Another newbie!

[LAWays]

Hello everyone,

Newbie here to the world of forums but no so new to anxiety. Anxiety is something I have struggled with on and off throughout my life and feel it has got worse hence me joining here.

I've always suffered with hypertension and feel the anxiety is the main culprit for it. I have two tweens who through no direct fault of their own, other than puberty, gaining their own identities etc. are causing my heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety to rise. Anyone else dealing with anxiety and notice it has an effect on heart rate etc. what did you do? I don't particularly want to increase the medication I take for hypertension but the chest aches I get through stress and anxiety are not great. Appreciate nobody here is medically qualified but if anyone can share their story, I'd love to hear it!

Anxiety also for me affects my work and relationships I have with colleagues, friends and day to day life really but I think I have got so used to it now. I struggled with a really low episode earlier on in the year, first time i had been like that and I was prescribed an antidepressant called Sertraline but I feel I could manage after 3 weeks of being on them. Now I'm thinking i should have stayed on them as they may have helped with the anxiety thus reducing my heart rate/blood pressure. Anybody else taken Sertraline or other medication?

Have a good day all and here to support you too x

[dustyfied]

Welcome LAWays (I'm a newbie too).

[Bored]

welcome to the forum, ask your question in the social anxiety room it might get some answers, good luck

have you tried breathing exercises, or mindfulness it might help with the racing heart

[genovese]

Welcome

[LAWays]

Thank you all x
I will put the post in the SA room.
Yes, I practice mindfulness as part of everyday life The breathing exercises I do a few times a day but it doesn't stay down for long...according to the HR facility on my smart watch. x

[Seagull]

Welcome LA. One of the reasons I’d never own something like a smart watch and use those functions is because to me it can increase the whole anxiety around such stuff and potentially make issues worse. I’d just rather not know or focus on my BP or heart rate etc. Possibly a bit head in the sand but it works for me and frees up more time for worrying about how I come across socially and with work colleagues etc. A win-win in anyone’s books n’est ce pas?