Aa
Hypochondriac?
I had been bitten by my pet dog and it was quarantined for 10 days and was fine.But from the day it had bit me i had fever and the fever went away after 12 days and i was feeling well for a day and some throat problems occured and it gradually was healing and now i am feeling somewat ok.the problem is since i got the fever i thought about all the dogs i have been on contact with and think that i may have been bit by some of that dog.but i was NEVER BITTEN I WOULD HAVE KNOWN IF I WAS BITTEN RITE? and now i think may be this are symptoms of rabies.even if these are symptoms of rabies i am at 19th day and i would have been dead by now rite?(it is 19 days since the start of fever).I already have fear for diseases and have irrational thoughts...any comments would be really helpful!!!!
Thank you friend yes i am planning to visit my psychiatrist and discuss things with him and also planning to talk to a therapist will update you about my decision.Thank you once again.
Yes, CBT is an excellent treatment modality for anxiety.
As for the meds, that's a unique personal decision for each person. Try not to let others influence you to the extent that you're changing things you may have been for at one point. EVERYONE has an opinion about meds, and if you ask people, they will tell you what theirs is, and try to convince you that THEIR opinion is the right one. It can be quite controversial.
I am a proponent of meds in a big way, but of course they don't come without risks. The benzodiazepines, as you probably know come with the issues of tolerance and dependency, but ONLY if they are taken regularly.
Those meds can be VERY helpful as an adjunct in treatment when taken "as needed" or PRN. That way, you can benefit from the anxiolytic properties of the meds without worrying that you'll become dependent. I've been on a PRN dose of Ativan for 23 years, and have never had any major problems. At times when my panic was peaking and majorly debilitating, I would need the Ativan on a more daily level, but as soon as I managed to get my anxiety back to a manageable level, I always just slowly tapered back down to taking it as needed again. In 23 years, I've only needed a slightly higher dose to see the same level of efficacy. Staring out, 0.5 mg was sufficient, now, I typically need about 1mg to do the same thing. That's NOT too terrible bad for two decades. That's largely because of the infrequent manner in which I take them.
The antidepressants are a more reasonable choice for regular or long term use. Of course, there is the discontinuation syndromes that come with those (people frequently call that "withdrawal"), but again, a lot of times, if done properly, it can be managed. There are also side effects to contend with, with some people having more severe ones than others, and the verdict is still out on any possible long term effects, simply because they haven't been around too long. To date however, the data coming in has been more positive than negative. Different meds have different sets of problems and certain meds come with higher risks for issues than others. Having a p-doc manage any meds ir very important, as they have more general knowledge and of course deal with those meds on a daily basis.
If you choose to make medications part of your treatment plan, just keep in mind that they are not a "cure". They help to manage symptoms, while you work with a therapist learning how to change your thinking patterns and learning how to cope with high levels of anxiety. Of course, it's so important that you try to manage this as best you can, as hypochondriasis can be a career wrecker for someone in the medical field, as you can probably imagine. Sometimes, having a deeper understanding of medical conditions can HELP but it can also be a huge hinderance.
Good luck to you!
As for the meds, that's a unique personal decision for each person. Try not to let others influence you to the extent that you're changing things you may have been for at one point. EVERYONE has an opinion about meds, and if you ask people, they will tell you what theirs is, and try to convince you that THEIR opinion is the right one. It can be quite controversial.
I am a proponent of meds in a big way, but of course they don't come without risks. The benzodiazepines, as you probably know come with the issues of tolerance and dependency, but ONLY if they are taken regularly.
Those meds can be VERY helpful as an adjunct in treatment when taken "as needed" or PRN. That way, you can benefit from the anxiolytic properties of the meds without worrying that you'll become dependent. I've been on a PRN dose of Ativan for 23 years, and have never had any major problems. At times when my panic was peaking and majorly debilitating, I would need the Ativan on a more daily level, but as soon as I managed to get my anxiety back to a manageable level, I always just slowly tapered back down to taking it as needed again. In 23 years, I've only needed a slightly higher dose to see the same level of efficacy. Staring out, 0.5 mg was sufficient, now, I typically need about 1mg to do the same thing. That's NOT too terrible bad for two decades. That's largely because of the infrequent manner in which I take them.
The antidepressants are a more reasonable choice for regular or long term use. Of course, there is the discontinuation syndromes that come with those (people frequently call that "withdrawal"), but again, a lot of times, if done properly, it can be managed. There are also side effects to contend with, with some people having more severe ones than others, and the verdict is still out on any possible long term effects, simply because they haven't been around too long. To date however, the data coming in has been more positive than negative. Different meds have different sets of problems and certain meds come with higher risks for issues than others. Having a p-doc manage any meds ir very important, as they have more general knowledge and of course deal with those meds on a daily basis.
If you choose to make medications part of your treatment plan, just keep in mind that they are not a "cure". They help to manage symptoms, while you work with a therapist learning how to change your thinking patterns and learning how to cope with high levels of anxiety. Of course, it's so important that you try to manage this as best you can, as hypochondriasis can be a career wrecker for someone in the medical field, as you can probably imagine. Sometimes, having a deeper understanding of medical conditions can HELP but it can also be a huge hinderance.
Good luck to you!
Thank you for your response friend.
I have consulted a psychiatrist in the past (he said i have hypochondriasis) and i had taken some anti anxiety and depressants i discontinued them because my brother and sister who are doctors told me i would become addicted to it!(I am myself an first year medical student doing md)
I am considering cognitive behaviour therapy!whats your take?
I have consulted a psychiatrist in the past (he said i have hypochondriasis) and i had taken some anti anxiety and depressants i discontinued them because my brother and sister who are doctors told me i would become addicted to it!(I am myself an first year medical student doing md)
I am considering cognitive behaviour therapy!whats your take?
Have you ever been evaluated by a mental health professional? It seems you suffer with some chronic anxiety issues. I have seen your comment in the HIV Anxiety group that you also at one time had anxiety over something HIV related. You made mention of getting responses from joggen. I'm sure if you've posted on our HIV forum as someone seeking answers, you know how common this kind of health-related anxiety is. No? Did you have a legit concern then, when you posted about your concern, or was it more of a "what if" thing?
The thought processes you're having... "what if I got bitten and didn't know it"... are very typically seen in OCD. If you haven't already, I would recommend having an assessment done with a MH provider so you can know what you're contending with and how to deal with it.
Good luck!
The thought processes you're having... "what if I got bitten and didn't know it"... are very typically seen in OCD. If you haven't already, I would recommend having an assessment done with a MH provider so you can know what you're contending with and how to deal with it.
Good luck!
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