How to cope with panic disorder

Ask a Therapist Coping
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I have heart palpitations when I have fear or anxiety built up. My heart actually flutters and have skipped beats. Went to A&E did ECG, blood tests and ultrasound. Was told that my heart is fine.

Referred to psychiatrist, was then diagnosed with panic disorder.

The fact that I now have this condition started to sink in. I have anxiety about having panic disorder.

I know I shouldn’t over think. Should get myself occupied with things I like to do etc.

First time here, who else is like me? How are you coping?

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Hi @user0618,

Thank you for sharing and contributing your experiences here. When you described your heart palpitations during fear or anxiety, that fits very closely with what we know about how the body reacts to stress. Heart fluttering, skipped beats, tightness, or sudden pounding are normal physiological responses when the sympathetic nervous system is activated. This can happen when a stored fear memory or stress trigger gets activated, the body reacts automatically even if the mind is calm.

Since you had an ECG, blood tests and ultrasound and these are the standard medical tests used to rule out heart conditions.

It also makes sense that receiving the diagnosis, by your referred psychiatrist, of panic disorder created a new layer of fear. Many people feel unsettled at first because having a “name” for something can make it feel heavier. But the diagnosis is actually helpful. Panic disorder is highly treatable, and thousands of people recover or learn to manage it well with therapy, medication, or a combination of both. This is backed by research.

If you’re open to checking in with yourself to understand your own patterns; when the palpitations start, does it feel like your breathing shifts first, or does your thinking race before the chest reacts? Sometimes, panic symptoms feel intense, but they are not harmful. There is strong evidence that cognitive-behavioural therapy, grounding techniques, breath retraining, and when needed, medication, helps people significantly reduce or completely stop panic attacks.

I believe that you can find many resources and helpful responses from others in this forum to help you understand better. You’re not alone in this, and many people with the same condition go on to live fully normal lives again.

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Hi,

My thoughts usually race first before I experience the first palpitation or skip beat. Usually it’s my mind trying to monitor myself, but in return it actually went to search for the palpitation! If I manage to ignore it, it simply passes. If I fail to divert attention especially at night, it can spiral and can take very long to go away. It can last till the next day or night.

Today, I restarted my morning exercises to help cope with my blood pressure and hoping to lift my mood. I will exercise regularly, at least few times a week.

There is one more thing, the report also said I have dilated aortic root. The doctor said it is unlikely linked to my heart flutters. I need to return next year to check. I am only 42. This thing also gives me nightmares. I am afraid to research more because it will only make me feel worse.

For now, I can only do what I can, one step at a time. Regarding CBT, I’ve tried some online resources, it’s still hard to control or diffuse my thoughts.

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When you described how your thoughts raced before the first palpitation, it showed how your mind has been working overtime to keep you “safe.” Using a CBT lens, this fits a very typical loop. You were probably feeling unsure or afraid at the start. That feeling triggered the thought, “Is something happening to my heart?” And that thought pushed you into the behaviour of searching for the palpitation. Your body simply followed the alarm.

It’s also important to notice what you shared, when you choose a different outcome, like ignoring the sensation, it actually passes. That means your heart is not the danger. What’s happening is that you’re trying to suppress the fear without knowing how to attend to it. At night, when the environment is quiet, your ability to push the thoughts away becomes weaker, so the cycle keeps going, your fear goes into rebound and the thoughts become louder.

Restarting your morning exercises is a strong and effective move. Regular movement helps regulate your sympathetic nervous system, lowers overall stress, and gives your body a more stable baseline. Even a few days a week can slowly shift how reactive your system feels. Hence, you want to work out plan on how you want to attend to your fear, when you are aware?

About the dilated aortic root, it makes sense that it gives you nightmares. The key thing here is that your doctor has already assessed it and scheduled a follow-up next year. When you avoid researching it, it’s because the information feels too overwhelming. In reality, the research is simply knowledge about what you’re experiencing. But without a mental health professional guiding you through how that knowledge fits into your panic symptoms, the information becomes another source of anxiety instead of reassurance.

CBT being difficult is normal when you’re doing it by yourself. It’s not easy to identify which thoughts are consistently driving the fear, or how to interrupt them in a way that actually works. This is where a counsellor or therapist can help you make sense of the patterns and teach you how to work with your body instead of fighting it.

If the spirals get too heavy or you ever feel unsafe managing this alone, please reach out:
• SOS 1-767
• Mindline 1-771 or WhatsApp 6669-1771

You’re already noticing patterns, restarting routines, and taking measured steps. That’s a solid foundation to build on. Hope that it helps, let us know how you feel.. :slight_smile: