Vanscotland,head spinning with anxiety

[Vanscotland]

Hi not having a good few days,my health anxiety is going through the roof,i just want the thoughts to stop and let me start enjoying life,but can't seem to stop them,feeling so down

[Anxietyang]

Health anxiety. Yakkk! My advice is that in this case googling is not your friend. Ban yourself from googling your symptoms or looking anything up. It's a no no and accelerates it so much. That's my best tip. Also no self monitoring if pulse, no etc. please remember your symptoms are all likely imagined or just symptoms of anxiety itself. X

[Vanscotland in reply to Anxietyang]

Hi,I know ,I stopped googling a while ago ,was just making me worse,I have calmed down slightly since I posted this,sometimes I think I'm going off my head,! Lol,o I just wish I could change and stop driving my self crazy with overthinking x

[Anxietyang]

I know how ya feel. Don't you get jealous of these people who can live in the moment and not just obsess about the past or future? It would be bliss wouldn't it. X

[Vanscotland in reply to Anxietyang]

Yes it would ,what I would give to have even one day off of not thinking I have got cancer, three years I have had this for,don't think I'll ever get rid of it,and yes I do get jealous of people who don't seem to worry about it,it's like carrying a huge weight on your shoulders,that won't go away x

[Anxietyang]

I started with it in a small way in 2006 when my then husband got MS. I had never thought of being ill or my mortality before but suddenly it was there. It got worse and worse as it does. I don't know about you but every twinge in my body is a major national disaster. I had an almost comical one on Saturday morning. I thought I had a weird rash on the fronts of my ankles, like indentations. Ran upstairs to tell my partner there was something seriously wrong and we needed a and e. He said I was being ridiculous, I insisted it was real. A panic attack followed and then once puking down the loo I realised they were indentations from my bath rug. I had been sat puking 30 minutes before say on my knees. The relief was unreal. How stupid are we eh!? X

[Vanscotland in reply to Anxietyang]

I know ,it's like me writing that I'm just the same,I started after my husband had a stroke,but I think it has allways been there ,but that made it come to a head,my fear is cancer ,every twinge or something looking different it's cancer,then panic attacks,I have had help ,but it's allways there ,it has changed me as a person,made me go in to my self,my own little world,so my Christmas wish will be to stop all these thoughts and try and find the real me again,and yes when you read it you think ats just stupid but you can't help it,it's good to know I'm not the only one ! Lol x

[veganese in reply to Anxietyang]

The power of the mind! It's good to laugh about it, although not funny for you at the time. My anxiety started after a thoughtless comment from a consultant after I had my appendix out, 4 years ago. I see the irrationality and over-reaction of my response now, but I'm left with heightened anxiety now, the worst symptom being balance problems and associated dizziness.

[Anxietyang in reply to veganese]

Some doctors are useless! X

[Vanscotland in reply to veganese]

Hi,at one point I was like that,thought I had a virus,but it was genuine panic,and yes the power of your mind is so real ,and yes you have to laugh at it sometimes cos once the panic is over you think why why was I panicking lol x

[veganese in reply to Vanscotland]

Sometimes I'm focused or distracted by some other activity and 'forget' about my anxiety and think - 'Oh I felt quite normal for a bit'. I've had spells of anxiety 3 times in my life, first time at only 18, I'm 61 now, but it went away for years. I just let stress get the better of me, so I know the body and mind can recover and be 'normal' again. x

[Vanscotland in reply to veganese]

I am lucky if I get a day or two feeling normal,as I allways find something to worry about ,body ways and imediate thought,I've got cancer,and the panic sets in,not very nice,I wish I could turn a switch and switch off, x

[Anxietyang]

I have also had lotttts of help and I'm still getting it. Mine developed from health anxiety, to that and generalised anxiety and finally into some social anxiety too. Think it's cos it takes up more and more of your life until you feel like a weirdo. We are not weird, we have just developed bad mental habits. If we break the unhelpful thinking pattern we will move on but breaking it is harder than it sounds. X

[Vanscotland in reply to Anxietyang]

I agree ,it starts with health and develops further,I started I did not want to go outside because if I met someone who had cancer ,I would go in to panic mode ,and would everything to avoid speaking to them,and would just want home ,my sanctuary,and then would have panic attacks going to dentist in case they saw something in my mouth,I have had cbt and trauma therapy,as they thought it was to do with my childhood,but it's still here lurking in the back waiting x

[Anxietyang]

Are you still getting help for it? I have a fanastic counsellor but we pay for it ourselves as the nhs is a let down where we live. X

[Vanscotland]

No I had for a year ,and she was good,that was through the NHS,it finished in sept,but I have allways been an anxious person,so that does not help,she brought up a lot of childhood stuff ( not very good childhood) that I had never told anyone,so there was a lot of buried stuff in there,so she thinks that has were it has all stemed from but the anxiety got worse and worse hense health anxiety,plus I have had quite a few family members who have had cancer so that does not help, do you think it helps you and how long have you been in therapy? X

[Anxietyang]

It helps me a lot. I have been lucky with her I think and she has tons of good relaxation techniques. Have you tried any gguided relaxation or focussing? Focussing as a new one for me but it really works to identify what's really bothering you. Been going 13 months now and get a little further ahead all the time but relapse still too. X

[Vanscotland]

Haven't heard of that ,I'll have to look it up and see as long as it help ats the main thing x

[Anxietyang]

Look for the book. It is called focussing. The author is eugene gendlin. X

[Vanscotland in reply to Anxietyang]

Ok thanks x