Hello. I’m new here. I’ve suffered with GAD and Health Anxiety for over 30 years and mild to moderate panic. (I’m of the constantly checking my heart rate/blood pressure/oxygen levels/HRV type, who does seek medical help, but resists doing it due to not wanting to bother them and knowing a lot of my problems are self-induced anxiety.) Over the last six years, an incidence of Afib and several SVT have, unfortunately, increased my worry. What I have noticed is that, for the last three years, I’ve had SVT around the same date at the end of November. This also marks the anniversary of the death (at an old age) of a very close relative, but 20 years ago.
I can’t see why this should start so long after the loss, so am wondering if this time of year has a deleterious effect on others’ heart health or panic, maybe from
- the shortening days (will be getting my light lamp out!),
- perhaps lesser outdoor exercise because of the cold, wet weather,
- some kind of stress about Christmas,
- worsening of autumn/winter allergy-induced symptoms, which might also upset the Vagus nerve
- general contraction because of the cold (though that, generally, lasts all winter).
I have, so far, been able to stop the SVT with Vagal Manoeuvres, but it’s, nonetheless, frightening and makes me feel so sick of the spiralling, crushing anxiety about whether it’s something serious, which of course, increases the worrying symptoms, and feel so frustrated by the time it sucks up, and guilty about the effect on my family and lack of even simple stuff I can get done (Yes - I know I need to practise self-compassion.)
I’m trying Headspace, but find I keep missing practising it for several days at a time. I’m on medication for my mental and heart health, allergy and HRT, though the first two have been adjusted quite a lot and am switching to a third SSRI in six months.
Anyway, I was really writing this to find out if late November/early December is a particularly bad time for others, one or both of mentally and physically?
