Health Anxiety

Hi Im new to this group,I have been diagnosed with health anxiety and I have got to say I hate hate hate it.I am just starting CBT and hoping it will help me.I have researched anxiety and have found it hard to find any success stories.I used to be such a happy go lucky person now I hate going out I sit and think about what is hurting in my body all day long.My brain is shattered.I take Diazapam when needed and have just been recommended to try pyridoxine (vitamin B6),I will try anything to help me get out of this dark hole I am in.Its affecting my family life I am snappy and irritable all the time .Look at the clock constantly to see if its late enough to escape to bed I hate it.If anyone has any tips advice or a success story please let me know as I want to live a normal life again

[Mandy26]

Hi Sharon. Everything you explain above is exactly how I've felt over the past month or so. I'd like to think of myself as quite a strong minded social person but all of that seemed to go out of the window when I had my first attack. I became really withdrawn and frustrated, I cancelled all of my appointments (my hair now looks terrible!) and just didn't want to leave the house. I realised one night however that everytime I experienced an attack, I was coming out of it alive and well (if not a bit shakey) When I felt I was gasping for breath, I took my pulse and it was perfect, then I realised it was all psychological. As much as it felt like a physical issue I realised it wasn't. I started to push myself to go out, first in the car a few times with my partner, then walking the dog and I realised nothing was happening. I was a bit tight chested but I found it easy to deal with and it soon wore off. I've stopped drinking as much coffee and alcohol and have rebooked my hair appointment so will hopefully feel a bit tidier after a chop! It's taken me weeks to pluck up the courage to get up and out but I'm actually feeling quite well apart from small niggles. If I feel the hot flushes, I think 'that's nothing, it'll dissapear', If i'm struggling to breathe and have chest pains I take my pulse and concentrate on taking deep breaths. The attacks are much smaller now. I also keep a bottle of gaviscon handy as I find that a lot of my chest pains are actually from indigestion.

How are you feeling today?

[emilynighty]

I keep thinking I am ill all the time....I am due for an eye test, and I am thinking WHAT will my optician FIND?? The thought of me being ill makes me panic and SOSO scared. I am 59, so ANYTHING could happen!