Hi! I’ve been struggling with cardiophobia and panic attacks for a little over a year now. It’s been really difficult because exercise used to be my safe place. About two months ago, I had a severe panic attack that threw me back into that anxiety-and-hospital cycle again, but it ended up teaching me something important. Early in my recovery, I made the mistake of relying too much on my safe person. When they couldn’t be there all the time, the anxiety I thought I’d conquered suddenly came crashing back. That experience helped me realise that I am my own safe person, and that I need to trust myself more to handle anxiety. These days, I can go on short walks and even ride my bike again. Of course, I still have tough days—times when I don’t feel like moving or when I experience intense physical symptoms like skipped beats, chest tightness, or dizziness. But despite it all, I keep showing up, and I’m genuinely proud of how far I’ve come.
