What do you tell yourself to calm down?

[annie.hall]

I've been having palps for quite a while now and in all kinds of situations but I can't stop thinking they're bad and dangerous. I know they supposedly aren't, but catastrophic thoughts get the better of me every time. I've recently been trying to see them as hiccups of the heart and that they are innoffensive. But I guess when I have a palp every minute or so, I just start panicking and just want them to go away as fast as possible. I don't accept their presence and it triggers more and more palps... It's kind of a nightmare. I can't stop thinking about going to the hospital when it happens, it's all I want and I wait for it to worsen so I can try and prove my boyfriend it's dangerous.

How do you try to reason yourself?

[Lilharry]

For some reason coughing seems to help them go away for me, so I do that. Then I always tell myself what a doctor once told me when I started getting them - that they're not dangerous, they're really common and the best thing to do is sit down down, have a glass of water and try and relax. So basically, instead of getting worked up, I try my very best to stay calm and breath deeply and try and loosen all my muscles. I also remind myself I've had them for years and years and they have never hurt me before.

I do panic a bit when I have one though, because they make me feel like I can't breathe, but I'm pretty good at self talking these days.