When Doctors Say ‘It’s Just Your Anxiety’: The Emotional Impact of Living With POTS
Living with POTS can be emotionally exhausting, especially when symptoms are dismissed as anxiety. The purpose of this blog is to better understand POTS, learn how counseling can help people cope with POTS, medical gaslighting, and nervous system overwhelm.
When You Know Something Is Wrong: Early Signs of POTS
Have you ever experienced symptoms of fainting, racing heart, and exhaustion only to be told “you’re just stressed”. Have you ever felt frustrated by having to see multiple doctors and attend multiple appointments to leave with no answers. People often feel gaslighted by their providers and dismissed when expressing concerns. Eventually leading to self-doubt and no longer feeling attuned to one's body and its needs. If this sounds like you know that you are not alone and this is the same experience that many individuals with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) report having.
What is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome?
POTS is a condition that causes several different symptoms when you change from lying down to standing up. Symptoms such as a fast heart rate, dizziness, brain fog, headaches, anxiety, and fatigue can occur. Currently there is no cure but treatment and changes in life can help improve a person’s quality of life.
The body’s autonomic nervous system is in charge of regulating your heart rate and blood pressure no matter what position you are in. However, with POTS your body struggles with regulating vessel constriction and heart rate. This can lead the body’s blood to pool in the lower extremities. If you feel that you may be struggling with these symptoms it is important to seek medical advice from a physician (Cleveland Clinic,2022).
Why POTS Symptoms Are Often Mistaken for Anxiety
The reason why POTS is often mistaken for anxiety is because the symptoms may overlap. Anxiety is the body's response to stress or a perceived threat. However, when a person’s anxiety becomes dysfunctional it can lead to symptoms of rapid heartbeat, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, and feeling panicked which can occur in POTS as well. However, POTS is more than just having anxiety. Anxiety can coexist with chronic illness in fact many people with chronic illness struggle with anxiety and depression.
Misdiagnosis is one of the largest factors in delayed treatment for those living with POTS. However, they differ in their origin. POTS is caused by a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Anxiety is a psychological disorder that causes excessive stress, worry, or fear. Factors such as trauma, fear of the unknown, or daily life stressors can cause anxiety (Drevitch,2024).
The Emotional Toll of Not Being Believed
It can be emotionally draining when you feel gaslighted by your doctor. You may start having feelings of shame and embarrassment. Feelings of frustration from not being able to find answers can lead to many isolating from family and friends. It can also increase hypervigilance about symptoms such as, fear of others thinking they are being dramatic and loss of trust in health care providers. Many are left to wonder, “what happens when my body keeps telling the truth but no one is listening?” However, it is important to know that you are not alone and what you are saying does matter.
How Chronic Invalidation Affects Mental Health
For those living with chronic illness frequent moments of invalidation from providers, family, and friends can have a huge impact on mental health. It is important to understand anxiety can occur due to facing an unknown future. Depression might appear due to loss of functioning. Medical trauma is commonly reported due to frequent dismissal and unpleasant medical experiences. Grieving over lifestyle changes may occur as a person learns to live with their chronic illness. While not always the case, living with POTS may increase anxiety due to the symptoms.
Being dismissed by the medical system can also create anxiety due to patients not having their symptoms treated. Along with the emotions of sadness and grief. They might start feeling like a burden following a diagnosis due to everything that goes into their care (Fernandez,2021).
Rebuilding Trust in Yourself and Your Body
Learning to rebuild trust in yourself and your body will require you to listen to your symptoms and take note of them. Reduce the self-blame and instead replace it with self-compassion and love. Advocating for your care; and if needed, asking for loved ones to support you in your advocacy. Learning to accept limitations without feeling shame. Finding supportive communities and groups to help prevent isolation and improve the feeling of being seen.
Are you ready to start therapy and get the support you need?
At Calming Tides Counseling, located in Winter Park, FL., we believe validation matters and know that processing your chronic illness in a safe space is important. Counseling can support healing even though you are having physical symptoms. Most importantly people with POTS deserve compassionate care. We are ready to help you start your journey today!
References:Drevitch, G. (Ed.). (2024, August 1). Pots or anxiety?: Avoiding misdiagnosis. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-boost/202408/pots-or-anxiety-avoiding-misdiagnosisFernandez, G. (2021, December 16). The intersection of Mental Health and chronic disease | johns hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health. The Intersection of Mental Health and Chronic Disease. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2021/the-intersection-of-mental-health-and-chronic-diseaseMental health: Developing Coping Skills Is Important as Reality Changes. Standing Up to POTS. (2026, June 15.). https://www.standinguptopots.org/mentalhealthPots: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. (2022, September 9). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots
