Living with recurrent pericarditis can be stressful. You may often find that you worry that you’ll have another episode or avoid activities like exercise because you fear that they’ll trigger symptoms. In addition, recurrent pericarditis may last for years.
These recurrences can have significant effects on your everyday life. One small study of 83 adults with recurrent pericarditis found that living with the condition affects not just physical and mental health, but also sleep quality and work productivity.
People with recurrent pericarditis often focus on their physical health, especially their heart health, but it’s important to manage mental health, too. Here’s a closer look at why it’s so key to manage emotions like fear, uncertainty, and anxiety when you have recurrent pericarditis.
How Recurrent Pericarditis Impacts Your Mental Health
Some people with recurrent pericarditis may feel anxious and frustrated. But these emotions may in turn impact your heart health. When you are stressed, your body releases a hormone called adrenaline. It causes your breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure to all go up. In short-term stressful situations, this is a good thing. It’s known as the “fight or flight response.” But when it goes on for days or weeks, it can be harmful. It raises your blood pressure, which in turn increases your chances of a heart attack or stroke.
Stress can also worsen your physical health, too. If you are stressed, you may not take as good care of yourself as you would otherwise. This may cause you to:
- Smoke
- Overeat, or eat unhealthy foods
- Not exercise
- Be at an unhealthy weight
- Forget to take your medications
- Have sleep problems
There’s no direct link between stress and pericarditis. But research suggests that chronic stress makes it harder for your body to get control of its inflammatory response. This can lead to the inflammation that triggers pericarditis.
How to Improve Your Mental Health With Pericarditis
If you experience emotions like stress, depression, or anxiety, there’s plenty you can do to lift your mood and help you manage the symptoms. Here are some simple things to do on your own:
Stay active. If your doctor has said it’s OK to exercise, make sure that you fit in time to do it. Exercise will help to relieve depression and also helps to reduce your risk of heart disease. Research shows that while physical activity helps to reduce the risk of heart failure in everyone, it’s particularly useful among people who already have depression or anxiety. Aim for three to five 45-to-60-minute sessions per week that include both aerobic exercise like walking and biking as well as resistance training.
Seek out social support. Research shows that people with certain forms of heart disease manage their condition better if they have strong emotional and social support. Some people you can reach out to include:
- Your partner, family, and close friends. Your condition affects all of you, and it can help to work together to manage it as a team.
- Your medical care team. They can lend a supportive ear if you want to talk about your emotions and offer resources to help support you. They can also refer you to counseling, where you can learn coping strategies. They may also be able to connect you to other patients with pericarditis.
- Support groups. It can help to speak to other people who live with pericarditis. You may feel reassured to know many of them have emotions similar to yours. They may also offer advice as to what’s been helpful for them. Your medical care team or local hospital may be able to direct you to a local group. You can also connect with others through groups such as the Pericarditis Alliance.
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness-based activities such as deep breathing, yoga, or meditation may decrease stress and provide ways to help you manage pain during a pericarditis flare. They have been shown to help reduce symptoms like anxiety, pain, and shortness of breath for patients with other heart conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension. Start with just 5 minutes a day and increase as needed. Some good strategies to try include:
- Mindful breathing. Pay attention to the flow of air as you inhale and exhale.
- Body awareness meditation. Pay attention to each part of your body. Start with your feet on the floor and move up until you reach the top of your head.
- Loving kindness meditation. Take some time to come up with loving thoughts towards yourself and your body.
Another good way to help you get started is to try a mindfulness app.
Get enough rest. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble sleeping, set a regular bedtime and wake time, and avoid electronics for a couple of hours before bed. Pain may make it hard to get sleep during a flare. Try to sleep in an elevated position. Avoid being on your left side, which may cause discomfort.
If the above tips don’t help, let your medical team know. They can refer you to a therapist for professional counseling. You may also need antidepressants to help manage feelings of depression or anxiety. Some types of these medications may affect your heart and lead to abnormal heart rhythms. Your doctor can work with you to find the best treatment for you.
Show Sources
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SOURCES:
Adverse Therapies: “Disease and economic burden associated with recurrent pericarditis in a privately insured United States population.”
American Journal of Cardiology: “Burden of recurrent pericarditis on health related quality of life.”
American Heart Association: “Stress and Heart Health,” “Mental Wellness Is Important for a Healthy Heart and Brain.”
Myocarditis Foundation: “Stress and the Heart.”
American Heart Association Scientific Sessions: “Physical Activity Associates With a Greater Reduction in Heart Failure Risk Among Individuals With Depression and/or Anxiety.”
New York Presbyterian: “Pericarditis.”
UpToDate: “Depression Treatment Options for Adults (Beyond the Basics).”
Heart Failure Matters: “Support.”
American College of Cardiology: “Practicing Mindfulness: Tools to Decrease Stress for Patients With PH and Caregivers.”
British Heart Foundation: “Are Antidepressants Safe If You Have a Heart Condition?”
