEPS To Freedom)

By Barry McDonagh, who is an international panic disorder coach. He created the Panic Away program to help people around the world deal with their anxiety and avoid panic attacks – a subject that he is personally attuned to because he himself found that he was prone to these issues since he was young. His hatred of his powerless lead him down the path of finding natural ways to treat himself without having to depend on expensive medications.

His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Natural Anxiety Remedies – Best Strategies for Handling Morning Anxiety

6 Tips for Anxiety Free Sleep

 

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If falling asleep has become one of the most challenging parts of your day, you’re not alone. Thousands of people that suffer from anxiety and panic attacks find it very difficult to end their day comfortably and may not be getting enough high quality sleep on a regular basis.

Sleep deprivation not only makes you more irritable and tired the following day, but may also be the reason why you’re experiencing high levels of anxiety on a regular basis.

Fortunately, there are some ways to sleep better tonight, and every night. I talk more about ways to break out of an unhealthy sleep deprivation cycle in my book, Panic Away.

Here are some other ways you can encourage deep sleep and get the much-needed rest you need:

1. Don’t force it. Try and avoid thinking about not being able to sleep when you’re tossing and turning at night, and just relax. Say to yourself “If I sleep I sleep great -if not I will always manage”. Forcing sleep is more than likely to backfire and make you feel more anxious about your situation.

2. Exercise more. Exercising regularly is a proven way to enjoy deeper sleep. Try exercising in the early morning or late afternoon so that it’s easier to wind down near the end of the day.

3. Steer clear of caffeine, alcohol and soft drinks. These substances can compromise the quality of sleep you can enjoy on a regular basis.

4. Practice deep relaxation exercises. Take the time to meditate or do some type of light stretching exercise before bed so that you can induce a state of deep relaxation. This will help you enjoy a better quality of sleep more consistently.

5.Have a warm bath 20 minutes before bed. Add several drops of lavender oil to help your muscles relax.

6. Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time so your body adapts to a healthy cycle.

Getting to Sleep When You Have Anxiety

For many people who deal with anxiety and panic attacks on a regular basis, night time can be a particularly difficult time of day because they are unable to fall asleep naturally. Not getting enough sleep can take its toll on your health and well-being, and can even increase the risk of an anxiety or panic attack in the near future.

People stay awake at night for a number of reasons. They may be fearful or worried about an upcoming event, or they might simply be worried that they can’t sleep and won’t be able to perform at their best the next day. It’s a difficult situation to be in, but there are several ways to fall asleep naturally so you don’t have to take sleeping pills or any type of drugs.

One of the most important steps you can take mentally is to simply presume that you won’t sleep. This sounds like the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish, but the goal here is to break out of the pattern of pressuring yourself to fall asleep. A good night’s sleep isn’t guaranteed, but you have to surrender your inability to sleep in order to put your mind at ease. I talk more about this strategy in my book, Panic Away.

There are also several strategies you can use on a nightly basis to wind down and encourage the sleep state. You can:

* Take a hot bath or shower and allow your muscles to relax
* Eat foods that contain tryptophan (try a small turkey sandwich)
* Eliminate TV and time at the computer for at least one to two hours before bed
* Avoid heavy exercise in the late evening
* Eliminate caffeine from your meal plan after 3 p.m.

Just remember that you will fall asleep eventually, and you need to trust that your body will get the sleep it needs each night. Free yourself from the vicious cycle of trying to get asleep and getting frustrated over not getting enough sleep so that you can start getting the quality sleep you need every night.

For more tips for anxiety free sleep, watch this video – Sleep, Anxiety and Insomnia: How to Sleep Better when You’re Anxious

By Barry McDonagh, who is an international panic disorder coach. He created the Panic Away program to help people around the world deal with their anxiety and avoid panic attacks – a subject that he is personally attuned to because he himself found that he was prone to these issues since he was young. His hatred of his powerless lead him down the path of finding natural ways to treat himself without having to depend on expensive medications.

His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Natural Anxiety Remedies – How to Get Anxiety Free Sleep?