Severe health anxiety

[Claire92]

Hi I am currently 16 weeks pregnant I have always been abit anxious but this is taking over my life I hate to be alone and I don't like to leave the house, I am 24 years old and I continually think I have a blood clot, cancer, something wrong with my heart, amongst other things my midwife has said increased anxiety in pregnancy is very common and I have been put on a low dose of propranolol to help me which dose to a certain extent but doesn't stop the sudden irrational thinking just allows me to cope a little better I have been referred to a therapist has anyone else had this? Did it get better after baby was born? Did talking to a therapist help you?

Tia xx

[Jeff1943]

Claire, as your midwife says, pregnancy can be an anxious time for a woman so wanting to 'protect' yourself by not wanting to be alone and not leaving your home sounds like a natural reaction to me. The blood clot, cancer, heart problem that you say you fear are sure to be part of you being over anxious, exaggerated worries caused by being stressed, but uf you need reassurance talk to your doctor about any symptoms you might have, they are pretty good at detecting real organic illness from unsubstantiated fears caused by an over sensitive nervous system.

i would say, don't attach any importance to these unusual fears which are nothing to worry about really, they are only thoughts and we are allowed to have strange and irrational fears pregnant or not so long as we recognise them as having no substance. I would think it most likely that the strange thought and feelings will fade once your body returns to normal after your baby is born. Therapy could help, it depends on the therapist.

Mind you, I haven't had any babies myself but I am a great grandfather so I am a qualifued observer☺