“Thoughts are real, physical things that occupy mental real estate. Moment by moment, every day, you are changing the structure of your brain through your thinking. When we hope, it is an activity of the mind that changes the structure of our brain in a positive and normal direction.” ― Caroline Leaf, Switch On Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health
I was born with a CHD called Tetralogy of Fallot, operated on at 5 years old, parents divorced at about 10 years old, and diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation at 23. Anxiety and panic invaded my life.
Feeling how your heart races too over 200 beats per minute while you just sit messes with your head! You feel life going out of you, it sucks!
I went to a psychologist and psychiatrist. I received therapy, medication for a short while but knew that I could not lead a fulfilling life relying on them for the rest of my life.
The guidance and therapy I received helped me a lot and I believe psychologists and psychiatrists are very important. I used their therapy, guidance, and knowledge to forge my own happiness.
How has my TOF, AFIB heartbeat and Anxiety made my life “interesting”?
I have this urge to catalog my TOF(Tetralogy of Fallot), AFIB heartbeat and Anxiety journey. Why?……Hmmm. Just to see it there. On “paper” or rather a screen. To remind me to be grateful to so many people, to know anything is possible. To thank God.
So I write because it gives me perspective, insight and possibly hope to others too. In this journey, there were a few times that I thought THIS IS IT!! No hope! But every time there was something. When I saw how my heart made my shirt bounce and felt like I was going to die, but miraculously I lived! (At age 23) It made me grateful for everything. Could my curse be a blessing? Continue reading TOF, AFIB heartbeat and Anxiety journey→
Thoughtarrest is my way of examining and evaluating my thoughts. It is not something that I came up with but thoughtarrest is my term for it. You will agree with me that panic attacks, Generalised Anxiety Disorder(GAD) or plain anxiety can paralyze you.