Health anxiety is very bad at the moment. How can I break out of the cycle. I'm driving my wife crazy and myself too.

[themadprof]

I'm Terrified of visiting the doctor but its a dilemma. I think I'm probably fine or if I do have some issues they would be dealt with swiftly and easily. Also having eye trouble which I have of course magnified into imminent blindness rather than a bit of dry eye which is no surprise as I'm now getting a bit older and spend half my life in front of a screen and in air conditioned spaces. It is misery.

[fadedlizard]

Yep, that's me. Sitting at home scared to death I'm dying of some undiagnosed condition but even more terrified to see the doctor in case she confirms it!!!

Yes, of course it's ludicrous but that doesn't stop it doing your head in. Oh yes, and I've had the fear of blindness one too, complete with obsessive checking to such an extent a friend asked me if I really thought I could suddenly go blind and not notice it?!!!

The trouble is it sounds so daft when I write it down but the fear is real and so awful. Until you've lived with it, it is very hard to understand the sheer magnitude of the terror.

How to break the cycle? Well, Prof, it isn't easy and I am only truely successful when my mind has distracted its self and the anxiety is off looking at something else. But the key is to try and see the illness as Anxiety NOT whatever it is currantly obsessed by. IT is the cause of the symptoms; IT is the cause of the hyper sensitivity you are experiencing; IT is the cause of the overexaggeration you are experiencing. IT is Anxiety and IT is a pain!!!! However IT is not fatal. IT cannot kill you

I know it seems counter intuitive in your current state but do go to your doctor. Tell him all the symptoms that are worrying you. Hey, maybe he can treat some of them!!! Then tell him about the raging Health Anxiety. It's a lot more common than you think and he will be able to reassure you and guide you towards any help you need.

Read through some of the old posts on here and you'll quickly see that you are not alone with this.

Hope this helps.

Best Wishes,

Lizard.xx

[Bramwell]

Oh blimey you've described me Themadprof! I've suffered with health anxiety off and on for 20 years. Every ache or pain or weird symptom is something bad.

I've always got a worry 'on the go' so as to speak, but am too scared to go to the doctor.

I wear contact lens' and as I've got older my eyes get very dry and uncomfortable - especially when I wake up in the mornings. These days I wear my glasses as much as lens' but my eyes are still dry and uncomfortable.

I mentioned it to my optician and all she said was I'd have to put up with it as it was part of getting older as your eyes produce less tear fluid as you age.

[ahmedkobz89]

2months ago I went into the ER thinking I had a heart condition and I thought my artery was blocked I was soo convinced otherwise i would not have bothered the trip to ER, after having an ECG and some test done i was told that nothing was wrong and gues what it was only trapped wind in my chest. Now I'm having breathing problems due to anxiety. Don't let anxiety fool you it plays games with your mind to see how you react to it, just stay one step ahead.