I am having chest tightness, shortness of breath, and my heart is racing. It actually has not gotten that fast only about 116. I have a history of SVT and the highest it has gotten was 238. I just wish that it would all stop. I just recently started Zoloft and think that there is some connection with the increased anxiety that I have had for the past two days. Thanks for listening to me rant about my problems!

When that happens. Don't rush off to the ER. Take time to get control of yourself. If someone is there with you have them distract you-by telling you a story or jokes. Then lie down and focus on your toes. Hold them tense for 5 seconds-count aloud or to yourself, then relax them for 5 seconds. Move on to your whole foot. Your ankles, your shins, etc. This should get your body relax and your mind. Do it a couple times if you have to. Try to breath slowly by inhaling slowly for three seconds and exhale slowly. Know that a relaxed body cannot be with an anxious mind. You can't be laughing and be anxious either, so watch a funny movie or look up jokes. You can control more of this than you think. Know that having a anxiety /panic disorder your body and mind are on high alert. And you notice every little body sensations. These body sensations and thoughts happen to everyone, but we stop them, analyze them, look at them and react to them. So know that you don't have to examine every thought or bodyh sensation. Know that it is just your anxiety disorder. For example. Youur laying on the couch and you get up for something. You get light headed. The anxious person thinks oh my god, here we go again, its my anxiety, won't this every stop, what if I faint, then of course your breathing gets even more rapid thus getting you really light headed, your heart naturally will start beating faster and you started the cycle. Now the average person, gets up from the couch, has the same diszziness and tells themself, oops got up to fast and goes on with whatever they were going to do. Dizziness only last for a few seconds and that is it. So knowing this you have to really really retrain yourself. Challenge those thoughts, like I feel scared. Instead I am anxious and I know it will come and go. I have the tools to calm mytself down. I cannot go back words meaning a know more today than yesterday how to heal myself. I will do my best to take care of myself. If I neede to take a few minutes to relax, so be it. I won't let a bad morning or night ruiin my whole day. People do not die from anxiety, so I will not die. I will not faint, I may feel like it but I will not faint. I will not go crazy. I will not have a heart attack, its just my anxiety and I need to slow down and relax. I know how to take care of myself emotionaally and physically.
Do affirmations everyday. Start a hobby so when you feel panic you have some thing to focus on and devert your attention. Make a list of all the things you can do to relax yourself and help yourself when anxiety strikes. It could be: Call someone, go on daily strength, paint, do a puzzle, do your nails, read uplifting books, etc. Eliminate the words "what if" or "should" from your vocabulary. What if serves no purpose, nor does I should, he should , they should. Think about it: I should be stronger, or I should have clean the house instead of relaxing. Its anxiety producing and a negative thought. Watch what you tell yourself. TAlk to yourself aS you would a friend or child. You woulkd probably say: relax, we will take care of this, how can I help, everything will be ok, we can handle this. You wouldn't say omg, this is awful, you look like crap, mayhbe you are going to have _____. Slow your day down. No One care if everything on your to do list gets done. In fact tear up your to do list and instead tell yourself you are going to do three things and then do something for yourself . After you do the three things then write it down and do something for yourself. and pat yourself on the back for doing those three things. Then if you feel like iot do three more things. You will be surprised by how much you still will accomplish and feel good about it. Try to live in the moment (every time but especially when you feel anxious) for example you are having a cup of coffee, tell yourself this feels good in my hands its warm to the touch , the cup is smooth, it smells so good, ithe steam feels good on my face, it taste good, I like how it feels going down my throat. This way you are living in the moment and your thoughts are on the coffee not wandering all around. Also use imaginary: Imagine yourself as the biggest oak tree you have ever seen. Imagine that you are the tree big and stron, tall, and wide. Now imagine Your arms are the branches and they are big, strong and strech out far and wide. Then imagine your legs and feet are the roots and they spread out for miles across the earth and miles deep into the earth. Breath slowly and comfortably. Feel the strength. You feel strong and grounded.
This imagery helps to feel strong and grounded and helps with getting back into focus because sometimes we get like things are out of control and it is hard to concentrate. So practice this once or as many times as you want. Or you can use the i,magery of having a very very very thick rope tied aroud your waist and this rope is anchor deep into the eart . It is wrapped around the core of the earth and this rope is attached to you. Visualize the rope going into the ground wrapping itself around big boulders and going deeper and deeper and deeper. You feel so secure and gounded. You are strong and confident. You can handle anything that comes your way.

One more thing; to debate if the thought is medica or anxiety. If you have chest pains and they go away after you calm yourself doen then you know it is anxiety. Or if any symptom comes and goes. Like if it last steady for a half hour then you know to call the doctor. And if not you know that you have to work on gettoing yourelf calm.

We are all here for you

Shemp- Thanks so much for your kind words and strength. I think that I have talked myself out of this episode. I am hoping that I can get to sleep tonight without being fearful of not waking up. This anxiety is so hard to deal with and I guess I am fairly new to the sensations that it causes. Again thanks so much for the support, it means a lot.