Hello, I was wondering if anyone has faced this sort of problem before and how they overcame it because I’ve rather reached a stumbling block!
I have a horrible anxiety disorder which I have been working on destroying for a couple of years now, and I’ve decided to try and do the couch to 5k programme, but I have found that whenever my heart rate exceeds a certain level, my body reacts and goes into panic attack mode - I can’t breathe, I feel dizzy and I feel like I’m having a heart attack (I will point out that these reactions far exceed what would be the expected effect of exercise on an unfit person, for clarification). It’s very annoying. It’s like my body has associated an elevated heart rate with a panic attack and so automatically ‘prepares for impact’.
Has anyone experienced something like this before? Or had any luck with ‘re-wiring’ their brain/body to not do this? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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AnxiousPotato
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Quite a few people on here use the headspace app, which teaches mindfulness and meditation, alongside controlled breathing, I believe. That might help.
There are dozens of other communities for a vast range of health related conditions, here on HealthUnlocked and no doubt some that may be more pertinent to your anxiety. If you click on the 9 little circles in a square at the top of the page then you can search other communities.
In general terms running boosts confidence, self esteem and mental well-being, so you are in the right place, once you can quell the panic.
I suffer from anxiety too. I believe that Helathunlocked has an anxiety forum. I haven't run long enough to have it when running but I got it this Summer while I was singing on a course. Suddenly got an attack when singing. Luckyly the teacher was great and explained this was totally normal. I wont go into the details but it was something to do with breathing differently and your body panicking thinking it was drowning (yeah weird). Therefore while singing i had to keep telling myself that this was normal, I was fine and nothing bad was happening. That did help. You are doing something new that your body is not used too so it's just reacting. I think it's a bit like the gremlins but in a physical way.
So when you feel it coming, try telling yourself all is well, you are running, you are not in danger and nothing bad will happen.
I found the early runs with breaks challenging because my breath and heart rate kept having to change. Once I started the longer runs, I slowed down and got more used to running with the feeling of a faster heart rate and breathing.
It sounds horrible and frightening for you. I don’t suffer from anxiety (beyond the usual ranges!) and have not suffered a panic attack, but I definitely had the feeling of having to ‘fight down’ a rising panic in the first few weeks of this. I think it was a reaction to the difficulty I was having breathing, and I can definitely relate to my body reacting like it was going under water. I really concentrated on my breathing, nothing else, just the air coming in and out, and the panic subsided. Oh yes - running slower helped me too, and slowing to a walk is an option! 🙂
I too would recommend Headspace, to teach your body and mind to stay in the moment rather than racing ahead and anticipating the worst. I think too that you have to re-interpret the 'symptom' (raised heart rate and breathlessness) as signs of physical exertion and not as the signs of a panic attack, (or heart attack or whatever which then leads to a panic attack). This can be achieved by 'self talk' as you run. That is along the lines of 'my heart rate is increasing because I am exercising', 'I am out of puff because my body is taking in extra oxygen to increase blood flow so that I can run' etc.
I suppose the other thing that might help would be to slow down so that you can re-educate your mind to correctly read the signs your body is giving it.
I think BirdyRose has written about this problem, might be worth asking for her advice. Good luck, I am sure that you will find C25k helpful with your anxiety in the long term x
Hi there!! Im sure C25K is going to be a great experience. After C25K, I’ve used the Nike Run Club App and they do quite a few Headspace Runs. I’ve done many of those. 😁
And while you’re doing the programme, my best advice would be to see it as a completely stress free adventure to see what you can do! There’s no pressure, just a fantastic way to park everything and just have time for you and your coach!
You’re never alone either, somewhere in this world will be thousands of runners just trying their best, just like you! 😉
Keep it slow and slower still! It sounds a bit weird, but the aim in my head during the first stages of C25k was to deliberately come last in a race, because that’s where the secret prize was!
Every time you feel breathless, just slow it down some more. You will get stronger and stronger, naturally! So go out and have fun! “Out There, Don’t Care”! Don’t care who sees you, who else is out there! It’s just you and you! On your own time and definitely in your own way!! Enjoy!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤️
I am so sorry. That must be horrible. You are doing brilliantly to get out there and run. I think the mindfulness suggestions are excellent ideas. You might also like Bella Mackie's book about anxiety and running which I think is terrific. You can find out more about it here: amazon.co.uk/Jog-How-Runnin.... Sending calm, supportive thoughts your way.
I also suffer with anxiety (mainly health anxiety) and I actually started the c25k as I heard exercise is a good way of reducing anxiety.
When I first started I got panicky. I started worrying about my heart. Any time I thought about it I would start to feel dizzy (my first sign of a panic attack) I went went slow and steady. Any time I would think about my heart, or notice my heart beating faster I would slow down slightly. I was more jogging than running to be honest.
Of course I had to mentally reassure myself too, which isn't always easy when anxiety tries to take control.
I've completed the c25k now and I can tell you that running regularly has indeed helped combat my anxiety. It's not completely gone, but it's much less crippling than before.
Here's a few things that helped me through my runs in the beginning...
Listening to podcasts distracted my mind from negative thoughts.
Being well hydrated.
Sticking to a specific route so I always felt in my "comfort zone"
Going slow
Reminding myself that exercise is good for mental health and my heart.
Reminding myself that anxiety has a way of conniving us of things that are totally untrue. And that my heart beating fasting is a sign my body is working perfectly, it's doing what it should be doing.
After each run passed and I realised I didn't have a heart attack or panic attack, the anxiety shifted as it no longer had the ability to scare me while running.
If you can get through the c26k programme I assure you that you will notice a difference in your mental health. I had to skip a week of running recently because I was unwell and I noticed how different I felt mentally without my runs.
For good measure I would visit your GP to discuss this if you haven't already. You can't be too careful. Many years ago, I went for a general check for health insurance, which to cut a long story short, after three more tests resulted in having a scan that resulted in a diagnosis of an historical heart attack (lower chamber muscle damage), and I put that down to an episode in which I was rushed into hospital with stabbing pains in my heart 8 years prior. Anyway, I was offered stents in my heart, but when told the risk of death was about 2.5%, I rejected the offer. Three years later, I had emergency stents, followed by three operations to correct supraventricular tachycardia. Long story, but please ensure that it IS anxiety, and not related to some rare heart condition. It has taken me over a year to psychologically recover from that experience, and happy to say that Couch25K was an important part of that. But only with the full blessing of my GP and cardiac consultant.
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