Heart neurosis. Artwork of a human profile in silhouette with a heart in the place of the brain, depicting heart neurosis. Heart (cardiac) neurosis is excessive fear of the condition of the heart. It is most common in people who have had a heart attack or heart surgery. Sufferers experience chest pain, breathlessness and palpitations with no physical cause. Heart neurosis can also occur in people with no history of heart problems. It is believed that in some healthy people excessive fear of suffering a heart attack has actually caused them to experience one. This has been termed the Nocebo effect.