Health anxiety. Am I alone?

[BellaStarXX]

Does this happen to anyone else? You get sick (have a cold or the flu) and your anxiety starts to kick in. All these negative thoughts start rushing through your head and it just seems so overwhelming that you start to cry. Why can’t my brain just comprehend that it’s just a cold?!

I went to the doctor yesterday for a check up because I had been sick for a little over a week. It started with a fever for two days and then it went away (I felt perfectly fine for like 4 days) and then I started getting a sore throat which eventually lead to nasal congestion. After blood work, everything was normal but my white blood count was a little high (or above normal). According to my doctor my body is still fighting an infection. I was prescribed some amoxicillin for my tonsillitis. But my head is in full overload. “What if it doesn’t go away?” “what if my white blood count is still high during my follow up appointment in three weeks?” “what if I get sick again?” “What if I have something serious” I just get myself so stressed and end up having panic attacks. I get no appetite, feel sluggish and sore.

I don’t know how to stop these thoughts. Why am I freaking out?!

[1stfootforward]

I have similar experience of panic attacks. My anxiety levels really can fluctuate. I can sometimes have little spells when I feel like I'm getting ahead, really making positive steps towards feeling in control then BANG! Right back at it, I feel its about accepting that I have this feeling/condition (I've read this and been told about it) although it sounds like a plan that can work it is really hard I suppose it's like being thankful for the healthy parts of your life and just doing your best to cope with it. I have a very small amount of support or people around me that I can talk to or trust infact truth be known I have noone really, I had a therapist in cbt but have been reffered to "step 4 psychology" I really don't t understand the full details of this decision or whether or not it will help. I do know that I have to wait "months" for this I just feel that this may help get me through stressful times by having people to talk to about my anxious thoughts etc, as well as try and help others do the same where possible. Any thoughts much appreciated. Thanks.

[Gilbertina in reply to 1stfootforward]

I know sharing help/info makes me feel empowered. There is a book i am ordering called Intrusive Thoughts. Can u order a book to help u? I also joined this site yesterday and i feel a bit more hopeful! Maybe when we share we each are analyzing and dealing with it /the anxiety which might help a bit..if that makes any sense...really these damn thoughts are just friggen thoughts...! But that is the irony because it grabs us and has a tight hold! Maybe i will get some punching gloves and swing at the air when i get anxious and scream into the air, "Go away stupid thoughts"! Hum...i am helping myself! God bless u.

[1stfootforward in reply to Gilbertina]

Hi Gilbertina, thank you for your input, reply, like... Yes sharing really does help, I only just joined this site tonight a couple of hours ago and think I'll be on here for a while yet, it is a bit mad when you think that thoughts are only thoughts but they come from the brain n that is one very powerful thing.... It can be negative or positive we just gotta do our best to keep it positive! If the negative overwhelms us, me, you just head back here talking is therapy, therapy is help and when help is there n you feel like you need it it's best, in my opinion to take it... I will definitely look for the book 'intrusive thoughts' thst stuff really helps me, though I find it hard to concentrate on reading stuff I will always try if it's going to help or I think it can will, thanks! I'm going to try n sleep again so goodnight and again thanks for your input, much appreciated 💯👍🏻

[BellaStarXX in reply to 1stfootforward]

I feel you! You can feel like you’re making progress and then out of nowhere it comes knocking at your footsteps. I have noticed that I feel calmer and less anxious when I talk to people about my situation but it is hard to talk to everyone because there is a stigma about mental health that I feel like people will look at me differently after I let them know what is going on.

[foxglove_pnw]

Hi Bella

I have really bad health anxiety so I know how you feel ! Any pain or ache will make me think it is something very serious !

It is a nightmare ! So draining !

Catastrophizing is what it is called ! It is so hard to stop but I am hopeful I will one day . Here is a good article to read :

headspace.com/blog/2017/02/...

😉

[Gilbertina in reply to foxglove_pnw]

Oh wow! I am going to print that article out. It is spot on. Maybe i will hang that in my medicine cabinet! Thanks soooo much for sharing. I just joined this site amd there is a lot of good sharing of info! God bless!

[foxglove_pnw in reply to Gilbertina]

Headspace has an app that is really good ! It is such an easy way to start meditation plus the guy’s voice is super sexy lol

[BellaStarXX in reply to foxglove_pnw]

Thank you Foxglove for the article. I will definitely try to do some of the things it says. I think writing down my thoughts will definitely help clear my head.

[Agora1]

Hi BellaStarXX, it's very common for people with anxiety to get even more

frightened when they get sick. One of the reasons is because they are already

overwhelmed in dealing with their anxiety that anything attached to it becomes

catastrophic in their minds. The largest contributor to these thoughts are the

"what ifs". Once we project down the road as to what could possibly happen,

we are doomed with high levels of anxiety. What can help is bringing ourselves

into the moment. Reel in the doubts and fears of what may be. Put trust in your

doctor and his years of training. You will get through this faster and easier than

anxiety itself. You're in good hands. Get well soon. xx

'

[BellaStarXX in reply to Agora1]

Thank you Agora. Be in the present, in the moment. I will try to remember that.

[Gilbertina]

Yes the negative self talk during illness makes me more anxious. I got the flu and i was wiped out for five days and little energy recovery, then went to see kid in college and my anxiety kicked in because i then got bronchitis....then all those thoughts came flooding in...i went to urgent care and got antibiotics and inhalers. I am on day 10 and last day and finally feeling i can breathe again. Anxiety sucks and stress like sickness can make it worse. It is hard and i hear u. I called my doctor and asked for some quick acting xanax(sp) for when it was bad. I have been on an ssri for years and it really isn't working as evidence during the last 2 weeks so i made an appt to switch meds. R u on medicine? We all either need medicine or better coping skills...there is a book i just ordered by someone who recommended it here...it is called Intrusive Thoughts...or such. My doctor says people with anxiety are often analytical...lol...so i plan on doing some hard work also on evaluating these stupid thoughts! No easy task though. I also am going to make a positive thought card to pull out next time i get sick, like: "People recover from cold, flu, its not a bod deal so don't create a big deal in my head" and "I have to be patient and let my body do what it knows how to do and that is fight off the virus" and "Doctors and medicines will heal me in this advanced society" etc...maybe a positive card will help u. Maybe have a loved one or friend come up with positive statements...i am going to go make it now and put in medicine cabinet! Good luck. 😷😉

[BellaStarXX in reply to Gilbertina]

Hi Gilbertina. I glad that you recovered from your bronchitis. To answer your question, no I am not on any medication. What a great idea making positive thought cards. I am sure it will make me less anxious if I read these while I’m freaking out. How do you cope with your thoughts? Is your family understanding? I feel like I stress my boyfriend out when I start freaking out and it just makes me feel worse.

[Gilbertina in reply to BellaStarXX]

I am married and he has kind of had to learn how to help me too....at my worst years ago with panic attacks I would wake him and he would have to "walk me" in the middle of the night....But I did not have anxiety when we were dating...then I went on medicine and it did help for years. I will say that medicine saved me....I was so down on my anxiety that I thought I was going to "lose it". Being on medicine also let me be able to learn some coping skills like the workbook (Anxiety and Phobia workbook) and practice while being on medicine that worked...it didn't totally eliminate everything but I remember when my brain shut off that first time what a miracle and how life looked so different. So you have to commit and have something, (coping skills/books/meditation and/or medicine) otherwise, I don't know if my husband or anyone for that matter could help me nonstop...if you are weekly having thoughts why not try medicine? LIfe is short and I have learned that quality of life is worth medicine, which the ssri meds are pretty benign....hang in there, but realize that if your anxiety is frequent that someone else may not get it or totally understand it like in this setting.

[1stfootforward]

Thanks BellastarXX, please excuse late acknowledgement of your reply. I wasn't being ignorant, I was writing lifestories on another part of this site 🙄 and I think it's great when people get involved to help people just you responding to my post got a few people talking this all helps, gilbertina, foxglove_pnw Agora1 thanks for joining in and for your positive attitude and feedback. Hope to share thoughts, coping strategies, positive vibes, advice and support full circle. We all gotta rise above the negative side of things and keep fighting eh... Gdnight all 💯🙏🤞🏻