Panic attacks, heart palpitations, etc.

So, I’m running into a bit of a situation here, and I was really hoping someone might be able to offer some guidance. To give you a little context—June was an incredibly stressful month for me—and ever since then, just even the slightest thought about something I'm afraid of triggers this intense heart palpitations. As soon as I feel my heart start racing, I begin to panic, which leads to this overwhelming sense of insecurity, shortness of breath, restlessness, and even dizziness from the pounding in my chest. Since I've never actually had any heart issues before, I'm fairly certain that my mental state is playing a massive role here; I suppose I've always struggled with quite a bit of insecurity in my daily life, and it seems to be manifesting this way now. It’s becoming quite uncomfortable when I'm out in public, so I was wondering if anyone has any solid advice on how to let go of these fears? It’s starting to worry me because even the smallest scary thought can set this whole cycle in motion...
Thanks so much 👍

Honestly, you might find it helpful to go see a psychologist just to talk things through—it really helps, especially
if you can afford a private practice.

Go find somewhere where you actually feel safe, and while you're there, just try to visualize those scenarios you're so terrified of...
Honestly, there are so many psychologists out there these days specifically trained to help people face down their fears like that...😉

I feel the same way sometimes. Honestly, today you’re just spinning all sorts of different scenarios and overthinking things in your head
The best thing to do is just take some deep breaths and look at the situation for what it really is. Of course, you need to talk it out too, but you'll find your own way to a solution just by having that conversation.

I honestly wish there was a cure for these heart palpitations... I’ve been dealing with this for about seven years now. It was first discovered seven years ago—before then, I just couldn't prove anything to anyone—but they eventually put me on Propranolol. It was actually a young resident working under Dr. Makarović who finally figured out what was going on, because my heart was racing for nearly ten hours straight and they just couldn't get it to stabilize. They say it stems from intense stress, excitement, or fear, though nobody really knows the exact trigger or when the next episode will hit. Some doctors even joked—laughing, can you believe it?—that it mostly happens to young, attractive women. Hahaha, yeah, right. Anyway, I'm currently on a dosage of 3-80 mg. For me, the attacks usually start kicking in between October and February; I’ve noticed that if I catch a cold or even just a minor sore throat, I’ll end up in the cardiology ward within two days. It’s a recurring cycle, too—I feel like I know everyone in the cardiology department by now. There's just a mountain of paperwork, and it feels like every specialist is just re-prescribing whatever the last guy wrote down. If you guys have any questions at all, please feel free to ask—I'm more than happy to help however I can. Best regards,

I don't necessarily think there’s an actual issue with my heart—it feels more like those intense waves of anxiety hitting me—mostly because life has been pretty high-pressure lately; well, I suppose I tend to make things as stressful as they can possibly be for myself. If I hear even a tiny bit of news that triggers a sudden racing sensation in my chest, I immediately start worrying (even though, logically, I really shouldn't), and that just fuels the fire, causing my heart to pound even harder as all these frantic thoughts about cardiac health start swirling around in my head. I am fully aware of what is happening to me, really—it's just that I need to learn how to simply brush off that fluttering feeling, and then everything should settle down. Since I haven't had too many obligations over the last few days, I've been trying to focus on relaxing activities quite a bit—life definitely feels lighter and more balanced when you do.

You just have to be strong enough to essentially ignore those "attacks"—sometimes I manage to pull it off, and other times, I just can't help it—but I guess the trick is to somehow just DISREGARD it all and stay RELAXED, and eventually, you'll find yourself forgetting it ever happened... I truly believe that might be the only way through it.

Sure, stress is the culprit, but man, telling someone to just "get over it" is easier said than done. I don't exactly have a high-octane life—everything's pretty great on my end—yet I was dealing with panic attacks at sixteen. Go see a doctor before this turns into something chronic; otherwise, you’re almost certainly looking at a prescription. Or, I know how annoying it is when everyone gives you that "just help yourself" advice. It really gets under your skin, doesn't it?
I mean, go talk to someone. If you have a good relationship with your primary care physician, go there, or just grab a coffee with a friend and vent. Honestly, the best temporary fix is to go shopping or do something nice for yourself. For me, nothing beats getting lost in a book; I get so sucked into the story that I forget I even exist for a while. Don't let the fear win. Maybe it's just the blood pressure or this brutal summer heat making everything feel worse—at least, that's how it works for me.

Sounds like panic attacks to me.

Grace Thompson57 said:It sounds like panic attacks.

Well, if it is a panic attack, my first rule of thumb is just to breathe... deep breaths... I’ve actually become a bit of an expert at this myself. Sometimes it hits me completely out of nowhere, even while I'm out driving. Once I got the hang of it, though, I realized I didn't want to rely on pills all the time. I used to be the type to stuff extra meds in my pockets before leaving the house—I wouldn't dream of stepping foot outside without them ready to go. But then I told myself, "Why bother? I'm not some fragile old lady who needs to be tethered to a pharmacy." So now, when it strikes, I just focus on one thing: breathe, breathe, breathe.

It feels pretty likely that this heatwave is playing a role in how I’m feeling too—I often get this sensation of tightness in my chest, which just makes me feel so overwhelmed, and then suddenly, even the summer breeze and the sunshine start to feel like too much... I know for a fact I didn't deal with this during the winter, so I guess I just don't handle this kind of weather (around 95°F) very well. Plus, I've been trying to work through some underlying anxiety and stress lately.
I constantly try to tell myself that I'm not some old lady and to stop overthinking things—which, honestly, works sometimes!—but I have to reiterate that it can actually be quite uncomfortable...! So, I suppose the best advice is just to focus on deep breathing??

Depression, panic attacks, anxiety, personality disorders... these have skyrocketed over the last 25 years. Honestly, I saw the rise even before I moved here to the States.
I mean, no offense intended, but many of you went through war, which certainly leaves its mark on the psyche.

Nowadays, maybe one in four or five people deals with these symptoms. The real issue is when someone tries to self-medicate with alcohol—it usually just makes things much worse in the long run.

Most of these psychiatric issues tend to overlap; one often leads to another.

A lot of us inherited these tendencies from our parents. It’s nothing to be ashamed of—we live in the 21st century, after all. Being prone to stress just makes you a bigger target than someone who doesn't really care how life unfolds.

Back in 1991, I worked in an office as an electrical controller and maintenance scheduler. I was managing three computers, seven phones, and monitoring 23 vehicles via radio.

The steel mill was cutting staff down from 6,500 to 3,500, and my group was under massive pressure.

I reached out for help, but they just gave me empty promises without actually doing anything.
Then one day, I simply didn't have the energy to get out of bed. Before that, I had been pulling 12 to 14-hour shifts, seven days a week.

To make a long story short, despite my best efforts, I couldn't shake it. I eventually ended up seeing a decent psychiatrist who had no trouble diagnosing me with Major Depressive Disorder, panic attacks, anxiety, and a major personality disorder.

Because of those illnesses—and because I was physically impaired due to a failed spinal surgery that wasn't fully recognized at the time—I was declared disabled at age 51.
We had to move from a small town to a larger city like Chicago.
For the first few years, my wife and I would see a psychiatrist for about an hour or two every few weeks. Even now, 18 years later, I am still a chronic patient who relies on medication to stay stable.

So, don't be surprised if stress sends your heart racing to 120 or 140 BPM, or if your blood pressure spikes to 220/90 even when you're trying to manage it.

I remember sitting up at night, checking my blood pressure and pulse, with a phone in my other hand ready to call 911... just staying awake like that all night.

Once you are on a regular regimen—and I had to cycle through about 15 different medications for depression—you end up taking something like Xanax/Clonazepam at 2-3mg for anxiety.

The biggest headache is that when you're juggling around 23 different drugs, the side effects and interactions become a nightmare.

Even today, whenever something unusual happens, I struggle immensely, even though I'm technically under good control.

But not everyone's situation is like mine. Many younger people will recover much more easily; by the time I hit 50, it was already too late for me.

I'm nearly 68 now, thankfully retired. I still deal with these issues, but they are managed, and I don't have to work. I've stayed very active on the computer, though, for over 30 years.

You are the most important factor in your own recovery. It’s easier to heal when you're younger, provided you approach life with a plan, give yourself time, and stay organized. If you don't take that initiative, doctors can only do so much.

Jamie Clark74

Alright, look. I’m 17, and I’m dealing with exactly what’s being described in this thread. It’s like this: out of nowhere, my heart starts slamming against my ribs—just racing uncontrollably. It feels heavy, too. I can’t catch my breath, I feel nauseous, and while there isn't actual physical pain, the sensation that I’m about to drop dead any second is overwhelming. It usually lets up after a minute or so, but the sheer terror of it is hard to put into words.
The thing is, heart issues run deep in my family. On my mom's side, my grandfather had struggles, and my dad passed away just last year from a massive heart attack. He dealt with all the same stuff.
Because of that, I know I’ve got the genetic predisposition; the odds are definitely stacked against me when it comes to cardiac health.
So, I really need to know: does it have to be this way? Is what I’m feeling an actual warning sign? Is this life-threatening? Am I effectively "a heart patient" now? Or am I just overreacting? And if this is real, am I stuck with this for the rest of my life? Like, forever? This whole situation is honestly traumatizing.😲...I have already seen a doctor, and they want me to go in for more testing. For now, they gave me something to take when I feel one of these episodes coming on...

And please, I’m begging you, don't laugh at me. I haven't really had to think about any of this before because, as far as I knew, nothing was ever wrong. Thanks!

@ restlesshound18, if your doctors haven't found anything specific, it doesn't necessarily mean you've inherited some underlying issue—it might just be that the fear itself is spiraling and creating all these scenarios in your mind. For instance, I find it absolutely jarring whenever I read or hear about someone passing away suddenly from a heart attack, because then my brain immediately starts looping, thinking the exact same thing could happen to me...
I truly empathize with how those sudden shocks feel, since I've found myself in that exact headspace more times than I care to admit. I'm trying to work through it slowly, though—learning to take things less personally and not let them consume me—but it's hard when you can't help but wonder, "what's going to happen when I'm older?"... Anyway, what specifically did your doctor prescribe for you to take when you start feeling an episode coming on?

There’s really only one way out of this.
A shooting range + an AR-15 + some targets =🙂😁 ☕

Steven Sanders59 said:There’s really only one way out of this.
A shooting range, an AR-15, and some targets: that’s🙂😁 ☕the
fix.

There's always some idiot🙄 willing to😁 take it that far.

🙄

I haven't seen any posts from slatkica20 yet. If you have content you want me to rework, please provide it! kaže:
Look, restlesshound18, if your doctors haven't found anything concrete, you shouldn't immediately assume you’ve inherited some underlying condition. Sometimes, it isn't about biology; it's about how much space you're letting fear occupy in your mind. You start building these massive, terrifying scenarios out of thin air, and before you know it, you're convinced they're real. It’s like when you read a headline about someone dropping dead from sudden cardiac arrest—it hits you like a freight train. Suddenly, your heart feels like it's skipping beats, and you can't stop spiraling, thinking that the exact same thing is just waiting around the corner for you. It’s a mental loop that's incredibly easy to fall into.
I totally get where you’re coming from regarding those shocks; I’ve found myself spiraling through that exact same loop more times than I care to admit. I’m slowly trying to find my footing and stop letting everything hit me quite so hard, but that constant, nagging thought always creeps in—that inevitable "what happens when I'm older?" anxiety. It’s heavy. Just curious, though, what did your doctor actually prescribe for you to take the second you feel one of those attacks starting to build up?

He suggested that the best course of action would be for me to just calm down. He actually offered me some unknown, but honestly, the idea of taking something like that terrifies me; I’ve heard far too many horror stories out there to feel comfortable touching it. My goal is to try and find some semblance of inner peace on my own so I can avoid leaning on medication altogether if possible. But here is what is really eating at me: when these panic attacks hit, am I actually at risk of having a heart attack right now? I'm only 17 or 18 years old—is it even possible for my heart to just give out like that at this age?😲
Is this just some kind of warning sign, or am I actually looking at a legitimate heart issue here? Is there something deeper going on that I'm missing?
So, I went in for my checkup, and everything came back looking perfectly "normal" on paper, which is just great, isn't it? But then I get the blood work results, and apparently, my ferritin levels are bottomed out—or whatever you call it when your iron stores are basically non-existent. It’s one of those classic situations where the doctors look at a few standard markers, give you a thumbs up, and tell you you're fine, while the actual data points to a completely different story. It feels like being told the engine is running perfectly because the lights aren't blinking, even though the car is clearly stalling out on the highway.
They also handed me some iron supplements that I’m supposed to start taking, which feels pretty ridiculous considering I’ve already been consistently using those other supplements for about a month now. It’s like they aren't even looking at the full picture of what I've been putting into my system.
I feel like I’m constantly living on edge, just perpetually tense, and my heart starts racing out of nowhere. But honestly? I’m terrified that there might be some actual underlying defect with my heart or something. I started overanalyzing how my body reacts, and it actually led me down this rabbit hole where I wondered if I might have asthma—though I don't really cough, I don't feel suffocated, and I’m pretty sure I don't have any allergies. It’s more like this specific sensation: my heart begins to pound, but it feels heavy, almost labored, and then I lose my breath for maybe twenty seconds or longer. And let me tell you, in those moments, you are absolutely terrified.🙄
I honestly can't find a single person my age who deals with this kind of stuff, and frankly, that realization is terrifying. It makes me wonder—if I’m already hitting these walls now, what on earth is going to happen when I actually get older?
My doctor basically gave me this non-committal shrug and told me everything is fine—for now. His logic? Apparently, nothing is a real problem until the pain becomes unbearable. And once that threshold hits? Well, then we’ll just "see what happens." It feels like being told to ignore a leak in my ceiling until the entire living room is underwater before anyone bothers to grab a bucket. Honestly, it’s infuriating. If this is how things are going to be, I might as well quit drinking and smoking right now; I don't see the point in fueling a body that's being treated with such indifference. This whole situation is an absolute nightmare. What can you even say at this point? It's just exhausting.

restlesshound18 said:🙄

He told me the best thing would be to just relax. He offered me xanax, but honestly, I'm terrified of taking it because of all the horror stories I've heard. I'll try to stay calm so I don't end up needing meds, ...Question: if I have these "panic attacks," does that mean I could have a heart attack right now at 17 or 18 years old??!!😲Is this a warning sign? Or do I actually have some kind of heart condition? Or what?
The EKG came back "normal," but my blood work showed low ferritin levels. Or whatever that was.
He also gave me some iron supplements to take, even though I’ve been on those kinds of supplements for about a month already... Okay, so I'm always tense, my heart races and everything. BUT I'm genuinely scared I have some underlying defect.........!I was thinking about how I react and wondered if maybe I have asthma issues (?!), but I'm not coughing or wheezing, and I don't think I'm allergic to anything... it's just that my heart starts racing heavily, I lose my breath for about 20 seconds or more. And you just absolutely terrify yourself!🙄
I don't know anyone my age who deals with this stuff. It really scares me—what is life going to be like when I'm older??
The doctor said I'm fine as long as I don't start having intense pain. Once that happens, he said we'll see...I'm done with drinking and smoking; this is truly a nightmare. Ugh, I don't even know what else to say...

First off, congrats on quitting smoking. I smoked until I was 46, doing 60 to 80 cigarettes a day, and after 10 or 20 years, my lungs improved significantly, which is lucky since I have asbestosis.
But by age 32, I was seeing the effects of smoking on my arteries, with about 40-45% blockage... which I monitor via ultrasound.

Alcohol is another big one; it's good that you stopped.
Basically, you've cut out two of the worst contributors to heart disease.

Secondly, I'm fairly certain your issue is psychosomatic... that doesn't mean the symptoms you're describing aren't real... BUT they are driven by emotional factors.

Low ferritin or iron in the blood isn't usually cause for alarm... unless it doesn't improve or keeps recurring, then you need to find the root cause.

Xanax = Valium = Diazepam is a benzodiazepine, used for several different needs.
It's used for short-term calming/anxiety, controlling epileptic fits (via Diazepam injections), sedation before surgery, helping patients through alcohol withdrawal, or managing muscle spasms.

People say all sorts of things, but I wouldn't worry too much about the rumors regarding Xanax... it's perfectly fine when used as prescribed and under control. It's just that some people abuse it, so naturally, there are problems.

For the last 39 years, I've taken just 5 mg of Xanax = Valium at night for spasms, because I've had two kidney surgeries and chronic sciatica that causes constant cramping. I also take Quinine.

Try following your doctor's advice... and most importantly, like I said before, you have to help yourself... which means trying to stay calm first and seeing how the Xanax works for you.

Also, don't forget, you are young, and we know so much today about "healthy living and nutrition" if you do end up having an issue.

To give you an example, my wife is 72, and she used to live in fear of ending up like her three brothers and one sister... who live in America (one brother lived in Australia).
The oldest brother died of a heart attack at 60. The second brother, who lived in Australia, also died of heart issues at 72. The third brother had a very early stroke, just like his sister in her 70s.

My wife just finished a very thorough medical exam—similar to the one I had last year. We both came back with flying colors; we're healthy and there aren't any concerns.

We’ve lived outside of America for 40 years now, and our diet has definitely evolved. From the start, we moved away from heavy fats; everything is chopped fresh before cooking, and we don't do those greasy stews anymore. Did it work? Well, even at 72, my wife is the only one of our five children who hasn't run into health issues.

Jamie Clark74

Well, thanks for getting back to me, Bill. I really appreciate the help.
I’m feeling a little more at ease now regarding that whole situation with my doctor and everything else.
That said, I still plan on having another sit-down with the physician to hash things out before I decide how to proceed.
Thanks again.

Everything you’re describing could very well be happening, but honestly, have you considered talking to a therapist? I don't mean to be blunt, but it feels like you might be spiraling into a bit of health anxiety—you're becoming so hyper-fixated on the idea that something is physically wrong with you. You really need to try and create some distance from those thoughts and just pull yourself together...
Look, I’m not saying nothing is wrong. God forbid you actually are sick, but we have to acknowledge that the mind is the master of the body. It rules everything. If your brain is convinced something is broken, it can absolutely trick your body into manifesting physical symptoms...
I went through something similar after being stuck in a hospital for three weeks following a brutal acid poisoning incident. Once I got home, my mind started playing these terrifying tricks on me. I was convinced I had been poisoned all over again, or that I was internally bleeding...🙏ad:
It was pure terror. There were moments where I felt like I was just going to break down and burst into tears right then and there...
But, hey, I’m still standing, and I’m sitting here typing this to you six years later. So, believe me, I truly get it, and I feel for you. Back then, I didn't see a psychologist because nobody seemed to grasp the absolute chaos happening inside my head, but I didn't lose my mind, if that makes sense...
Anyway, keep your chin up. It's going to be okay...😘

I deal with these heart palpitations too... Arrhythmia. I had this issue when I was a kid, it went away, and then it resurfaced this winter... It’s always the same: my heart starts racing, intense pressure in my head, pure dread, panic... I am fully aware it is psychological in nature, yet unfortunately, I haven't taken any action to address it. I even know exactly what triggered it—some woman harassed me all winter long with endless texts, emails, and phone calls... And then, to top it off, I faced betrayal from certain "friends." All of this took a massive toll on my health, and now, whenever I receive some distressing news, that arrhythmia returns immediately. 😢