Hypochondria/Anxiety is destroying me.

Hypochondria and Anxiety are seriously messing up my life. I have awful stomach problems do to it. I can't go to a movie without feeling like throwing up, i can't go to social gatherings without feeling the same way, and i can't go to my classes at school without feeling like i'm going to throw up. I also freak out about the smallest things. Like right now my left arm is having a dullish pain, probably from leaning on it or lifting soemthing today, but i think i'm going to have a heartattack. So then i create all the other symptoms in my head and have mini panic attacks all night. I've been pacing around in my room for the last few hours. Does anyone have any advice they can give me? Or maybe just someone who understands could post? I've been thinking of getting into meditation, as i heard this can help.

[mammo]

There are a lot of us who have and are experiencing what you are, so know you're not alone. If you're not getting any type of treatment for your anxiety, it sounds like it's time to start.  If your parents aren't aware of how you feel let them know so they can get you the help you need.  I think therapy would help you a lot.  It can help you learn why you are so anxious, how to cope  with it, and move on. Fear feeds our anxiety, so getting over this fear that something is wrong, will improve your anxiety immensely.  You don''t say how old you are, or if you've been checked out by your doctor.  I would see a psychiatrist for evaluation and go from there, this is where most of us started.  Anything that helps you relax is good, including exercise.  You need stay  busy, and do things to take your mind off something more than anxiety being wrong.  Less fear equals less anxiety, you need to starve this anxiety.  When you are very stressed make sure you are breathing deeply and slowly, in thru your nose, hold for a couple of seconds and slowly out thru your mouth, several times.  We all understand what you are enduring, and this is a great site for support.  If you're under 18 you need to talk to your parents about this so you can get the needed help.  Take care.

[PlingNightmare]

I've been there too. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, but my main problem is cancerophobia so, I spend all my days wondering if I might have cancer. And it's horrible, I make up symptoms such as headaches and I associate them with brain cancer, I feel this weird sensation in my left eye and I have constant nightmares about me having cancer. I've also had and weird event in wich my vision got all blurry and I thought I was going blind. Probably the worse moment in all my life. Thank God it passed as soon as I calmed myself down. The thing is, when I'm able concentrate on something else, the symptoms go away, or I simply don't notice them. I dunno. It's really horrifing and I understand your situation. Maybe you should do some exercise or focus on something that amuses you. It's easy to say, but I know it ain't that easy to do it. Medication won't help (at least for me it didn't). I've been on antidepressants, anxiolytics and several psychologists, shrinks...nothing helped. I still get these cancer phobia episodes once in a while... And I'm really sick of it. It affects me and the one's who have to constantly deal with me. It *****! Gladly I'm not always with these problems. They only strike like two, three times a year. And they usually take a few weeks to go away. Or untill I go to the doctor (which I'm really scared of). I fear what he might say...Oh well I could go on all day. Sorry I mentioned my situation in your post. But as you can see, you're not alone in that paranoia.

[jman81]

well i know the more u focus on something the more its really gonna feel like its bothering u. for example if toe was hurting and i constantly thought about it and tried to figure out what was  wrong with it, then it would feel like it was hurting worse because id be focusing on it. id recommend staying busy keeping ur mind focused on other things, i usta freak out and always thought somehting was wrong with me but eventually i just said well, if i got i got it, worryinng about it aint gonna help it. talk to ur doctor as well, he might have some options for u. but u must realize that u have a mental sickness that makes u think ur physically sick, that way ull know its just in ur mind. best of wishes and god bless