Health anxiety nightmare

[weegmack]

My health anxiety is so, so bad just now 😞. I’m beside myself most days. I have Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and health anxiety is part of that. I’m so exhausted. I have IBS and every twinge, pain, sensation is freaking me out today - I’m suddenly convinced it’s something much worse. Literally can’t stop thinking about it. Everywhere I look there’s an advert on TV for cancer charities and I’m convinced I’m seeing them for a reason.

On top of all that, I got an email from the Food Standards Agency today (emails I wish I had never signed up for) about Organic Almonds from Tesco, which have been recalled due to the presence of salmonella! I buy a bag of mixed nuts from Tesco, with almonds in it, and I had a handful today. But they’re not the organic ones and not included in the recall. However, I ended up have a stupid panic attack and nothing my husband could say to me, would reassure me. I’m terrified I get ill, even though I haven’t eaten the organic almonds - just almonds from the regular (cheaper!) bag.

Freaking out 😞😞😞

[Hidden]

I feel for you! My anxiety has been off the charts too lately. I’m terrified because my husband is leaving for a few days and I have to get my daughter to school, and go to my internship. I’m feeling totally overwhelmed with fear. I’ve also had health anxiety, I had eaten something off a spoon that I didn’t realize had been sitting out all night from the lasagna dinner we had. I was convinced I would get sick and it’s all I thought about all night. I didn’t get sick 😊

[weegmack in reply to Hidden]

Oh my goodness, I think we are the same person! My kids are in their late teens now, and I STILL worry myself to near breakdown when my husband is away. The terror is that I’ll be ill and can’t look after the kids. It’s still as bad, even though they can basically look after themselves! I freak out about anything remotely dodgy food-wise - like a spoon that’s been sitting out on the counter, expiration dates, ANYTHING. It is exhausting.

I hope you manage while your husband is away - thinking of you xx

[Tjgg]

Hi there, that's so crazy I actually saw myself in your post. That's exactly what is happening to me. This past weeks, months have been a nightmare ! My body is acting all crazy because of my anxiety, I think I also have IBS and yup just like you every little single "new" pain I feel in my body I think is something mayor and it will rise my anxiety to 1000. I also see cancer signs everywhere and no matter where I go or what I look at there is something related to cancer. I do also feel like if God is sending me a sign. I have had 2 panic attacks in the last few months and just like you, there is nothing my husband, family can say to me to make me feel better. I am going to a psychologist specialized in anxiety, this week will be my second week. Hopefully I will learn to manage my anxiety. Are you takin any meds ? I wish I was able to help you more, but I'm still in the process of learning. I just wanted to let you know you are not the only one suffering from it, and you are not the only one having those thoughts. If you find a way to calm you down please let me know.

[weegmack in reply to Tjgg]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I’m just so sorry you’re going through the same - but it does help to know I’m not the only one who thinks this way. I’m a Christian, but years of anxiety and depression have given me a bad attitude to God lately, so I think I’m being sent signs, as you say. It’s horrible. I’m glad you’re seeing someone - I had 12 sessions lately with a community psychiatric nurse (CPN), because I took a breakdown last August. She was lovely - but would only concentrate on my depressive state and not my anxiety disorder (that was diagnosed some years ago).

I’ve had IBS since I was a child, so I don’t tolerate meds too well. I was given various antidepressants, but they made me so unwell that I had to stop them (and I became hyper anxious about being ill). I was also given an anti-anxiety pill, but I couldn’t tolerate it either. So I try to manage it myself really. If I want to see a CPN again, I need to get referred by my GP, which could take months and months. I’m thinking I may have to scrape together the money and see someone privately. I’m just not really recovering from the breakdown (long story there...very rough couple of years) and my anxiety is worse. So is the self-hatred, the demotivation, the exhaustion. I hate it so much.

All I’ll do tonight is lie awake, waiting to get ill. I’m supposed to visit my mother tomorrow and it’s a 50 minute drive there. Terrified I get sick while I’m travelling or there.

My husband is super calm and rational. He’s losing patience with me this evening.......xxx

[jennicole31]

Hello, I understand how you’re feeling. The media can be pretty frightening. But, I think that you’re in the green light because you didn’t eat the organic bag. Everything will be okay! I sometimes get anxious when I hear commercials about disease. But I always counter those thoughts by choosing to believe that all is well with me! I hope that life will get better for you. I'm available for support if you ever want someone to talk to...

[weegmack in reply to jennicole31]

Thank you ❤️. I really appreciate your support - it’s so good to know that someone else gets it. I’m so tired of myself to be honest. Xx

[jennicole31]

You're welcome. Don't beat yourself up. It's going to be okay.