Mindfulness and Persistent AF

[Rainfern]

I have been resorting to various distractions to take my mind off an underlying anxiety and uncomfortable symptoms of persistent AF. While seeing friends, crafting and learning Greek are all very nice and useful, I discovered that particularly at night I was continuing to feel mild but uncomfortable anxiety not just about my own life, the waiting list for ablations etc but the impact of my condition on those I love. Worry is rarely a useful emotion so I have started putting a bit of time into mindfulness practice which involves observing those inner sensations in a kind and nonjudgemental way without running away from them. It has been quite a revelation because for a start at least half of the bubbly heart sensations are intestinal and feelings such as ectopic beats become just another interesting aspect of the body’s working rather than a story of physical decline! It is easier to tell myself what a wonderful organ my heart remains despite having a small handicap! If anyone is interested in learning more about mindfulness then I would suggest Jon Cabot Zinn “Full Catastrophe Living” as he has worked for many years with people suffering chronic conditions.

I know we all find different ways of getting through and everyone is different. Mindfulness is not for everyone but I thought I’d just share and it would be great to hear from anyone facing persistent AF in their own way.

[CDreamer]

So insightful. Mindfulness practice I would say is a must for AFers. Gives a whole different perspective when you become the observer.

[Rainfern in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks for your response CDreamer and great to hear from others who practice mindfulness. It really does change ones perspective at same time as being calmer, more grounded and a nicer person to be around too! So I’m not sure why I have stopped and started so much over the years!

[Afibflipper]

Hi Redfern, obviously I’m very sorry you’re still having your symptom bubbles. I was a fan of Mindfulness and it’s very good indeed when the head is there & sometimes that bubble also pops but you can get it back. People shouldn’t just presume well that’s it doesn’t work anymore. We have to accept it’s really ok to have down feelings as that’s life in general but not to give up. I think to many before they try it and work through it, possibly in a mindfulness group where others give scenarios and how they used it can help see the reality of it. Keep at it Rainfern, your head is in the right place now. Also the hobbies, I like lots of crafts, different art challenges, photography, plant growing and trying to get cutting to grow - like with the Greek you’re doing - you don’t realise how learning a new project or bettering an existing talent really does take the mind away from the health focus. Even watching a video say on YouTube of what others can do. Take care Rainfern, as you know this forum is a place to get support or give support xx

[Rainfern in reply to Afibflipper]

Hi Flipper thank you for such a lovely response. I feel your support like a big wave of sunshine! I hope you are keeping well yourself. It’s great you have some good creative hobbies there. I was at the craft centre in Bovey Tracey yesterday, very inspiring. 😀 xx

[Threecats]

Hi Rainfern

I totally agree with your excellent post! I’m a fan of Jon Cabot Zinn, too,

I came out of the womb worrying 😀and cannot remember a time when I haven’t worried about something. I have given far too much of my life over to this fruitless occupation, trying to control every aspect of my environment with order and predictability in a vain attempt to keep the worry monster at bay and denying I had a problem - it never worked! When AF rocked up and blew a great big hole in my carefully crafted life with its randomness and complete unpredictability, it messed with my head big time! Every time I tried to control it and put episodes down to a certain cause, it would just laugh and pop up somewhere else, driving me to distraction!

Eventually, (I’m a slow learner😀) I realised I had to find another way and remembered the work of Jon Cabot Zinn that I’d read many years previously and so started with 10 mins a day of just allowing things to be as they are without trying to control them and went from there.

One of my anxieties was driving anywhere in case an episode started whilst I was out. It was getting to the point where I would cancel engagements because of it. Realising I would end up not going out al all if I allowed this to carry on, I followed a suggestion in another book to imagine the anxiety as an annoying little creature that followed me about telling me all the terrible things that would happen if I did go out. I imagined my “creature” as a miniature ginger-haired troll with a ridiculous squeaky voice, almost laughable really and named him Kevin (my apologies to all the Kevin’s out there). Well, Kevin would get positively apoplectic when I started getting ready to go out but I just indulged him and carried on anyway and it worked, as eventually he shut up! It sounds totally bonkers writing it down but the process of disassociating myself from the anxiety by transferring it onto my imaginary ‘friend’ so I could see it for what it was, was something I personally found very helpful.

I’m now sitting here in persistent AF and am more relaxed and at ease with it than I ever dreamed I would be! Mind you, I’m not saying I’ve got everything sorted, far from it but I have gradually and not without a lot of resistance, learned that it’s ok to let go of the need to control everything!

Anyway, my apologies for the essay!

All the best, TC

Ps are you learning modern or Ancient Greek? I’m doing the latter and find it fascinating.

[Rainfern in reply to Threecats]

Thank you TC for your wonderful post on mindfulness, tackling anxiety and resistance to change. I’ve enjoyed reading it. And thanks for introducing me to Kevin 😀😀😀! I use labelling as part of meditation, but love the idea of a general “character” to personify anxiety whenever it arises! I might call mine Franklin. It’s so easy to forget that our brains are hardwired to be cautious and on the look-out for danger, so important not to beat ourselves up those times when we slip back into anxiety states!

Stay well and happy moment by moment. It’s modern Greek, feeding my dream of returning to Crete one day! ☺️

[Threecats in reply to Rainfern]

Thanks Rainfern and thank you for raising the topic in the first place😊 I hope Franklin turns out to be as useful to you as Kevin has been for me😀 As you say, I’ve had plenty of slip backs along the way but now I can see them as experiences to learn from, rather than catastrophizing as I would have done previously.

I wish you all the best in reaching a place of peace in your AF journey and success in your study of Greek, too. I sincerely hope that, one day, you will be able to fulfil your dream, TC

[bassets]

Well done you! I turned to mindfulness when I began to panic about my AF and it worked well for me. I used Headspace.

[Rainfern in reply to bassets]

Thank you Bassets. I’ve not tried Headspace but do find “Balance” very good - I just love the voice of Ofuso and he’s good at talking me to sleep too.