Anyone?

[Illboy]

Hello I am 16 yr old boy and suffering anxiety mainly around my heart . Ive had many ekgs and even a holter and echo . All tests were fine . Now im getting a really horrible sensation . I get this scary wave of adrenaline when I think about something fearful or if im in a stressful situation . It sends my heart rate really really high . But it comes back instantly . Ive read in internet that these are symptoms of svt . Im scared .

All the information on net seems so depressing that they are very hard to diagnose and stressful events can cause them . My holter results showed no svt .

This thing is driving me really depressed and fearful . I live in constant fear of being on the edge of panic attack . My main concern is that I cant seem to know that whether these are panic attacks or svts im really really scared to live like this .

Even I cant concentrate well on my studies

[TruthSi72]

Hi

When I was your age I had exactly the same experience based around the beating of my heart. What if it stops beating? What if it beats so fast I have a heart attack? It's beating fast now, what if I am having a heart attack now? I just had a palpitation...am i having a heart attack? Is my heart going to stop?

I am now 45 years old.

This is a common experience for many people. I know that doesn't make it feel any better but you should know that you are not going to die from a panic attack. It may feel like it at the time, but that's because your mind is playing out a narrative that it has learned everytime you focus on a particular thing...

It's a bit like a phobia (where someone has an irrational fear or dislike of something that can tend to send them into a panic) but our panic is focused on the beat of our heart.

I used to make sure that I would lie in a certain position in bed so that I wouldn't be able to feel my heartbeat.

So, what happens when you go into these panics? Or more importantly what happens just before you go into these panics? What is it that you focus on that tells your brain that it needs to start to panic or worry?

I managed them like this...every time I began to panic I would take 10 breaths in and out (1 breath in and out is a count of 1) so I would say the number on the in-breath and on the out breath I would tell myself "stop being so silly" and "you're doing this to yourself" - "just calm down now" and on and on...this is more about distracting the mind and telling it a different story...so I began to associate the moment I began to focus negatively on my heartbeat and a slight panic I would begin to get used to almost laughing at myself and in my mind would play out the phrase "c'mon, stop being silly now, there is nothing wrong with you" etc etc.

Over time and with practice, I began to just forget about panicking and about my heartbeat and the panic attacks disappeared.

So try this, stick with it, because you do not want to end up taking medicine as this is not dealing with the thing that triggers the panic, which is your mind, and win only mask it.

Trust me, dealing with this yourself will allow you to feel more confident and a feeling of power over your mind and body. You can do this now.

Don't tell yourself I'm going to try it, tell yourself you're going to do it and succeed at it.

You can do it.

S

[Tempestteapot in reply to TruthSi72]

What a great post, S! Are you familiar with Claire Weekes' work? ☺

[TruthSi72 in reply to Tempestteapot]

Hello Tempest

Yes, I am aware of her great work though I haven't read any as yet, only articles on the web. She had a great theory for sure, and I absolutely agree with what I have read so far in regard to her floating theory.

[1973m]

Hi young man.. I agree with truthsi72 ..

But you must stop googling symptoms .. And believe what you're being told .. Have you tried looking on the MIND website ..? They offer lots of advice as well as a list of how anxiety can feel .. Talk to a close adult and try and get passed this fear ..because it really is fear of s feeling .. That's making you panic ..which I totally get .. You are young and I'm sure you'll be fine .. If you let yourself believe and keep telling yourself I'm ok !