Does any suffer from hyperchondriasis?

[Rosylilac]

Living in constant fear of getting seriously ill, its taking over my life, does anyone else link sypmtoms together and diagnose themselves with cancer/ms or whatever they've recently heard about. I would love to talk to someone else who has these specific anxieties.

[Bramwell]

Oh yes - all the time.

The slightest headache or pain starts me worrying, and I'm constantly checking myself for worrying signs and symptoms.

I can't watch any medical programmes on TV either fact or fiction as it'll start me off.

[Rosylilac]

I'm finding it hard to live my life, i'm so convinced that i'm going to be diagnosed with something terrible any time that i'm living in constant fear. My mums friend was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 5 weeks ago and ever since i've convinced myself the same thing is going to happen to me, i even get the symptoms (which are probably caused by the stress!). I want to change but i don't know how to. Have you suffered from this for long, have you had any treatment?

[Bramwell in reply to Rosylilac]

Off and on for 20 years.

It came on bad when my father died and I had a very unpleasant extremely stressful job in the early/mid 1990's. I had a very close friend die of a brain tumour in 1991 which seemed to have stuck in my mind as well.

I had councilling which may or may not have helped, but it did more or less go away for a few years but since 2008 it's been back.

I'm also terrified of doctors, dentists and even opticians which doesn't help!

Some days I can laugh at myself and say 'now what's today's fear going to be' while other days I'm just worrying all day over nothing.

[JB2156]

I often link symptoms together. It makes daily life so stressful, and draining. If I get a twinge in my legs, or head I immediately think I have a blood clot, or if I have a headache I assume it's a brain tumour. Don't get me started on TV programmes! I started to panic when Holby City came on earlier. I need to take the advise of people on here and remember these symptoms are just my anxiety. I have my first CBT appointment tomorrow, have you been to your doctor for help?

JB x

[Rosylilac in reply to JB2156]

I did go originally in june because i had a succession of health scares which looking back i blew out of all proportion. I had some GAD counselling but she wasn't great tbh. I have since pin pointed my anxiety as being quite specific to my health. I seem to have lots of wierd symptoms all the time that i can't explain and when i put them together they usually equal some kind of awful disease. They usually pass and if investigated always turn out to be nothing but i just can't shift the constant worry. I love watching the soaps but dread a cancer storyline as i know it will trigger my own anxiety. I avoid people who are ill or know someone who is ill and panic like hell if i even overhear a conversation that involves illness. Did your doctor refer you for cbt, do you think it is going to help? And by the way i couldn't even contemplate watching holby city !!!

[ilsonbunny]

yep.I was terrified for years that I would get Cancer or some other terrible illness.Could not read papers,watch tv or listen to anyone talking about illness and death,Could not look at my own body in case I saw a lump.Although at 61yr old I have more lump than body Lol..I decided to take the bull by the horns and got a job in an Elderly Peoples Home this changed me completly.Last year I took a step back and had to have another course of CBT for Health Anxiety.Please ask for a referal from your GP.there are one in three people suffering from Panic/Anxiety and most of us suffer in silence.Well on this site we dont so keep in touch.

x

[Rosylilac in reply to ilsonbunny]

Its funny, everyone has their anxieties and i think most people do hide them and others think they are hiding them! But i've never met anyone who worries specifically about getting ill and i know that my friends think i'm probably quite normal, they have no idea of the torment i go through secretly. My husband thinks i should just be able to flick a switch and stop worrying but i can't. I have so many triggers and once it has started it is like a spiral. I get physical symptoms that back up my worries and make me worry even more. I can convince myself i've got a terminal illness and it can go on for weeks at a time. Life is quite miserable for me at these times, i feel constantly drained and nauseous (i usually think the nausea is because of a tumour somewhere!). Its a horrible thing, I wish i could be more possitive. I've recently told my 3 closest friends how i feel and they've been supportive but i can tell they don't understand.

[Hidden]

Been there, gone through hell and back literally. There was a time I thought i'd never end the feelings of health anxiety. Thankfully I did and sharing how I did it through different ways online today. What I do know is fear is learned while we are on this planet. If I can unlearn what I did, so can you and live a life by not respecting those negative thoughts and feelings no more. Basically turning a monster into a fly.