Can anyone relate?!

[pinkgrl24]

Hi, I'm a 24 year old female. This is my first post. I was wondering if there is anyone out there that can relate to my problem and if so, if you have any advice. I've been suffering with anxiety and OCD for years now and it has just recently taken over my life. I used to cope better but it's gotten worse lately. I feel like my OCD has turned into obsessing over physical illnesses. Sometimes I feel pain in my stomach and then obsess over it and it doesn't go away for weeks. Sometimes I feel like I can't breath and then instead of just breathing like normal, I obsess over my breathing and can't stop thinking it for days. Is there anyone out there that suspects that their OCD and anxiety has given them real ailments. I can't seem to make my ailments go away. I just obsess over them and make myself miserable. Anyone have any advise? Please help! I feel way too young to be living like this. Most people my age are out enjoying being young and physically healthy and I feel like I'm trapped in this misery!

[moonflower13]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I can relate to you very much because I've had (and have) general anxiety and a streak of OCD too -and in the hypochondriac variety as well (among others -we all know what a wide variety  OCD has!).

All conditions are both body and mind related, there's no such thing as a 100% mental condition; it will always affect our body too, to a degree or other. So, yes, anxiety can and does cause very different kinds of physical symptoms, as it can mess with our breathing, heartbeat, digestion, head (as in having headaches), skin, hearing and eyesight, and well, you name it! Also, we as humans tend to suggest ourselves, so if you obsess over, say, your breathing, ultimately you will make yourself breathe funny or in a different way. This is your mind taking complete control! But it doesn't mean you're unhealthy -your problem is in your mind, and ultimately it ends up manifesting in your body, as in your case!

Something that helps me is finding some kind of distraction. Your mind is overloaded with worry about your health and it needs some fresh air! Also, talking to someone you trust about all of this might help you to see things as they really are -only, you have to be careful not to turn it into a habit of seeking reassurance. But sometimes, whenever I was having a hypochondriac episode, I would talk to my mom, and she'd talk me out of it, making me see it as what it was.

I give everyone the same advice, but I believe it's the best: eventually, if nothing seems to work for you and you don't feel better, rather than go on with so much mental pain, and if you have the possibility, you might want to consider seeing a therapist.

At any rate, I hope you feel better and become able to enjoy life again.