HEALTHY ANXIETY IS KILING ME

[Dadzo]

I have suffered from health anxiety sine the age of 9 or 10. It really began to bother me as my marriage with my first wife was ending in 1997 and has been something I have dealt with off and on since. It is getting more intrusive as I get older. I have what I believe to be IBS type stomach problems and when the anxiety kicks in they worsen. Of course, when they worsen I start to think of bowel, colon, stomach, liver, pancreatic cancer and fall right down the rabbit hole. "LabCorp on Demand" is like crack as I can order as many tests as I'd like just have to pay for them . I've actually at times gone 2 or 3 days in a row. It doesn't really help as my brain can talk it's way around any "Safe news". I feel today especially at wits end as I've been "Searching" for disease since May. In fact, I have probably searched for everything conceivable from cancer to ALS to Other Neurological Diseases to brain dysfunction, etc... It's exhausting. I have been going to a therapist (who is great) but I feel I need to try more. It's ruining my life. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Agora1]

Hi Dadzo, the fact that your Health Anxiety started as such a young age (9 or 10 yrs old)

makes me wonder what might have happened at that time. Children are very impressionable

in their early years. They absorb things that they see or hear. It seems that something

may have started a pattern for your worry about your body, about sickness or even dying.

Addressing the past issues, may help with the present ones. Wish you well xx

[Marysblue]

It sounds exhausting. When I have stomach problems my doctor told me to lie on my stomach for a little while. I tried it and it does help some. Wishing you better days.

[b1b1b1]

Many people on this site do have health anxiety, so you are in a good place. My first question is: do you have a GOOD internist and a GOOD gastroenterologist, and do you trust both of them. If the answer is no, or not sure, you may want to get one thorough check up at a major medical center from both an internist and a gastro. Then, you should find doctors that you do fully trust, that you feel are careful and that you can talk to and ask questions and who give you enough time. This search for good doctors can take a while, and be difficult, but I feel it is important, especially for people with health anxiety. Being able to fully trust a doctor and be open with him, is a priceless feeling and it is clear that you don't have such a doctor.

I know it is hard, but I would also try hard not to order tests yourself. This is really just going down a rabbit hole and also helping Quest make more money. I would bet that in the longer run it does not really give you any peace of mind.

Also try to read a book by Claire Weeks. I believe it is called "Hope and help for your Nerves". Search for information about the book on this site and also on the Anxiety site, as there are a lot of good descriptions of her method. It is available on Amazon. It is a bit dated, but the principles are timeless. x

[Dadzo in reply to b1b1b1]

Thank you for your response. I do have a good internist who is aware of my anxiety. I also have a good gastro. Had a endoscopy and colonoscopy about 15 months ago and both were fine and instructed to come back in 5 years. I couldn't find the Jeff1943 post. I am familiar with Claire Weeks and will get her book. Thanks again!

[b1b1b1]

Also, see post by Jeff1943, below, and other posts written by him. He is very familiar with Claire Weeks method and very good at explaining it. x

[LifeIsThePitts]

The anxiety guy Dennis Simsek on YouTube. Start with his health anxiety videos... they will help you. And definitely read jeff1943 post from earlier today. Claire Weekes is getting a lot of attention today 🤭😁

youtu.be/TPStPzfFrNU(Not working as expected?)

Here's a video to get you started... good 🤞 luck and start redirecting your focus from your SYMPTOMS to your HEALING.

[Dadzo in reply to LifeIsThePitts]

Thank you for the suggestions.

[designguy]

You might check out the youtube videos and website of Paige Pradko, she is a therapist who had health anxiety and healed herself and now helps others. She also talks about OCD which is common with people with health anxiety. I have some OCD and have had issues with health anxiety, especially related to digestion and what I will do is go on a bland diet and even a bone broth fast to allow my digestion to resettle. I've also found that trying to argue or fight the anxious thoughts is futile, the solution is to just surrender to them and let them flow in and out of your brain knowing that they are lies and you don't have to believe them.