A weird one... scared of thoughts and physical effects

[LaNae]

Once, when I was a teenager, I read a near-death experience (which may have been completely rubbish!) about someone who claimed to be able to hypnotise themselves to change their pulse. They slowed their pulse down so much they could give themselves a near death experience then come back to life.

I've since heard in passing there is some truth to this, that some can control their heart rate, for instance divers. I'm too scared to research it incase it makes this fear worse.

Basically since that story, as a teen, I've been terrified of hearing my pulse incase I, by accident, can control it and end up harming myself. So I get these intrusive images and thoughts and get so freaked out incase they have some sort of power over my heart.

Bit strange, huh? Please help! Is this nonsense?

[UKmamainUS]

I think it is true that people can slow their pulse by focusing on it. But I don't think it's the kind of thing you can do accidentally - any kind of self hypnosis would take A LOT of focus. It would have to be deliberate.