Treating the whole person is essential because your mind, emotional state, and physical symptoms interact. One example is that you can increase an arrhythmia by becoming anxious when it happens. It’s natural to be anxious when your heart does something unusual, but through slow breathing, relaxation, and other coping techniques, you can help yourself feel better. You can balance your emotional state by learning when you must pay attention to your symptoms and when you can safely ignore them. The  HCMA  and your medical team can help you learn how your body works with HCM.

If you’re struggling with the emotional aspects of HCM, we want to help! Here are some of our resources:

We offer  Emotional Support Discussion Groups  via Zoom. These sessions are a great place to learn coping skills, talk about your feelings, and meet your peers so you know you aren’t alone! You can find groups on our calendar for many topics in HCM that can help you feel better.

From our Big Hearted Warriors Tour, the 3/10/22 webinar with  Ascension St. Thomas Heart , there is a segment by Dr. Ronald Salomon titled “Coping with HCM – Building Resilience.” Dr. Salomon is a psychiatrist working with the HCM Center of Excellence, which gives him a unique understanding of those living with HCM. This talk starts at 1 hour, 26 minutes into the video.

If you aren’t already in our  Facebook private group , consider joining! Simply request to join the group and answer all 4 questions. Only those with HCM or close family are allowed to join, so you can hear from others living with HCM and get support from them.

If you need more emotional health care, don’t be embarrassed to talk to a therapist. It isn’t a weakness that you need a specialist for your heart, and it isn’t weak to find a specialist for your mind! Ask your cardiac care team if they can recommend a mental health therapist specializing in HCM or chronic illness. Your health insurance may have lists of therapists in your area as well. It might take trying several therapists to find one that clicks with you – that will make a difference in how much they can help you!

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