Health worries

[sarahjaneR]

Any tips on helping me to stop worrying about my health?

Physically i'm ok according to my doctor, hearts and lungs and diet etc but i still worry about any little moment of shortness of breath or pain . Even down to reading about a local woman on our news tonight who was unwell, phoned for an ambulance and the operator decided it wasnt important enough to call out one at that time and then when they did arrive 2 hours later they found her dead!. Stories like this frighten the **** out of me and i cant get it out of my mind. I try and distract myself and i know logically its catastrophizing (spelling?) but i cant find a way to stop this habit. Probably wont sleep much tonight now. Just a ridiculous state to get myself into. I want my old self back

[kevoreally]

Step 1. Accept who you are and where you stand today

Step 2. Do not read the newspapers or watch the news

Step 3. Do not allow your thoughts to gain control over your emotions/body

Step 4. Practice focusing on your breathing if your thoughts become powerful

Step 5. Distract yourself before your mind can grasp hold of you

Step 6. At night put soft music and focus on the lyrics or just listen to waves or rain drops

Step 7. If none of this works then keep trying it

Step 8. Listen to WEIGHTLESS by marconi union that always eases me up

[sarahjaneR in reply to kevoreally]

Thanks, i will your try your suggestions. They all make sense. I seem to have lost my rational thinking since this anxiety set in.

[kevoreally in reply to sarahjaneR]

Its the first thing to go haha with all of us we lose our minds and our thoughts take over and then its as if its hard to gain control over our thoughts cause our bodies are now in fear or shock

[sarahjaneR in reply to kevoreally]

You're right the fear is so silly as well. The old me would haved laughed at it lol

[kevoreally in reply to sarahjaneR]

Also with the focusing on the breathing a lot of people focus too hard on it and begin to worry they arent breathing ENOUGH so if that happens or if thats a possible thing that may happen with you try tapping count your taps or create beats that usually gets your mind on "rhythm " and right off your thoughts

Or trainyourself to make your thoughts change as if it were your dreams

[sarahjaneR in reply to kevoreally]

My doctor told me to focus on my breathing and if anything it makes things worse. Im too aware of every it now.

[kevoreally in reply to sarahjaneR]

Yeah sometimes its the worse thing to focus on

[Teerings3 in reply to sarahjaneR]

That is the anxiety. Irrational repetitive thoughts.

[sarahjaneR in reply to Teerings3]

Such a horrible thing to go through. So hard to get back to where we were.

[Jeff1943]

When your nervous system becomes over sensitised it exaggerates our fears out of all proportion. A palpitation becomes heart disease , an ache becomes cancer and a newspaper report can scare you rigid.

I recommend you stop worrying about the illnesses you don't have and instead address the illness you do have: anxiety.

You see Sarah you can't cure an illness you don't have but you can cure one that you do. When your nerves become sensitised through stress, worry, over work or disappointment they start to play tricks on us. Worries cause fear which causes more worries which causes more fear etc. Recovery lies in breaking that vicious circle and allowing our nerves to rest and recover.

This can be done by accepting for the time being all the bad feelings and thoughts our jangled nerves direct at us. By accepting instead of fighting the symptoms we generate less fear and break that vicious circle.

The Acceptance method was first explained by Doctor Claire Weekes 50 years ago in her first book 'Self help for your nerves' u.k. edition also titled 'Hope and help for your nerves' u.s. edition both available from Amazon new or used for a few £$. The book continues to sell thousands of copies each year and helps untold numbers to recover from anxiety disorder and health anxiety. It's worth reading a few of the hundreds of reader reviews left on Amazon for this outstanding book.

It will bring reassurance and understanding and an end to bewilderment. And with practice and persistance it can bring certain recovery.

Unfirtunately many people rave about how good the book is but aren't prepared to put in the practice to make it work for them, they seek instant cures and weird and wonderful potions to bring an end to their suffering. But they never do.

I recommend the Acceptance method as advocated by the late Claire Weekes to you and wish you every success for your recovery.

[sarahjaneR in reply to Jeff1943]

thanks, will look on amazon for the book

[Traversijess]

This made me feel better seeing this. I go through the same thing every day. I wake up and feel a pain or feel short of breath and begin to worry. And the send myself into a panic attack over no one helping me or me being healthy. It’s a horrible cycle. I hope you and I both get through these irrational thoughts. We’ve got this!

[Traversijess in reply to Traversijess]

Also quick side note. Try focusing on something in your body that doesn’t “hurt” or feel bothered. A place that just feels neutral. And just focus on that. Think about how it feels and if it had a shape what shape it might be. My therapist taught me that one. And it’s worked pretty well for me. Hopefully it will help you too!

[sarahjaneR in reply to Traversijess]

It's mostly my breathing, my brain is telling me im short of breath yet i know deep down its all in my mind. So complicated.

[Traversijess in reply to sarahjaneR]

I completely get that. Happens to me too. I’m always thinking I’m not getting enough air somehow. And it’s hard to convince your mind you are when it doesn’t feel like it.

[sarahjaneR in reply to Traversijess]

Its horrible isnt it. We know its irrational but it still doesnt help. im sure we will get through it.

[sarahjaneR]

Just had a chat on the phone to my lovely surgery nurse who said what I was doing was known as conscious breathing and the best way to beat this is distraction. I thought conscious breathing was what we were supposed to do! God this is difficult sometimes. lol

[Brumchick]

Hi , you must be firm and follow 2 rules.Absolutely no googling of medical symptoms.illnesses etc... out of sight out of mind is very often the case.2 non of these horror stores have ever happened ,and will in all liklihood NEVER HAPPEN,to you . You are the key to escape this merry go round.The human body creaks. Sighs, aches ,stiffens,twitches.! But it is a well oiled machine.If something ges wrong it goes wrong fast.You will not have time to google in my experiece.Ive been hospitalised frequently with a severe diagnosed illness.Diagnosed illness being the salient point here.You are not diagnosed ,so why put yourself through wasted exercise in frighteneibg yourself.by devouring google whole .dont waste another minute of your precious time on this type of behaviour,If tempted,do something anythibg until the urge passes it will,it always does.Why keep making yourself ill with worry?The more frequentky you hold firm to your resolve,and the more frequently the bodies aches pains whichever symptom that crops up resolves the more you will gain confidence in being in control and healthy again.Good luck

[sarahjaneR in reply to Brumchick]

Thanks, i do use Dr Google a lot. I am trying hard to focus on other things. Maybe when i get back to work my mind wont have time to be so worried. You're right i am making myself worse with the worry.