Will it ever get better?

[Sugarplum1811]

Hi everyone,

I’ve written a few posts on this forum talking about my struggles with health anxiety. I’ve been suffering really debilitating anxiety for a few months now after it was triggered by a health scare. Ever since then I have been unable to focus on anything except for my health and the range of symptoms I’ve been feeling.

Every day I keep thinking I have some sort of serious disease due to so many symptoms I’ve been experiencing and it’s hard to pinpoint which are being caused by my anxiety and which ones I should see my GP about. I have so many concerns about my health and terrified of the c word. Every day I keep thinking I have some sort of cancer, whether thats lung, bone, spine, cervical, brain or even soft tissue cancers.

I’m becoming more and more exhausted from my constant worrying and negative thoughts. It’s hard to concentrate on anything else as I’m constantly checking my body for symptoms like lumps etc. This is just making me feel depressed and fed up. I have contacted the mental health counselling support near me but the waiting time is around 4 weeks for the first telephone appointment.

Living with this constant fear is becoming harder and I don’t know how much I can cope anymore. Can someone please reassure me this will get better and I won’t feel like this forever. I would just like to feel normal again and live my life without any worries/carefree manner like before. Thank you.

[EleanorRose]

Hi Simrran18,

I’m really sorry to hear you’re going through this. I too suffer from health anxiety and have done for about 13 years. I can confirm it DOES get better.

I have had a few periods of ‘extreme’ health anxiety, perhaps similar to what you are describing and during those times I couldn’t see a way out and truly believed it was only going to end in my death from the illnesses I thought I had. I, of course, was wrong as I didn’t have anything physically wrong with me. I completely empathise with how terrifying it is though.

Things that have helped me:

- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - I’ve personally found it more helpful than generic counselling. Lots of therapists are trained in both. I know you said the waiting list is long near you, is finding a private therapist a viable option for you? Even if only temporarily, to get some support sooner

- Resisting the urge to ‘check’ things - this is a hard one, but the more you ‘look’ for things, the more you feel you have to and the worse it gets. It’s a vicious cycle but if you feel the need to check a symptom or google something or whatever else it is you do, try and find something else to do instead and resist the urge.

- Talking to people, particularly those who understand, on forums like this and also family and friends.

- Keep busy.

- Time!! This WILL pass.

It’s awful right now but you WILL get through this.

Eleanor

[Sugarplum1811 in reply to EleanorRose]

Hi EleanorRose,

Thank you so much for your reply and I apologise about my delay in response. Listening to you has definitely reassured me and I’m hopeful knowing many people have been in this position before and have gotten out of it and the vicious cycle. After finally having my telephone appointment, I have been referred for one to one CBT sessions. But the waiting time for this is even longer! Around 4-6 months! I’m hopeful i’ll get an appointment sooner than that. Thank you again for your reply. I very much appreciate it.

Simran

[1uglychild]

Hi,

I’ve been where you are many times in my life. When you ask does it get better, yeah and it’s already starting to because you’ve made the first step and reached out for help. The 4 week wait period seems like forever when you’re in a bad place. In the end though you’re going to get the help you need and things will be better. Some of us use meds and some of us therapy, and some a combo of both, but there is definitely help for you.

Until you are firmly settled with a doctor look on the web for as much as you can about battling anxiety. Every time you want to google a health symptom google something like “anxiety calming techniques” first. It’s going to be a battle of wills between you and the anxiety (to me it helps to view anxiety as not part of me but something external trying to influence my thoughts). A technique that helps is when the anxious thought pops into your head out of nowhere, don’t feed it, try and say to yourself, this is just an anxious thought. It comes into your head as “cancer”, but do your best to stop and relabel it “anxiety”. It’s a fight but you can’t give the anxious thoughts any power. Do your best to spend time on deep breathing, use the Fitbit tool for that if you have one, or download a free meditation app for your phone. They really work.

I was diagnosed with ocd/anxiety over 20 years ago and have had all the fears and worries you have had and not one of them panned out. I’ve been diagnosed instead with pinched nerves from tension and allergies, both of which made me think I had every malady under the sun. Try to remember a lot of people have had the same fears you do and for the vast majority of them, all they really had was fears.

[Sugarplum1811 in reply to 1uglychild]

Hi there,

Thank you very much for your reply.

I have taken your words on and I feel more relieved to know there are others out there who have been through this and are at much better places. It gives me hope that it will get better! Thank you also for those techniques you’ve mentioned above. I have been trying them out and I can say they do work! I feel much less anxious and am able to somewhat focus on other things going on in my life more than before. Thank you again! I hope you are doing well!

Simran

[Bilabong]

Coming off anti depressants, i too had anxiety, depression, panic sunce feb.

Remember, the first thing about anxiety is that it makes you feel things will NEVER be as before.

Moreover anxiety hardly ever comes alone. Its a package deal. It comes with its cousins and in-laws(all due respect to them). Panic attacks, depression, mood swings... you name it.

Whenever I had these bouts of panic, I would swear I felt all sorts of pain all over my body. I also noticed as and when my anxiety subsided, the pains and aches vanished alongwith it.

A lot depends on you and your resolve to face them head on. The only thing that would be somewhat beyond your control is your sleep. You could try chamomile tea before bedtime for that and lavender, and 3-4 cups of green tea throughout the day. Id suggest you try these first before delving into anti depressants which your doctor might recommend after 4 weeks..

[Sugarplum1811 in reply to Bilabong]

Hello,

Thank your for your response.

Yes you are exactly right! Anxiety brings on so much more than just an anxious feeling! My friends/family have all mentioned how moody I am and how out of touch I’ve been with reality. Thank you also for your calming techniques. I do often drink chamomile tea around half an hour/an hour till bed as it has a calming effect. I have also started meditating so hopefully I will be able to relieve some of my stress. Hope you are well!

Simran

[o2G2o]

Your struggle sounds a lot like the state I was in a few months ago. I can confirm without hesitation that the body pain is caused by the tension you possibly don't even realize the extent of, coupled with posture (in my case it was/is) and heightened sensitivity to pain/sensations (caused by the anxiety) as well as - quite likely - a damaged and overtaxed (short-circuiting) nervous system. Feel free to message me or check out my post/reply history to see if any of it sounds like you.

You will get better. You already have the right mind-set and disposition (according to what I can glean from your posts).