constant health anxiety has me feeling hopeless

[quixotic6]

hello everyone,

I'm 23 and I've had diagnosed severe anxiety and depression since I was 6 years old.

this year has been absolutely awful for me anxiety wise, with covid, to losing my job, to having health scares (which were all anxiety. nothing came back abnormal). I am now in a perpetual state of anxiety about my health. I'm constantly worrying about if something is wrong with my brain, or my heart, or my nervous system, or literally anything else. right now I'm worried about my heart. I'm constantly checking my pulse. every palpitation or ectopic heartbeat (which is normal for me to have) I get sends me into a mini panic attack. I'm scared to exercise because the second my heart rate goes up I get anxious. so all I do is sit around and worry even more because I'm not being healthy.

my doctor's getting real tired of me asking all these questions and getting unnecessary tests done but I can't help it. I'm so scared I'm going to have a heart attack and die, or have heart failure. I keep convincing myself that something has suddenly developed and the tests I had done 2 months ago are now obsolete.

my therapist is amazing and is doing all he can to help me but my brain just won't shut off. I feel so helpless and needed to get this off my chest with other people who may understand.

[Natsteveo]

Hi mate

I know only too well with health anxiety been battling it for years and it's draining.. Health anxiety is your own worst enemy it always makes you feel like you're going to die and it's very scary in the same I've had loads of scans, mri, blood tests etc.. All came back normal.. Then HA will say what if they've missed something, same cycle different day it horrible and because you've had a few health scares which have all come back good it's escalated you're anxiety it will beat twice as much when we panic anyway.. Have you been doing you're breathing exercises.??

When the thoughts are in you're head get up and move around do something to distract yourself from that moment out you're headphones on listen to you're favourite music or sing at the top of you're voice even if you can't sing who cares lol get it out..just distract yourself when it makes you scared. I know that is a lot harder than people think isn't it because when you're in that zone it takes over you...remember you're not alone health anxiety is more popular than we think..Health anxiety is a thought a fear .. We can deal with this together ❤

Oh and if you keep wanting scans and stuff you tell you're Dr to send you he gets paid to look after your wellbeing even if it is for reassurance..

Nat x

[Startmyhealing]

Oh my goodness! These are my sentiments EXACTLY. I’ve seen a cardiologist several times about my heart and they ran every test that can possibly be run hence he concluded I see a therapist and do some meditation.

I get the strangest heart flutters that are hard to describe. I feel like i got punched in the gut and my breath is suddenly taken from me. This episode only lasts one to 2 seconds but it’s the scariest feeling I’ve felt in my life. The cardiologist says it’s pvcs (harmless) but i feel it’s something more. But that’s my struggle.

Have you looked into magnesium and ashwaganda? I feel ashwaganda made a difference with my anxiety. It wasn’t huge but i wasn’t consistently thinking of the “what if’s”.

[quixotic6 in reply to Startmyhealing]

I haven't! since I take anxiety meds already I'm always worried of stuff interacting with them. I should ask about increasing my dose or taking supplements cause I'm really struggling