Anxiety or Worry? What is the difference?

What is the difference between anxiety and worry?  I really cant recall ever having an anxiety attack or panic attack but I always worry about everything.  I am convinced I have some sort of obsessive compulsive disorder.  I have to have something to worry about - and usually its about my health.

When I was young, I used to worry about aliens, the end of the world and particularly about my parents dying.  Now as a grown up I worry about health!  For the last 3 years or so, things have been fine.  However, a few months ago I got a pain in my stomach and decided to go to the doctor.  She said I was fine but since then I have been worried about an amazing amount of things.

I feel like I am runing my life at the moment.  I am only 25.  I spend hours at work each day surfing the internet for symptoms of disease.  I spend the weekends doing it too.  My girlfriend is completly fed up with me.  She is tryig to support me but finding it difficult.  She sat down with me last night and we went through the amount of things that I have thought I had in the past 2 months:

Colon Cancer
Testicular Cancer
Skin Cancer
Abnormal Heart Rhythms
HIV
Pancreatic Cancer

When I list these things, it seems silly.    A few years ago, I was told I had a slightly abnormal recovery rate from exercise but not to worry about it cos my heart was healthly.  I had forgotten about it but now its on my mind again so I am going to the cardiologist again next week to get tested.

I am really tired of this.  And the worse thing is that I feel I cant talk to anyone about it.  Even my gf does not understand.  People laugh at hypochondriacs, think we are selfish. What do I do!  HELP!

[holliexox]

Anxiety and worry are the same thing. but panic attacks are acutal phyiscal syptoms (symptoms). but you have anxiety if you sit and worry about your health yes its anxiety and hyprodrendic.


Im the same way. im always worrying bout my health to. but you CANT surf online for illness. you just CANT, it will make you more worried. your not a doctor and dont try and digouse your self thats why my thearpist use 2 tell me.

Im sure your FINE & perfectly healthy. but  maybe you should go see a doctor or thearpist and then they can help you more. if you have any more qusetions or need anymore help u can ask me. hope this helped. stay calm & good luck.

[suzi-q]

Hypochondria is a true phobia and it isn't something to laugh at.  AND IT DRIVES OTHERS CRAZY!  i feel you should seek a psychiatrists help. It is a disease just like anything else and needs to be treated....Best to you!

[bigben111]

I'VE HAD EVERY ILLNESS UNDER THE SUN..........I'M A RETIRED COP FROM NY I USE TO GO TO THE ER DURING MY SHIFTS TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION!!!!!!!!I MEAN IT WAS A LIVING HELL..........I'VE BEEN GOOD SINCE 1998 ON CELEXA THEN LEXAPRO I'D SAY ABOUT 80% OF THE 9 YEARS WHICH IS GOOD ...........BUT THE LAST COUPLE OF MOUNTHS HAVE BEEN A LIVING HELL .........I'M ON MY WAY TO THE SHRINK ON THURS SHE MAY WANT MT TO SWITCH TO ZOLOFT OR PROZAC WHAT DO YOU THINK!!!!!!!!!!!1 TIRED OF WORRYING ITS SUCKS WORSE NOW CAUSE I KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE WELL AND NOW I'M ALL NERVED UP AND RIDDLED WITH CANCER

[Melissa072]

You posted quite a while ago but I'm glad I found your site. I also worry about my health, I have good days and bad days, until a new sympton pops up, then I spend hours on the net looking them up.
So far this year I though I had skin cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and at the moment I am experiencing ms symptons and even though I have had a clean mri of brain and spine and neuro told me I do not have ms as well as 2 gp's I am still convinced I do have ms and am going for 2nd opinion with neuro next week. I try not to watch dr shows on tv because many times I have symptons same as people on show then go through it all again. I am like it with my kids also, my daughter had a big bruise on her leg once and I was convinced she had leukemia, my other daughter had low iron and I had to go to dr to be told this but before I went up I went into panic mode thinking dr was going to tell me she also had leukemia. I was diagnosed also with a multi nodular goitre couple years ago and once again I was convinced I had cancer. I only ever  worry about health issues, trust me you are not alone, and this ms thing will stay with me now for a while, but I know it is only until the next thing comes along. I have tried phone councelling but it did not help. I hope you got some help as trust me this will affect personal relationships.............

[tisa1029]

I myself just took this test today and it said that I was 100% ocd. I am going to talk to a doctor about it when I can. But copy and paste the link I give you and you can take the quiz. I on the other hand have severe panic attacks and have had them for 8 years. They are the scariest thing to have. Doctors keep saying to quit thinking about them, but it is very extremely hard. If it was so easy noone would have panic attacks.
http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/anxietyselftests/Anxiety_Disorders_SelfTests_and_Screenings.htm    <---------- copy and paste   GOOD LUCK :)