Health Anxiety is a real thing and I think I have it... it's exhausting... and I hate it...

[Snicki123]

Up until now, I had no idea that Health Anxiety even existed... I knew most of my Anxiety/obsessive thoughts stemmed from health related things but I'm only diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety. After reading others' experiences and symptoms, I most definitely, 200%, have Health Anxiety specifically.

Constantly hyper-aware of my body. Any sort of "weird" feeling I have in my body i.e. racing/heavy beating heart, weird feeling in my throat, a shooting pain in my chest, chest tightness, a headache that lasts awhile, soreness in my neck (some are more triggering than others and that's just a small list of things), will cause me to automatically think there's something immensely wrong with me and go through all of the things it could be; Cancer, liver failure, heart attack etc. Even though I've had blood work done and heart rate monitors EKG'S with normal results, that doesn't help... Even while writing this I'm having racing thoughts about how I've felt so far today... IT'S EXHAUSTING!

I think next time I talk to my therapist I will mention this to her and see where I can go from there to get diagnosed with specifically Health Anxiety and find the right treatment for me. I read that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is very helpful with this form of anxiety. I'm thankful I stumbled across a thread regarding Health Anxiety.

Awareness is key along with a good support system!

[Lindsey14]

I absolutely get how you feel

[Beevee]

It honestly doesn’t matter what type of anxiety it is. They are all the same thing and depends simply on what anxious thoughts you choose to believe or that resonate with you, as opposed to others. I started off with health anxiety but then flipped to relationship anxiety and GAD but like I say, it really doesn’t matter what it’s called. They have one thing in common and that is fear or fearing the feelings of fear which is why people trap themselves in a vicious cycle. Lose the fear and all those symptoms will disappear without trace.

[Rabbit4420]

I experience this same phenomena. It's closer to say I am plagued by it, daily. I also have GAD. A few years ago, I had an attack that was so bad I thought I was a having a heart attack and went to the ER. I was trembling so badly they couldn't get an EKG. It was a truly scary experience. Ever since that happened I am now hyper focused on every physical thing I experience. I notice everything. Heart rate, pains, muscle tightness, etc. Even the slightest change, causes anxiety. And you're right...it's completely exhausting. I do have SVT and that coupled with what recently has become crippling anxiety and panic attacks, is kind of a nightmare. Stress factors of any kind only exacerbate it.