De-stressing after chronic stress contributing to AF??

Just a thought. I've banged on here on the board plenty (maybe too much :-) )about my traumatic childhood and anxious adulthood, and about how I feel psychotherapy is having a beneficial effect on me as regards making me calmer and more aware of how to nurture and look after myself (and others).

So how's this for a scenario. During the years of my childhood and adulthood up until very recently, my sympathetic nervous system (SNS) has been charging full steam ahead for much of the time. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) as a whole has therefore tried to counteract this 'over-adrenalising' by increasing my parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) so as to bring the ANS back towards balance. Then, lifestyle changes including psychotherapy allow the SNS to start to slow down. But what if the PNS does NOT slow down in sync with the SNS?? After ectpy for 18 years (that I know of), and then AF episodes in Oct 99, May and Nov 2002, I've had 2 in the last month (making 5 to date). I appreciate that AF does tend to become more frequent with the passing of time, but I'm still left wondering whether the above-described scenario could have contributed of late. What do you think?

Mike F.

What you say is conjectural, of course, but I agree with you about the probable effect of continuous stress - especially that which was endured unknowingly during childhood- throwing the branches of the nervous system out of balance. It would seem reasonable to suppose that given the scenario of underlying lowered energy levels and highly sensitized nervous systems, short bursts of immediate stress can throw the system over the edge and into a crisis of afib or whatever - hives, asthma, migraine, arthritis, g- i distress, and worse. A lot of this is thought to occur at at a subconscious level.

I think that your analysis of the counteraction between the damaged nervous systems is very credible and well stated.

I also believe that the human body is very resilient and programmed for survival (as part of survival of the species) and that, if given half a chance, it can heal itself. It is the acknowledgment of our limitations from injuries incurred, the reprogramming of our habits, the way we pace and look after ourselves and look after others, that may be the key to licking afib. I really picked up on the "and others" in your post. Afib has a way of making us so turned inward. I think it would be therapeutic, if we tried to shift our focus away from ourselves to others.

In some cases where the damage or the need may be too great, that medical procedures/ intervention may be necessary.

As for the conjectural or anecdotal part of it - which is so discredited by "science" - how can the psychic, energy processes of the body ever be measured by science? Since they can't, these vital aspects tend to get short shifted. Therefore, the root causes - like the scenario you described - will never be acknowledged by "science" and cures will never be found.

Band aids for symptoms will remain the rule.

Carol

Mike,

I'd like to first start off by saying that I don't think you have an obsessive behavior in regards to your frequent visits to this board. I think you feel the need to fit in, where others have commonalities with you. Your intelligence drives you, to find stimulating conversation, and to be stimulated. I believe that to be a good thing. You are a unique personality and you are who you are. Yes, we can all be served, by striving to be better humans, but I think you have succeeded in that respect, due to your kind and generous spirit that you represent on this board. Carol shows that same kind and generous spirit, as well, as do many others. Why do some people who have been treated equally as bad, turn out to be hardened criminals, or just plain and simply, mean people? The difference has to be their level of intelligence. By that I mean, that the ones who turn out better are using more of both sides of their brains. They tend to be more creative, as well as logical thinkers. This board holds proof of that, in that we all have to be more creative in our thoughts, otherwise we'll never figure this affliction out.

Now to my thinking of what you proposed. As you were growing up, you had frequent assaults to your SNS, as if it were frequent power surges in an electrical wire. If a 120v light bulb were at the end of that wire, it would have blown, but you have a 130v bulb, that has withstood the power surges, yet it flickers, allowing you time to fix it. The reason you have a 130v bulb is because you are using more of both sides of your brain and you must have been blessed with a stronger immune system. In referencing your post below, and the post on the ventral vagal complex brake, you say your startle response is much greater when the phone rings than when a more serious situation arrises. That tells me that your SNS is what is not working. The vagal brake releases for the quick immediate response, but the SNS doesn't kick in when a severe situation arises. It is your adrenals that need to be addressed, in my opinion. The wine that you had preceeding the AF attack, probably depressed the SNS even further, and allowed the already dominant vagal to win the battle of the teetering balance act.

As it pertains to me, I did not grow up with assaults, but I am very sensitive, logical, and creative and I do NOT like confrontations. I like PEACE. I found it quite stressful at times, when trying to build my business, especially when dealing with irrational or dishonest people. In my business of real estate developing, I found that to be the case quite often. Being that I hold my stresses within, I began to have headaches and digestive upsets. I think the former was a warning, and the latter was my cause, because once my digestion was disrupted, my nutrients weren't as available. Therefore, I wasn't supplying enough power (of the ATPs) to keep my light bulb lit, hence flickering. I do not have a Type A personality, however, I think any type of personality can only take so many assaults to their energy source, before something gives. If we can harness the energy of the ATPs (adenosine triphosphate), then we can supply the body with its life giving power, and keep our light bulbs lit nice and bright.

You want to know what I think? I'll tell you anyway. Phosphorous. It glows like a light bulb and is the phosphate in adenosine triphophate. Look at all the processes in the body that require phosphoralations. (Man, I didn't know how to spell that one, but I think you get my point.)

Richard