What do you do to calm anxiety while home alone?

[Mel_82]

Being home alone is always tough for me as a health anxiety sufferer. Don’t get me wrong, I can do the day time fine, but overnight is a whole other story.
It’s not often my partner goes away overnight without me, but tomorrow will be one of those nights.

My mom was supposed to come for the weekend and hang out but due to an impending ice storm has decided not to.

The last week I’ve been getting heart flutters/palpitations and chest burning. I do have gallstones so the discomfort is most likely from them than anything else.
I’m pretty sure when the gallbladder acts up, because it’s in my chest area, it sends me into a panic which makes it worse.

I’ve has several ECGs, wore a 48 hour heart monitor, had chest X-rays, an ultra sound of the heart and a stress test - all has come back fine.

LOGICALLY I know my heart is not at risk but when I’m alone they tiny pain suddenly becomes a panic. I’m always worried something is gonna happen when I’m alone.

How do you fellow HA sufferers survive 24-hours alone and happily?

[actualWeeaboo]

My methods are pretty lame, ahahah! At some points, I've been by myself for weeks and it gets super nerve-wracking... Definitely turns the anxiety dial up to 11, hoo boy.

I usually sleep during the day anyway, because my anxiety convinces me that being asleep at night is a terrible idea. But when I'm alone, I'll leave my room to sleep or relax on the couch near the TV - I'll turn it on, and watch something [constantly] that calms me (there's something about live videogame streaming that makes me really relieved, like, the idea that someone is doing something live that I can watch makes me feel quite safe, somehow).

I'll also keep my phone nearby and some snacks and warm drinks and I'll use blankets and cushions to get super comfy. If possible, I talk to my partner or friends via Discord/Skype.

I also turn ALL the lights on and try to distract myself with games on my phone or laptop while I watch movies or livestreams on the TV. And I close all unnecessary doors and make sure all the blinds in line-of-sight are closed, so I feel more secure.

[Mindprison]

I find that distraction is key when waiting for test results/suffering from high anxiety.

I play video games frequently, with headphones on. Intense concentration on something other than my body tends to reduce my anxiety levels. It doesn't always work, but I find that just finding something else to focus on is beneficial.

Hobbies are important when you have anxiety, we all need something we enjoy to get away from the stresses of life. If you have favourite tv shows, movies or anything, try watching them with headphones on and subtitles on, focusing on them will hopefully be enough to make you ignore minor pains and twitches.

I recently had an ECG for an unrelated issue to do with my blood pressure so I know how you feel. After a few weeks of the all clear, I very rarely get the palpitations or perhaps it's just that I don't know they're happening anymore.

[dus1996]

i have the same thing.. when i think i'm having a heart attack while i'm alone i usually try to distract myself by watching youtube videos or a movie or something like that!! and i see a lot of people do that
most of the time it works
try to think that since everything came back clear you have nothing to be scared of!!

[P-Mo]

Hi Mel,

How did your night alone go? I hope everything is ok. I've never been afraid to stay alone (for health reasons anyway) until about 1 year ago. I won't bore you but I had my first (of multiple) nocturnal panic attacks. Or at least that's what I've decided they are.

If I have to stay alone now, I try my best to do things that may help calm me like drinking chamomile lavender tea, watching tv and keeping my mind occupied. I have recently started journaling, especially when I'm having symptoms and it seems that getting all of the thoughts out of my head when I can't tell anytime, really helps. I understand it's easier said then done though, trust me!

[Mel_82]

It didn’t go too poorly.
I kept busy with cleaning, video games and movies.
It ended up feeezing rain that day too so I just stayed in and relaxed.

I find I’m the most anxious when I’m home alone, or not at home. Home is my “safe” haven until I’m here alone.