why do i do it

[dizzychar]

Does anyone else do this? I get some awful symptoms,i get alsorts of different sensations/feelings.The thing is i cant help but check my temperature,and body check,like i prod,poke,feel,look if anythings changed (e.g swelling) if i have a pain in a particular area i seem to prod more but i do it even when things dont hurt! I just cant help it,i do it even without thinking! in the past i've also prodded my partner to see if he feels the same as i do! am i weird or do other people do things like this too?

[Hidden]

Hello

Sounds like you are suffering with Health Anxiety and this is something I used to do so you are not on your own but I have stopped now even though sometimes it tries to creep up on me

Are you getting any help with your anxiety , have you spoken to your Doctor about this as there is so much support you can get that would really help

One thing you could do is put an elastic band on your wrist and flick it every time you get the urge to prod and poke , not hard to harm yourself but just enough to try & remind yourself that you are fine and do not need to do it

We form habits with our anxiety that we have to concentrate really hard with positive thinking to stop doing them but slowly can be done

I am sure others will relate to your post to when they see it

Take Care x

[Hidden]

You have health anxiety - thats what you do. Health anxiety and ocd are very closely connected - you yourself talk of ' i do it without thinking'. It has become a routine, a compulsion. So no you are not being weird - you are being normal for someone with that condition. Not sure if you are getting any treatment or not. Your doctor should be able to refer you to a therapist who will help you overcome it.

Karl

[Twinkle333]

I do too I take my temperature, check my pulse over and over again, and check my blood pressure its a compulsion I just can't control

[Hidden]

Haha i do the same thing with my husband i always lay my head on his chest and while iam checking my pulse i try to hear his heart beat to see if it goes with mine. Everytime i feel pain anywhere in my body i freak out!

[es27]

Hello

Yes I am constantly checking some sensation or other

Either poking or rubbing my chest whether there is pain or not .checking my pulse or temperature. My doctor surgery has a blood pressure monitor in the waiting room I use it every time I go in the past I used to just go up there and check it even when I didn't have an appointment.

Apologies now this one is a bit personal I get an ache in my right testicle and am constantly and very gently checking this it feels like it keeps turning and is not in the correct position like it's the wrong way round and the tubes are knotted. So u try to correct this a lot. Apologies once again for that one .

Oh and I get a pain in my groin so I poke that all the time to see where the pain is coming from.

Doctor tells me I have GAD but I am more inclined to believe it's health anxiety and ocd

I think pulse and chest are the ones I check the most probably tens of times a day.

[1973m in reply to es27]

Hi have you been to your GP with your groin and testicle pain? My husband has a similar thing and the GP has told him it's a nerve that's inflamed in his lower back that leads to this area !! He's on pain relief and seems much better, telling you this because we were worried but relieved it wasn't serious and it was worth the dreaded trip to the GP !! Sorry if you've already sorted just thought it was worth a mention!

[es27 in reply to 1973m]

Hello

Yes I had it checked a while back can't remember when exactly.

The groin pain was diagnosed as a groin strain and a lack of flexibility I was referred for physiotherapy. When I got there my neck was in such a state with tension that they concentrated on that and we never got to the groin .

The testicular pain was called something like eppidipyditis an infection in the tubes I think and the antibiotics they gave me were horrendous.

This u think I have had on and off most of my adult life and only seen doc once it seems to come and go

Thanks for your reply . Take care and have a worry free day.

[Aazz]

Yes I take my temp and check my heart rate all the time. I also compare my body parts, movements etc with my partner all the time

[dizzychar]

Hi all, thanks for your replies, yes I do have health anxiety. I have seen a doctor numerous times, and I've had cbt in the past. I saw an iapt worker last week and I'm waiting for a call back to see what therapy I need ( will probably be cbt though)