Hypochondriasis

[slim76]

My Psych diagnosed me w/ Depression, GAD, Mild OCD, and Mild Hypochondriasis. I am constantly worrying about my health, and I truly have health symptoms that I get concerned about. All of my doctors tell me that it is stress and anxiety, and I've had a number of tests that came back negative. Do you think that Hypochondriasis could be causing my anxiety, which in turn causes these feelings of illness?

[scaredjo]

hell yeah your hypochondriasis is feeding your anxiety in a big way as in turn your anxiety is feeding your hypo, i too have hypo which is now termed as health ANXIETY both are so connected, what part of the body are focusing on? you must believe the doctor if your tests are good that is the first step forward

[cj29]

Scaredjo is correct in my opinion.   Hypochondriasis is concern over our health and causes anxiety.  Feel comfort in the fact that your doctors say you are fine.  Catastrophicsizing our symptoms is so common with this.  Have you seen a therapist about this?

[slim76]

I have been seeing a therapist and psychiatrist also. The part I just can't understand is how even when I'm not anxious the symptoms still persist.

[MrGreen]

Because you imagine you have some illness or other. I used to have to wait two weeks or more to see if I was really sick. Used to go through the symptoms of what I thought I had. It can be powerful. The strongest symptom wins out. In other words, let's say you were anxious. But suddenly you felt like you had something wrong with your back. The back pain would be the strongest feeling and take over from the anxiety. Bit like if you broke a finger. You wouldn't feel it if you broke a leg soon after. I think whatever you imagine you have, you are just feeling those symptoms.

[scaredjo]

i feel the same as you i can be just watching tv then all of a sudden i get some pain or symptom related to my heart for no reason, your therapist should have explained it to you, it happens cause our brains are so tuned in to our anxiety so every tiny sensation which normal people dont even feel is a massive danger sign for us which in turn starts the anxiety cycle again.
my therapist did an experiment with me, she made me stare at my shoes and concentrate just on my shoes nothing else, could i do it? yeah for about 6 seconds then my thoughts just raced back to my heart.
maybe your therapist dis charged you to early????