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Suggest Treatment For Unnecessary Phobia Of Getting Heart Disease
Question: Dear Sir,
I am 34 years old. I have heart phobia and i am doing ECG,2DEHO AND TMT EVERY 15 DAYS IN A ONCE.
EVERY THING IS NORMAL.AND TODAY AGAIN I WENT FOR ECG. HEART RATE 52 AND YESTERDAY 67.
PLEASE ADVICE AND HOW CAN I COME OUT FROM THESE WORRY'S
I am 34 years old. I have heart phobia and i am doing ECG,2DEHO AND TMT EVERY 15 DAYS IN A ONCE.
EVERY THING IS NORMAL.AND TODAY AGAIN I WENT FOR ECG. HEART RATE 52 AND YESTERDAY 67.
PLEASE ADVICE AND HOW CAN I COME OUT FROM THESE WORRY'S
Brief Answer:
These symptoms are due to health anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. The complaints you are having like getting heart tests like ECG, ECHO, TMT every 15 days even if they come normal and have phobia of heart disease are most likely occurring due to anxiety more specifically HEALTH ANXIETY.
Some individuals develop intense fear and anxiety of getting some serious illness like heart disease in your case. They visit multiple doctors and get tests done to rule out illnesses but the tests and doctors can reassure them for short periods of time and again they start developing fear. Health anxiety or Hypochondriasis is a distressing psychiatric problem.
As you have mentioned that tests come normal every time so certainly there are no heart issues at all. So try to reassure yourself that you are perfectly normal. It is not very common to develop heart illness at your age.
-Relaxation exercises, yoga, meditation etc will help to distract you from health anxiety and will relax you.
-Try to engage yourself in exercise and relaxation exercises. Have healthy diet rich in proteins and carbs and low in fats.
-Sleep for at least 7-8 hours a day.
-Don't get yourself checked again and again, try to control these thoughts.
As you are compelled to get yourself checked every two weeks and still you are not able to control phobia of cardiac illness, I would advise you to consult a psychiatrist for proper evaluation and treatment. These symptoms shouldn't be ignored and with time these symptoms may result in significant impairment in your social and personal life. In health anxiety medicines like SSRIs are commonly used. Fluoxetine, Sertraline etc are commonly used and result in improvement in symptoms in about 3-4 weeks. These medicines will reduce the unwanted fear and phobia of diseases and you will feel better.
Visit a psychiatrist for proper evaluation and prescription of the drugs.
Thanks, hope this helps. Please ask again for more doubts. Try to reassure yourself again and again that there is nothing abnormal in you. You are healthy.
These symptoms are due to health anxiety
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. The complaints you are having like getting heart tests like ECG, ECHO, TMT every 15 days even if they come normal and have phobia of heart disease are most likely occurring due to anxiety more specifically HEALTH ANXIETY.
Some individuals develop intense fear and anxiety of getting some serious illness like heart disease in your case. They visit multiple doctors and get tests done to rule out illnesses but the tests and doctors can reassure them for short periods of time and again they start developing fear. Health anxiety or Hypochondriasis is a distressing psychiatric problem.
As you have mentioned that tests come normal every time so certainly there are no heart issues at all. So try to reassure yourself that you are perfectly normal. It is not very common to develop heart illness at your age.
-Relaxation exercises, yoga, meditation etc will help to distract you from health anxiety and will relax you.
-Try to engage yourself in exercise and relaxation exercises. Have healthy diet rich in proteins and carbs and low in fats.
-Sleep for at least 7-8 hours a day.
-Don't get yourself checked again and again, try to control these thoughts.
As you are compelled to get yourself checked every two weeks and still you are not able to control phobia of cardiac illness, I would advise you to consult a psychiatrist for proper evaluation and treatment. These symptoms shouldn't be ignored and with time these symptoms may result in significant impairment in your social and personal life. In health anxiety medicines like SSRIs are commonly used. Fluoxetine, Sertraline etc are commonly used and result in improvement in symptoms in about 3-4 weeks. These medicines will reduce the unwanted fear and phobia of diseases and you will feel better.
Visit a psychiatrist for proper evaluation and prescription of the drugs.
Thanks, hope this helps. Please ask again for more doubts. Try to reassure yourself again and again that there is nothing abnormal in you. You are healthy.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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