Health Anxiety?

[js29472]

I have struggled with anxiety and OCD for many years. When I was much younger (probably 10 or so), I was on medication for awhile but had to be taken off because of the way it made me act. A few years ago when I was in college, I was also going to therapy pretty regularly.

I am 25 now, and have been out of therapy for 2 years or so. I've been doing OK up until now. But recently, my anxiety has been out of control, especially when dealing with health issues and chronic diseases.

I will read about some disease either from news stories, seeing stuff on TV, or just hearing about it, and I will look it up, ways its transmitted, and freak myself out that I either have it, or am going on to develop it. Anytime I feel a pain or weird feeling in my body, I automatically attribute it to having some serious medical condition.

These thoughts consume me and it's hard for me to let go of them and move on. For example, currently I am freaking out over the possibility that I may have somehow gotten blood on my hands since I work in a hospital and got that blood in my mouth so now I will get Hepatitis C.

When I have these types of thoughts, it's almost impossible for me to move past them. It's like I have already surrended myself to the idea that I have something wrong with me now and I can't do anything about it.

Does anybody else have struggles with health anxiety? Any suggestions on how to overcome? I really would like to not have to take medicine or go back to therapy, but if I reach the point where I can't function normally, I will have to.

Thanks in advance everyone.

[Eflower]

I feel like for OCD knowing and accepting that you have it is really half the battle. Once you know "Ok, I have OCD and that's why I feel this way" you can work through letting your obsession go. You know you have OCD and you're really not sick. Try to let the feelings/obsessing feelings float by. When they cross your brain just try to not let them freak you out and focus on something else- start going though your emails, play a game on your phone, turn on the t.v., etc.

[AnxiousNoMore]

You identified the problem "I will read about some disease either from news stories, seeing stuff on TV, or just hearing about it, and I will look it up, ways its transmitted, and freak myself out "
The chances of you getting any of the health issues you worry about are tiny, so try to put that in perspective. Accidental injury is far greater risk to your life but you thankfully don't even think about that.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-common-cause-of-death-at-every-age-2014-5