Cardiophobia is defined as an anxiety disorder characterized by repeated complaints of chest pain, heart palpitations, and other somatic sensations accompanied by fears of having a heart attack and dying. People with cardiophobia focus attention on their heart, perceive its function in a phobic manner, and believe they suffer from a heart problem despite reassurance and repeated negative medical tests.  I can't remember a time when I wasn't completely aware of my heart. I can feel every beat, and can tell you approximately how fast or slow it is going. I know that my average restin ..read more

Anxiety and panic attacks strike each of us differently, so how we deal with our anxiety differs as well.  For some people, dealing with a panic attack can be equally as stressful as the panic attack itself. If the attack occurs in public it can be embarrassing, frightening, overwhelming, or make you want to crawl into a hole and just die. If the panic attack happens while you are alone, it can be equally as scary. It's not uncommon for people to feel as if they are having a heart attack or dying during a panic attack.  Understanding that you are having a panic attack is the first ..read more

When my anxiety first kicked back in hardcore in 2019, I was not ready for it. I was in a decent job that was paying well, had a manager I really enjoyed, and life seemed to be going good. Suddenly, that all changed. My manager took another position within the company and was replaced by someone who seemed to have a vendetta against me. From her first day, it became hell on earth. Within a few weeks, I no longer enjoyed going to work, and it was obvious she didn't enjoy having me there. After having felt comfortable in my job and with my responsibilities for almost three years, I suddenly fel ..read more

​Thanatophobia is a form of anxiety characterized by a fear of one’s own death or the process of dying. It is commonly referred to as death anxiety. Death anxiety is not defined as a distinct disorder, but it may be linked to other depression or anxiety disorders. These include: post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD panic disorders and panic attacks illness anxiety disorders, previously called hypochondriasis Thanatophobia is different from necrophobia, which is a general fear of dead or dying things, or things associated with death. When someone asks me what my biggest source of anxi ..read more

Not every day is going to be a good day. As you begin your journey to calming your anxiety, remember one thing: It's okay to have a bad day. It doesn't mean that you are a failure, or that you are taking a step backwards. Sometimes, things happen that are out of your control and sparks your anxiety.  For me, it's my SVT.  Every once in a while, I have an episode and it really scares me. Nothing like feeling your heart flopping around in your chest and your heartbeat feeling erratic and out of control. Despite seeing it on the Holter Monitor, and the doctor's confirmation that it wo ..read more

 It didn't take long for me to realize that anxiety affects not only your mental health, but your physical health as well.  Shortly after my anxiety came back in full force in 2019, I started having reactions, so I thought, to wheat. I felt like my throat was closing up when I ate it, and I got an immense scratchy feeling in my throat. After a trip to the hospital, they informed me I was not having an anaphylaxis reaction. Even with the diagnosis, I avoided wheat and set up an appointment with an allergist to find out if what I suspected was true. They ran a complete IGE and IG ..read more

I have come to accept over the years that my mind is unique. Most people don't spend time focusing on just one thing in an unhealthy, obsessive manner. However, for me, that seems to be the norm. It finds a thing to focus on and tends to stay fixated on it until all the life has been drained out of it - like a flea on the back of a dog. My mind grabs hold of an idea and latches on. Unfortunately, it never does it with a "good thought," like how to successfully finish a project, an idea for a new novel, or creative ways to spice up my house decor. The subject matter is always the same - my he ..read more