What am I gonna do?

[MarkWilson4455]

Hi, I've now wanted to talk about a major part of my anxiety that I feel has impacted my life and has made me become reliant on propranolol.

You see, ever since my anxiety got worse I have developed cardiophobia. I started to become obsessed with my heart and worried non stop about heart attacks and disease. So much that I took more propranolol tablets and became addicted to heart rate apps. Now I no longer use the apps but I feel like the propranolol are what's keeping me stable. And because of that, I no longer feel safe without taking them. I feel like my body and heart are exposed without taking propranolol. Every time I try to live without taking one, I go into a panicked state and my heart shoots up over 150bpm and keeps increasing. It's very scary! Even though I'm 22 and have no signs of heart disease, I can't help but feel that this has put me in danger! I feel like I'm living a totally different life than what I used to when my anxiety wasn't as bad.

Lately I'm on my last line of propranolol and I don't know when I'll get another prescription so I feel like my days are numbered. I have yet to find someone who has taken this seriously. I feel like I have a condition or some type of body awareness that has put me in danger. I know this is not a medical site so I might not get the best answer possible but I really need to know. Is this all just anxiety and can I get over this and be able to live without propranolol? Or am I doomed? Thanks.

[Paxiled]

Your drug is also used for anxiety, usually social anxiety, so it might be helping.  But when you're obsessive about something, the only way to overcome it is to stop doing it.  If you think taking the drug isn't helping but is just obsessive, a good therapist, probably one who specializes in CBT, might help guide you through this.  But if you feel you're going to need medication, well, you're on one used for anxiety that's easier to stop taking than most.  You're the only one who can truly decide, but the one thing about therapy is, when it works, and who knows how often that is, you're done, you're cured.  Medication just works on symptoms, not causes.  Good luck.

[AnxiousNoMore]

You posted about your cardiophobia a few weeks Have you tried therapy to deal with it?