heart attack phobia

[puppyskin]

how do you overcome this? its a bit more complex than other phobias because how do you expose yourself to it.

[Nigel]

Hi puppyskin,

That’s an interesting one :unsure:

I suppose when you really think about it, this is one of those fears that’s good to have, but in the right context and at the right time. It just needs to be used ‘realistically’ though and not allowed to obsessively take over.

So perhaps a better way of looking at it might be to consider how to take reasonable precautions, then trust to fate. However, you still need to take full control should your body ‘naturally’ alert you to something. But by that I don’t mean obsessively looking for symptoms :winks:

Take care :)
Nigel

[looking4answers]

This one is a real biggy to me as well.Its hard not to worry but well..I have been worried about heart attack for probably most of my life.I am 56 now and could very well have one but I try to put it out of my mind. Its weird somedays I never worry and can feel my pulse pounding and other days I am taking my pulse all the time. I guess as far as HA goes this one is probably one of the most popular. Try not to worry and I wish I could be of some help.Maybe one day you will just stop worrying about it and let it go.I have never but the worry isn't always on my mind. Good luck to you and wish I could help.. take care. Michael

[Anxious_gal]

Cardiophobia is the fear of the heart or heart disease. The origin of the word cardio is Greek (meaning heart or pertaining to the heart) and phobia is Greek (meaning fear).

I would say try therapy . find a good therapist :-)

[PokerFace]

I have a heart attack phobia too!

I guess facing it/exposing yourself to it is doing the things you're afraid to do incase you have a heart attack. Or trying not to panic over chest pains/palpitations. I try to just sit there when I get chest pains now instead of leap up and get myself into a tizz, also started exercising again cuz I stopped cuz I was scared of giving myself a heart attack.

Also don't go looking for heart attack/disease symptoms or heart defects cuz you'll find something else to worry about and the phobia will be harder to get over. Don't pulse check either cuz sometimes pulses are erratic and if your anything like me, even though its normal for your pulse to be unconsistant sometimes, it will scare the hell out of you. xx

[puppyskin]

i have a ritual of taking my bp several times a day too..

[PokerFace]

Stopping pulse checking and blood pressure checking should be the 1st step you make to getting over it then! It feeds your phobia and will probably end up breeding new rituals and habits which will lead to the heart attack phobia becoming more of an obsession. I still check my pulse from time to time as I'm not perfect and still have a phobia of heart attacks but I only do it probably about...not even once a week anymore.

The first thing I used to do EVERY morning was listen to my heart through a stethascope..I don't even know why I have one! It provided about 5 seconds of reassurance and not even full reassurance cuz I have no idea what a normal heart's supposed to sound like or a diseased one cuz I'm not a doctor lol I'm far from it. I havn't touched my stethascope in months though so I'm quite pleased about that! xx

[Magic]

hiya,why have you got this phobia. Has someone in the family had a heart attack and died?

[puppyskin]

i got diagnosed with high bp last year and it snowballed from there.

[PokerFace]

My mums had extremely high blood pressure since I was born so I guess I'll let you off for checking occasionally! :D Just try not to make it into an obsession, it's about moderation. Just try to cut it down from multiple times a day to maybe once every night then once every few days then maybe once a week if you're comfertable with it. xx

[puppyskin]

i wouldnt mind but every time i check it its normal.x

[PokerFace]

That's great news! I guess it's become kind of a saftey net since you had a fright about it being high. Just need to really try to break the habit and it will stop being so important. I'm not saying you should stop it all immediatley cuz that might make you feel a bit lost and scared but definatley think about cutting it down. :) x

[puppyskin]

yeah its like a comfort thing,i know i need to wean off it.x

[Magic]

Hi Puppyskin, I hope you are on medication for your high blood pressure. Very important,Please look after yourself
the more you worry the worse it will get. So try not to.

[puppyskin]

i was on medication but lost 4st and its normal now.

[Magic]

Thats good news!WELL DONE