Hello - I have Health Anxiety.

[Bramwell]

Hello,

I was 'Mike' in the old Anxiety UK chat room, and have suffered from health anxiety off and on for most of my adult life.

I have had bad bouts which last a few years then disappear.

I was fine in my 20's and early-to-mid 30's and didn't think about my health or give a toss about any aches and pains, but then my father died in 1995 and it came on very strong.

I had councilling which may or may not have helped, but all the same it went away after a few years.

It started to come back in 2008 and has been growing worse each year.

When I hit 50 it seemed to really trigger my incessant worrying over my health and the awful habit of Googling came into its own where-by I terrified myself by looking up symptoms! 50 seems to be the age where things start to really go wrong if you read all the literature (as of course I do avidly)!

Some days I feel fine and laugh at my latest mad idea which could be a suspect mole, headache, pain in my side or anything which could remotely be a worrying and of course serious indication of illness.

Other days I'm worried all day over some symptom and I can't shake the dread I feel.

I'm also terrified of doctors, hospitals, dentists and opticians - you can see the pattern - anyone remotely concerned with my health.

I did ask for help in 2009 but was told all the funding had been taken away now and my GP could offer me nothing, so I soldier on with good days and bad days.

[seashell18]

Hi,

Sorry you have had anxiety for such a long time, I have only had it for 4 years and that seems long enough. I am similar too you as if I have a pain or illness I look on google and you imagine you have something serious which starts up the anxiety. I wonder, do you like me get anxiety seeing a disaster or something bad happening on the news etc!! It seems so ridiculous to feel like this but I do.

Also I read that unfortunately anxiety is not a medical condition just a heightened emotion and that I think makes it all the worse!!

I do hope we all combat it at some point!!

[BlackUnicorn]

I'm going through health related anxiety too. It came on after the birth of my fourth child last year. When I feel bad I make a conscious effort not to Google it. I go and talk to my doctor instead.

[allenwynne10]

Hi there i have today had a session with my councillor regarding my anxiety/panic and the topic of health came up .Could this be the reason for my problem since i turned 50 i have been obsessed with my health. every little twinge is serious all last year 2011 my GP sent me for various tests older men seem to have to have ie prostate/bowel etc by november last year i was in total state of panic/anxiety and entered a terrible state of depression and i had to have the citalopram again very dark thoughts going through my head every little pain is cancer or a tumour reading your comments makes me thing this is what could be my problem i have had the mole thing the headache the pain in the groin or back but my brain doesn't think about all the gardening or lifting i did yesterday its always the serious thing!!! like cancer or something hope it goes eventually allenwynne10

[Pickle165]

hello mike, i think we may have chatted on the old forum? i am glad to see they have put something in place. ive been doing cbt through anxiety uk and would highly recommend it, i too have health anxiety that got worse since my father died. thinking of you.

sam x

[princess01]

Great to find this site!! I have always been an anxious person but for some random reason it has come to a head over the last few weeks. It all started when I started getting indigestion and then stupidly googled it........and I have always been one for assuming the very woirse is going to happen!!! I guess my question is why have I suddenly got all this anxiety related to health?!! I haven't lost anyone recently although we did have two miscarriages before my first son was born in 2007 and these affected me incredibly badly. I just don't understand why the anxiety has just got on top of me now though (which makes me more anxious!!!) Has anyone else experienced similar? I am sorry to hear you are going through horrible anxiety; it is just an awful thing to live with xx

[Hidden]

I too have health anxiety started Jan this year.I had a trapped nerve in my neck and done the stupid thing of googling !!!!!!!!!.Since then I have had everything stroke,cancer MS tumour you name it Ive had it.Was always at the docs he reasuures me there is nothing physically wrong with me.Few weeks Im fine then bang start worrying again.Starting CBT so praying it will work as I dont want to live each day like this.Pleased Im not alone though