Bad health anxiety. Please HELP!

[AnxiousGal]

I'm having really bad health anxiety and it's starting to ruin my relationship. I've been fighting this health anxiety since June. I always get reassurance but that helps for a little bit but then it comes back again. I think every little cough, sneeze, cold are signs that I have a disease. Idk what to do anymore.

[Mysteryreader]

This sounds really awful. i don't suffer from health anxiety so not sure i'M QUALIFIED BUT MY ADVICE is to look at the times in the past when it's just been a cold and try and rationalize this to yourself. I'm sure it's hard but try. However should cold or other symptoms persist for longer than usual go and see your doctor. Cetainly with colds etc I would try and rest as much as poss and give yourself little treats. Have you talked to your doctor about possible counselling for this as a counsellor maybe able to give you strategies for coping with this. I know others find relaxation cds helpfull. I'm really sorrry but don't have any more ideas. Hope others can offer advice from direct experience.

MR

[Hidden]

I am exactly the same as you. I have had this on and off for nearly forty years. Reassurance does not work. As soon as you come out of the GP's surgery, or other health professional, doubts will start to occur. You will interpretate every ache and pain for a fatal disease. This is an illness and needed to be treated thus. I am going to a conference in London next week to have an interview to explain the implications of living with HA. CBT seems to work but not many benefit from medication. GP's need to be more aware of a person with HA needs. It is no good them saying you may not have this disease. They need to be very clear and concise. I wiil give you an example. I was worried that I had got motor neuron disease. I went to my GP, who is lovely. I asked here to test my reflexes, if they are raised this is a major symptom. She said the score was 2 out of 4. At first I thought great! Then the doubts started. She tested 4 reflexes, did that mean 2 were ok 2 weren't. As it turns out 2 is normal 3&4 are too high 0&1 are too low. See what I mean we question everything and interpretate things wrong. Now if my GP had said, your reflexes are normal, I wouldn't have been concerned. Hope this has been of some help. Message me if you need any further info. Take care

[Hidden]

Hey anxious gal

I suffer from health anxiety, I don't want to blame it all on my relationship ending but it pretty much had a helping hand in it.

Have you been the doctors or had any help from any CBT or anything like that?

Xx

[Bramwell]

I've had health anxiety for a good 20 years off and on now and know exactly how you're thinking AnxiousGal.

I'm just the same and every pain is something to worry about.

I wish I had some good advice - but if I did I'd have taken it myself and not spent hours and hours Googling myself into a frightened trembling state!

All I can say is you're not alone. In fact I saw one report in a newspaper quoting some eminent guy or other saying health anxiety was almost at epidemic proportions now in the UK.

[Hidden]

Hi bramwell, I agree. I think the Internet hasn't helped. It's so easy to self diagnose

[Hidden]

It's the media as well, everyday I read the paper it's "this fit and health person died" the "young girl died at her desk at work"

"Doctors missed my cancer and now I'm dying"

The media sensationalise everything so I blame a lot of it on them.

Xx

[Hidden]

You are right Ashley. The media always likes to give you bad news. I try not to read it but it can be addictive. It is like when there was swine flu, every new case was on the news or in the paper.

[Bramwell]

Media in general - internet, TV, newspapers - all carry too much negative health info IMHO. Or just make it too easy for people like us (HA sufferers) to gain access to half-truths so we can self-diagnose and scare the s*it out of ourselves!

[Trustinghim]

For those with anxiety, hypochondriasis, I recommend reading "power of positive thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale. It's amazing what our mind can do. Stop googling symptoms and listen to your doctor. Don't confuse yourself with what people on Internet say bc they are most likely hypochons themselves and writing whatever comes to mind and looking for answers too. If you want good health it really just starts with your mind and attitude about life. Face your fears head on and trust God. Think about how complex our bodies are? It is made to protect us. Our bodies are gods masterpiece.. Trust your body to do what it should do. You are what you think you are! Don't live that life of negativity. You have the choice of life and death... Chose life. tell yourself you're healthy. You are fearfully and wonderfully made by the very own God who holds the world in his hand and controls every aspect of it. Therefore our bodies are created to perfection and it's up to you to take care of it... don't be afraid of nothing.. Trust him.

Also physicians are placed on this earth for a reason.. Ask God to give them wisdom and use them to help us.. Not the Internet

Good luck and God bless

[Hidden]

I'm open to a lot of things but I hate religion being thrown in my face, god hasn't helped me and the stuff I've gone through in life...I've done it all myself!!!

[reyman125]

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