Psychogenic extrasystoles - consequences of neurosis

Characteristic signs

Certain signs may indicate that you or a loved one has a fear.

1. In anticipation of being left alone, tachycardia appears, tremors in the body, a possible rise in temperature, and a feeling of severe anxiety.
2. People who have such fear experience self-doubt and seek help from other people.
3. Even the presence of strangers can calm them down, the main thing is not to be alone.
4. Attempts to keep a loved one if he wants to go somewhere are typical.
5. Illogical actions, in particular, buying bad housing in order to be closer to family, marrying without love.
6. Such people, as a rule, are not independent, irresponsible, experience serious difficulties in self-realization, and are very jealous.

How to cope with psychogenic extrasystoles

There is no specific treatment for extrasystoles caused by psycho-emotional experiences.

When people come to me with complaints about extrasystole, which appears against the background of the health of the heart and other organs and systems, I, first of all, try to explain to patients that their condition is not a disease, but an individual characteristic of the body.

In a situation where symptoms of psychogenic extrasystole begin to appear, it is important to learn to keep the situation under control. You should not concentrate your attention on uncomfortable sensations, but try to switch to everyday worries as soon as possible. It is useful at this time to start doing something that requires concentration. This could be handicrafts, drawing or another type of creativity.

Manifestations of psychogenic extrasystole cannot be controlled with medication, and the success of the actions taken mainly depends on the efforts made by the patient himself.

Possible reasons

Previously experienced psychological trauma alone can form such a fear.
In fact, a number of factors can influence the formation of such a problem. We will look at the most common ones.

1. Lack of attention in the first year of life. For example, parents do not approach their child for a long time when he bursts into tears, which leads to the formation of a fear of loneliness.
2. The baby grows up without proper parental attention, left to his own devices.
3. The child constantly hears threats that he will be sent to an orphanage or will be punished in the closet.
4. Fear of being alone forever, not being able to start a family.
5. The wife is afraid to stay home alone because she is worried about the possible loss of her husband. This could be either the fear that something will happen to him or the risk that he will have another woman, which will lead to their separation.
6. Severe emotional trauma, such as an ex's betrayal or a bad breakup. Serious problems that I had to go through alone, painful feelings. Therefore, a person does not want to be alone with his thoughts.
7. Belief in the existence of otherworldly forces that can cause serious harm to health.

Communication mechanism

On the right side of the heart, between its upper chamber, the atrium, and the lower, the ventricle, there is a cluster of cells that differ in structure from the rest of the myocardial fibers - the sinus node. It is here that an electrical impulse is generated, which, when distributed to the entire heart muscle, provokes its contraction, called systole. The frequency and order of myocardial contractions depends on the functioning of the sinus node. Therefore, this formation is also called the main pacemaker of the heart rhythm.

The electrical excitability of the sinus node is controlled by the autonomic part of the nervous system, which is responsible for the functioning of all organs. This determines the dependence of the rhythm and heart rate on the degree of excitability of the nerve fibers.

The amount of mediators produced, acetylcholine and adrenaline, which affect the speed and intensity of nerve impulse transmission, depends on the following factors:

• the presence of acute and chronic diseases in the body;
• taking certain groups of medications;
• hormonal balance;
• health of the spine and its ligaments;
• psycho-emotional state of a person.

The stronger the emotions a person experiences, the more adrenaline he produces. This biochemical reaction leads to increased excitability of the autonomic nervous system, which provokes increased heart rate and the appearance of extraordinary myocardial contractions - extrasystoles. Therefore, neurosis and extrasystole are closely intertwined.

Extraordinary contraction of the myocardium is accompanied by a number of unpleasant sensations:

• rhythm disturbance is accompanied by a feeling of “interruption” or “failure” in the work of the heart muscle. This is due to the compensatory pause that occurs after the extrasystole, which is perceived as cardiac arrest;
• sometimes patients describe their sensations as “turning over”, “freezing” or “tumbling” of the heart;
• the physiologically determined intense shock of the myocardium following the pause is perceived by the patient as an increased heartbeat;
• a disruption in the rhythm of contractions leads to the appearance of emotions such as anxiety and fear of death.

At the peak of emotional experiences that arise after extrasystole, patients note increased sweating, pale skin, and a feeling of “lack of air.” Increased attention to your experiences aggravates the excitability of the nervous system, which leads to the appearance of a new extrasystole.

Clinical examination usually reveals no changes confirming the presence of pathological processes. In only about 5% of patients, extraordinary contraction of the myocardium is caused by organic diseases that disrupt the functioning of the heart rhythm driver.

How to overcome

It is important to be able to overcome your fear

If the case is serious, psychostimulant therapy and antidepressants may help. In another case, following the advice of a psychologist may be sufficient.

1. Accept loneliness correctly. This is a natural normal process.
2. Get a pet, so someone will always be with you.
3. Try to spend more time for yourself and your loved ones.
4. Decide on a hobby, sign up for a sports section or some kind of club where you can spend time with people in moments when you should be alone.
5. If you are afraid to stay because of a persistent belief in otherworldly forces, purchase special amulets that will help protect your home.

Doctor's advice: how to prevent extrasystole

I recommend eliminating or minimizing all stressors that cause anxiety, depression, or other negative emotions.
At the same time, a favorable psychological microclimate is necessary both at work and in the family. You should also reconsider your relationships with people with whom you have frequent contact. Neighbors, friends, and relatives can provoke an attack of extrasystole. Activities aimed at increasing stress resistance are also recommended:

• normalize your daily routine. Create conditions for a good night's sleep, alternate mental work and physical activity;
• adjust nutrition. Eat enough fresh vegetables and fruits daily;
• before going to bed, take walks in the fresh air away from streets with heavy traffic;
• engage in a feasible sport;
• pay attention to water procedures every day.

If these techniques do not help, it is advisable for the patient to master simple psychological relief skills, for example, meditation, auto-training, yoga.

In the vast majority of cases, such recommendations help solve the problem on your own. It is extremely rare to recommend consulting a psychologist or psychotherapist.

Child's fear

Often similar problems occur in children. A number of factors can influence the formation of such fears. Sometimes the reason for this is that parents leave the baby unattended in a large apartment too early.

Causes

Let's look at why children may develop a fear of being alone indoors.

1. Consequences of parental intimidation. A mother may not notice how, forcing her child to eat or go to bed on time, she scares him with the fact that Baba Yaga, Babayka or a gray wolf may come. A child's psyche can literally relate to these creatures. Accordingly, when left alone at home, the little one is afraid to meet monsters.
2. The baby may be very worried about his parents who are not at home, because he does not know if everything is okay with him.
3. Watching serious programs, programs with violence, horror films can harm the psyche of a toddler, which will lead to the formation of fear.

If your baby begins to have similar problems, then it is very important to promptly identify the cause of what is happening. This can be done non-verbally, for example, by offering to draw or sculpt something that scares him. When the child is already more or less an adult, you can try to simply talk to him. And finally, you can contact a psychologist who will not only figure out the cause, but also help rid the little one of his fear.

How to help

You need to keep your child busy with something important

If a child is afraid to be left alone at home, what to do becomes the main question for his parents.

1. When you leave home, be sure to tell your baby why and where you are going. It is also important to indicate what time you will return and under no circumstances be late. If you see that you cannot return on time, be sure to call your child and warn him about the delay.
2. If you leave your toddler alone, then provide him with access to toys or interesting books.
3. There is no need to tell strangers about your child’s fears, especially in his presence.
4. When you return home, please your child with some kind of treat or small surprise, a reward for his patience.
5. Eliminate any possibility of viewing scenes of violence or serious programs.
6. Do not allow quarrels in front of the baby. They can also negatively affect the child's psyche.
7. When the little one opens up and explains the reason for his worries, do not make fun of him, but help him cope with his fear.
8. If you are unable to rid your toddler of fear on your own, then seek help from a psychologist.

Now you know the answer to the question of how to stop being afraid of being alone at home. There is nothing reprehensible in this fear, however, a person must adapt to any situation and be able to not depend on anyone. The main thing is to identify the cause and start fighting it.

Several cases from practice

Patient A., 28 years old. Complaints about periodic “failures” in heart function and tachycardia that manifests itself during the day. Works as a web designer in an office. Unfavorable working conditions at work: noise in the office, pressure from superiors, frequent overtime. The girl had a feeling that her work was underestimated. Lives with parents. Domestic conflicts often arise in families. An examination by a therapist did not reveal the presence of pathologies in other organs and systems. Recommended: ignore episodes of extrasystole, change the work environment. Improvement occurred after switching to remote work and attending sessions with a psychologist to resolve family conflicts.

Patient O., 36 years old. Housewife. Complaints of “interruptions in the heart,” followed by a feeling of increased pounding in the chest. After this, sweating increases sharply and a feeling of fear appears. Attacks occur during family conflicts provoked by a husband who abuses alcohol. Examination of the cardiovascular system revealed no pathology. The thyroid gland, liver, kidneys are unchanged. General analysis of urine and blood is normal. She ignored advice not to take her condition into account or to contact a narcologist or psychologist. On the second visit, the condition remained unchanged.