Health anxiety

[Vanscotland]

Hi,I have been suffering from health anxiety for 3years now ,have been getting therapy but today another person I know has cancer and not looking good,I just wish I would not get so worried when I hear of someone having cancer.I feel so very sad for them,but I also start worrying about myself,sounds so selfish,but you wish it would go away

[stde]

HI, I read your post and once again it brings back memories, unfortunately with health anxiety..health is the SUBJECT that your anxiety has latched onto, once again, with GAD if it is not health we would find something else to worry about.....That reminds me (I can laugh now,) when I was a child i collected some foreign coins only to later get the anxious thought that i could catch leprosy from them (you can tell anything on this site ha ha). ....as with bad anxiety sometimes we are scared of living and sometimes we are scared of dying but the common denominator is the word "scared".....we live with FEAR= False Evidence Appearing Real!.............be well

[fadedlizard]

Hi Van,

It isn't selfish and it doesn't mean you lack empathy. Be kind to yourself. The anxiety is just a symptom of your own illness.

I know where you're coming from though. I suffer from health anxiety a lot and as a result am hyper vigilant to every mention of the conditions I am most afraid of. (You can tell as I'm having a Voldemort moment (He Who Must Not Be Named) here and am being careful not to tell myself what they are!!!) As a result I find them everywhere and it has taken me a long time to understand this has everything to do with my heightened sensitivity and nothing to do with the prevalence of the conditions.

It's so much worse though when we encounter the condition in someone we know. It's very difficult to offer concern and sympathy when every part of your mind and body is shouting "RUN". I've read a lot on this site about acceptance and I'm only just beginning to understand what this really means. But when faced with news like this I think it has to do with just trying to stand still and letting the wave of panic wash over you instead of piling guilt on top of our terror. It's hard though as our minds go into overdrive and we can think of nothing else.

Try to distract yourself. Practise your breathing exercises. And wait. It will and does go away.

Best Wishes.

Lizard.

[Bramwell]

Hello Van,

I've suffered with Health Anxiety off and on for twenty years now. It's horrible!

I'm constantly checking myself for symptoms then off to the the jolly old Google to absolutely terrify myself (yes, I know, I know - keep off the internet).

You name it and I've worried about it!

Like you, anyone with an illness immediately sets me off - or even a TV programme about it.

I can't watch any doctor programmes on TV either fiction like Casualty or reality as I'm straight away thinking I have symptoms.

I'm also terrified of doctors, dentists and even opticians - insanity rules in my head!

[Vanscotland in reply to Bramwell]

Hi, yes it's like reading my story when I read yours !! That is why I had to get help,as it was starting to rule my life,would stay indoors in case I met someone who would tell me someone would have cancer,and I would start to have panic attacks.As you say on and off for twenty years,I have been 2 years and have come to the conclusion you will always have this condition,you have to learn to manage thoughts,and to remember that Iam not afraid of cancer it's the anxiety that makes me afraid ,18 months of counciling and I'm a lot better but I don't think I'll ever get rid of it,it's learning to manage it.Thinking of you xx

[Vanscotland]

Thanks for your comments, sometimes you feel so alone with this condition as no one will speak about it,and you feel like you are the only one who has this.As you can guess my fear is cancer,as I have lost so many people to it,including my 7year old nephew to cancer,so when I hear of someone else I just start to panic.My christmas wish will be to leave all the worrying behind and get my life back

[ellabella]

It is quite understandable to have a fear of cancer Van, and losing so many people including a child must be beyond awful! You are not selfish love you are scared. I'm sure you will get your life back. Acceptance is a method of treatment by Dr Claire Weekes. Get 1 of her books and you will be amazed at how she will describe you and how you feel, I was. I almost looked behind me to see if she meant someone else lol! I got my book from Amazon and it's the best fiver I have ever spent! and keep blogging won't you? you are doing others a good deed too Love and Hugs x Ella x

[Vanscotland in reply to ellabella]

Hi,thanks for the advice ,I will try and find that book,you will try anything to get better,it's good to

Come on here and get support from people who know what you are feeling ,and not judge you,one off my things (which were many lol)was to hide it ,as if I was ashamed of having health anxiety,so has taken a long time to overcome this and to actually speak to a phycologist about it.Again thanks for support and encouragement xx

[Hidden]

I suffer with same thing always on the defense my family looks at me like I'm crazy I've been in an out of bed for two days I should have put a Christmas tree in my room but I would think of something to freak about it is tuff my heart goes out to you even though at the moment having heart palpations I pray you get better xxx

[Vanscotland in reply to Hidden]

Hi,o I feel so sorry for you ,know exactly what you are going through,have you had any treatment ,counselling ?I know it has helped me a lot ,cbt and trauma counselling .My panic attacks have gone down quite a lot ,I was having 10 to 15 a day on a bad day ,now maybe one or two a month.I know where you are coming from about family ,if you have not gone through this you can't understand what it feels like to have to live with this every day.Try and put up your tree,as I find if I do stuff that pleases me ,it makes me feel better.Have you tried medication?i am at present reducing mine to half the dose,and yes Iam coping.I know it's hard,but do try and get some help as I can help,thinking of you xx

[kjm1987]

I'm the same, if I'm told about somebody who's been diagnosed with somethin horrific like cancer, I start to look for the symptoms in myself. Sometimes these symptoms appear in my head... its so annoying x

[Vanscotland in reply to kjm1987]

Hi, I know it's amazing how you think I must be nuts,but people don't speak about it,so you think you are the only one to have this.Its comforting to her other people on here saying they have the same problem and your not alone.I also look for symptoms ,(it drives my husband nuts lol) so I know what you are going through xx

[Vanscotland]

Thanks again for the comments,I feel for you all ,cos I know what you are going through and it's not nice to keep feeling like this.I have my last counciling session on Thursday and having a 3 month break to see how I get on ,dreading it,it's always better to have someone to speak to you and understand what you are going through and not judge you for it .Eighteen months ago I started it ,and I am a lot better,I have good days and bad days,probibily more bad ,lol,but I don't have so much panic attacks now which is good,I don't think it will ever leve me ,I just have to learn to control it.and remember I am not afraid of cancer I am afraid of the anxiety ,that's what makes me panic x