Health issues relating to the heart are called Cardiac conditions. This section provides helpful links to a range of information and self-help resources designed to support your physical and emotional wellbeing, while living with a cardia condition.
There are many different types of Cardiac conditions:
There are many types of cardiac conditions. Below are some of the more common ones, along with links to further information and condition-specific resources.
The Somerville Heart Foundation supports people living with congenital heart disease. They offer information, support, and free resources when you sign up as a ‘friend’. Services include access to a specialist counsellor and family support (please note: some services may require payment).
Cardiomyopathy UK provides condition-specific information and emotional wellbeing resources. Other services include:
Arrhythmia Alliance is a coalition of charities to support people affected by these conditions, and offers information and resources such as this booklet on mindfulness and healthy living with arrhythmias.
Pumping Marvellous is a patient-led charity offering peer-written support guides and a community hub for people living with heart failure.
For more information and resources, please see The British Heart Foundation and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Living with a cardiac condition can be emotionally challenging, especially if it was unexpected or life-changing. It's common to experience a range of emotions, including worry, fear, sadness, or anger.
These responses are entirely normal, and you’re not alone.
The video below shares real stories from people living with heart conditions and explores the emotional impact they’ve faced.
The emotional impact of living with a heart condition
Feeling low or downIt's common to feel low after being diagnosed with a heart condition. These feelings can affect your energy, sleep, appetite, and concentration. When these feelings persist, they can make it harder to look after yourself and your heart health.
Feeling anxiousAnxiety is also common, particularly after events like a heart attack or sudden diagnosis. Making lifestyle changes can be stressful and overwhelming. Many people worry about how their heart condition will affect their future.
Physical symptoms like palpitations can also trigger emotional responses such as anxiety, which can feel overwhelming.
If any of this feels familiar, you may find the following resources helpful:
Videos
Minding your heart - Dr. Donna Delasa, Clinical Psychologist
Understanding the psychological impact of a cardiac condition
Websites
Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland have information on looking after your mental wellbeing and services that they offer to help here, including this leaflet on mental wellbeing.
The British Heart Foundation has additional information here.
Self-help
Managing Stress, Worry and Low Mood: A guided self-help booklet for people with heart conditions: A guided self-help workbook developed by clinicians at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust to help with people cardiac conditions improve their psychological wellbeing.
Heart disease and depression workbook for clients: A workbook developed as part of a research trial looking into how effective collaborative care is for individuals with depression and comorbid cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes. For more information about this randomised controlled trial visit here: https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h638
Positive Coping with Health Conditions: a self-care workbook written by health professionals that provides strategies to help individuals living with health problems to cope
Silvercloud
Silvercloud is a digital platform to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing. It offers a module designed specifically for people with a cardiac condition. You can read more about Silvercloud here. Please note: the Silvercloud heart disease programme requires a referral from a clinician or healthcare professional.
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment, including your thoughts, physical sensations, and feelings, in a non-judgemental way.
Living with a cardiac condition can be stressful. Mindfulness has been shown to help with anxiety, low mood, and stress. It can help you become more aware of difficult emotions and physical symptoms without feeling overwhelmed by them.
The video below explains more about mindfulness, and has some exercises for you to try:
Mindfulness for anxious hearts and minds - Shannen Molloy, Psychological Practitioner
You can check out our MoodCafe page on mindfulness here
For further NHS Fife Clinical Health Psychology Resources and Groups please click here.
Books
‘Living with the Enemy: Coping with the Stress of Chronic Illness using CBT, Mindfulness and Acceptance’ by Ray Owen is a book which may be helpful. It focuses on how you can lead a good quality life, in keeping with your values, despite the presence of a long-term condition. It helps people to spot the ways of coping which have not been helpful and provides ideas of how to manage things differently. The book adopts a psychological framework similar to that often used within the NHS Clinical Health Psychology service, and as such this book may be a helpful starting point. Copies of this book are available in Fife Libraries.
‘Healing Hearts and Minds: A Holistic Approach to Coping Well with Congenital Heart Disease’ by Tracy Livecchi and Liza Morton is a book full of evidence-based, easy to understand information about Congenital Heart Disease. The authors are mental health professionals living with the condition themselves. This book offers strategies for learning to thrive despite living with this condition, as well as hope and connection.
Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland:
Scotland’s largest health charity working to help people with chest, heart and stroke conditions live life to the full. They have a range of resources on looking after your mental and emotional wellbeing with a heart condition, including downloadable guides and an advice line. CHSS also offer online and in –person (based in Glenrothes) peer support groups.
https://www.chss.org.uk/living-well/mental-wellbeing/
Advice line: 0808 801 0899 Mon-Fri 09:00-16:00
British Heart Foundation:
The UK’s principal charity for people with cardiac conditions. Their emotional support hub has information on looking after your mental health, an online support community, and resources for loved ones. They also have a Heart Helpline where you can speak to a cardiac nurse to answer questions or concerns about a heart condition.
https://www.bhf.org.uk/wellbeing
Heart Helpline: 0808 802 1234 Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00
Sudden Arrhythmic Death (SADS) UK:
The UK's leading cardiac charity for Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, raising awareness, placing defibrillators & providing support. They offer counselling and peer support for anyone with a cardiac condition, which you can sign up for on their website.
https://sadsuk.org.uk/index.php/living-with-a-cardiac-condition/
The Somerville Heart Foundation
The only UK-wide charity supporting adults and young people with all forms of Adult Congenital Heart Disease. You can sign up to access all their information, support and resources for free as a ‘friend’. Their services include access to a specialist counsellor and information and support for families of young people who have Congenital Heart Disease; although some services are paid for.
https://sfhearts.org.uk/support-services/
Cardiomyopathy UK
The specialist national charity for people affected by cardiomyopathy. They provide support and information services, a Specialist Nurse Helpline, and a volunteer peer-support service.
https://www.cardiomyopathy.org/emotional-wellbeing
Specialist Nurse Helpline: 0800 018 1024 Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30
Arrhythmia Alliance
A coalition of patient groups, charities, professional medical organisations and industry groups providing information, support, education and awareness for all those affected by or involved in the care of people living with an irregular heart rhythm
https://heartrhythmalliance.org/
Pumping Marvellous
The national patient-led charity for people with heart failure. Their website has a peer-written heart failure guide, and they also offer a community hub to connect with other people with the condition.
https://pumpingmarvellous.org/
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is the foremost charity for people with Chest, Heart and stroke conditions in Scotland, providing support to individuals and funding research.
They offer a free, confidential line of support and advice by telephone 0808 801 0899 and email (adviceline@chss.org.uk) through which you will be put in touch with a nurse who can help with issues such as; questions about your condition or care, help finding support as your return home from hospital, or advice and support for managing your condition well and living life to the full. Follow this link to a list of their downloadable guides. Their ‘Living Well’ page, contains information, advice and practical strategies for managing difficulties associated with heart conditions; such as: pain, fatigue, breathlessness, keeping active as well as a page specifically related to mental wellbeing and heart conditions. You can download a copy of their essential guide to mental_wellbeing
British Heart Foundation (BHF)
The British heart foundation is the UK’s principal charity for those with cardiac conditions. They provide support to people with a diagnosis and fund research. For anyone newly diagnosed with a cardiac condition, or who has questions about their diagnosis, treatment or the impact it has on their mental wellbeing, then their website is important to visit. Their website contains information packs about the various cardiac conditions that you can be diagnosed with; including an ‘A to Z’ of heart and circulatory diseases. Under the ‘Information and support’ tab, you can also access the ‘Heart Helpline’, where you can call (0300 330 3311), email (hearthelpline@bhf.org.uk) or webchat with a cardiac nurse who can help with advice regarding many issues including understanding medications and their side effects, improving diet and lifestyle, managing a new or existing diagnosis, recovering from a hospital stay or understanding test results.
The British Heart Foundation ‘Heart Unlocked’ page is a free online space for people with heart and circulatory diseases linking up this community across the UK, online. It is a platform where individuals can get advice and support from other people going through similar situations.
NHS Inform
The NHS Inform website contains clear and informative descriptions of various cardiac conditions. ‘Adjusting to life with a Heart Condition’ is a useful guide to managing the challenges of adjusting to life with a heart condition . They also have specific information relating to Women’s heart health, including pregnancy and health disease.
Somerville Heart Foundation
The Somerville Heart foundation Is the only UK-wide charity supporting adults and young people as they transfer to adult services, with all forms of Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD). You can sign up to access all their information, support and resources for free as a ‘friend’. Their services include access to a specialist counsellor and information and support for families of young people who have CHD; although some services are paid for.