I need tips on how to manage my hypochondria.
I breath the wrong way, my throats closing in..
Headache means a stroke.
Lightheaded means about to pass out.
Tired means I'm going to slip into a coma.
On and on. A new day a new worry. A new fear of death.
Agonizing. Paralyzing. I am scared to get out of bed most days. I'm tired of being afraid of everything.
I am on the exact same boat as you!!! This is basically my life. Especially right now with the breathing and feeling like my throat is closing in! I’ve beeb having this issue for about two weeks straight now. I’d always get it here and there, but not like this!! I feel like it starts in my sinuses? Then it goes down into my throat, and into my chest, then I just can’t breathe and I try and get my mind off of it but then my heart starts beating fast/irregular, I feel just like nothing is ever going to cure how I’m feeling. It is horrible!!
To me, hypochondria or health anxiety is about trust. Reassurance feels great at the time, is often short lived and then fear and anxiety starts up again either with the same concern or a whole bunch of new symptoms.
It is really about trusting what your body is telling you, why it does certain things and what it means.
Anxiety creates the perfect scenario for many physical reactions that feed the belief that there is something very wrong. The release of adrenalin alone can really make your body fizz! Designed to help you either fight off a tiger or run away from one, it would indeed be very useful in such a circumstance.
Something that really impressed upon me the difference about imagined illness/ anxiety and actual illness is TIME. Anxiety or panic is often sudden, acute and frightening. The symptoms are there fast and cause fear. Real illnesses are not like that, people sit in waiting rooms, go on waiting lists, make future appointments etc... Even the most serious illnesses do not behave in this way.
If, when you aren't feeling anxious, you look at your actual state of wellbeing, your health. Have a check up and know that routine checks do indeed keep us in check.
I hope you can see your way through this and that you can feel happiness and have peace of mind. Xx
Hi there I hate the label hydrochondria as it is known to be health anxiety now the stigma of people with hydrochondria brought about the change so it is more acceptable to the public and people are not stigmatised!
I dont agree with that label.
I think hypochondria is anxiety, health anxiety. It a fear of ur health failing and noticing things that arent there .. ie a funny mole. Not being able to breath....
if u didnt have the anxiety it wouldnt happen.
I find what u got to do is keep ur mind and body busy. Do not give it the chance to notice these things.
U need a hobbie or exercise....
There is prob nothing wrong with u medically just a need to address the anxiety and fear.
Go see ur gp, address it head on and take control of it... it will make u feel stronger knowing u have accepted it and tried to sort it urself... im not trying to say drugs are ok but mayb a mild anti anxiety tablet for a couple
Of months just to get urself out of the pit u feel ur in so u can see ur way forward.
Then address why u feel like this, who and what makes u feel anxious and ill.
And when u start feeling like it go for a walk, put music on and dance, do some yoga or meditate, watch a boxset or film, scream really loud.... just something that will take u away from those thoughts?!!!
Do u have friends? Job? Parents?
I do, I have all of that. When my anxiety kicks in I feel disoriented. Like I dont know who I am and am forgetting everything.... is this normal? What if my memory just fades away? My life is just a big scary blob right now.
No it totally normal stress and anxiety causes all kinds of trauma to our bodies... the dr told me he had one lady went blind in one eye ? Totally blind for about 2 months just through stress. Its mad.
It can effect u in so many ways.
Yeh the old brain fog!!! I get that alot esp at “ that time of month” when i become even more anxious.
Go to your gp... explain how u feel and how it is affecting ur life and they will b able to help u even if u just take some mild anti anxiety pills for couple month just to get u out of it for a while so u can concentrate on getting urself better.
You must find ways to deal with it though as if u dont ur just get worse and realise you have lost years of ur life missing things ...
I dont get it so much anymore as i have full time job, 2 dogs, a husband, house, so i dont have any time to think about myself any more and thats prob for the best.
I get a bit stressy through being so busy but nothing i cant handle .. i would rather b to busy then not
Hey just curious when you say mild anxiety pills, which ones are you talking about ??
Oh god im 45, when i took them for about year it was about 15 years ago now and i cant remember them but they worked, they just got me out that mindset so i could see light at end of the tunnel and not want to lay in my bed and die all time... just perked me up so i could start helping myself.
My friend is on some there a group called serrotonin uptakes? They just take edge of the depression and anxiety they mild ..
Ones called citalopram , sertealine And fluoxetine there quite a few.
It something like pill really , u find ur one and stick with it, u may have to try a few and play about with doseage.
There no shame in asking for help!
Whatever u have to do to get u through to the other side so u can start living and then u need to start looking at what makes u happy and what u can do to start relieving ur stress urself ie exercise, gym, running, yoga, pilates, meditating... walking.. if someone u kmow has a dog ask to walk it.
Thats what i did, once i got through other side and i started to feel like me again i brought myself a puppy as id always wanted one but id always worked alot of hours but as i was not working there was my chance... it worked as i didnt think about myself so much .. it took my attention away from me to the dog and now i just run with it or put my ipod on and walk for miles and miles with it...
Smiling Depression 
just want to sleep 24/7
I wish it would end
Ramble on
Sleep problems.
