stuck in a habit

HI everyone. I developed a horrible habit this year in which I look up symptoms on the internet. As I found out, all this does is increase anxiety and fear that I am dying. At the moment I am afraid I have hiv even though I have never had unprotected sex and my only symptom is a sore throat. Any tips on how to ease anxiety and fear of disease?

[remar]

i've seen alot of people here that have hiv anxiety. get tested and make sure your partners have been tested. and of course use protection every single time. i wish i could help you more. take care. remar

[scaredjo]

the only advice i can give is stop looking up symptoms you are only fueling your anxiety, i had books and everything on symptoms its the worse thing i could have done. if you really do think your ill then only a doctor can diagnose you. if you carry on trying to self-diagnose you will think you have every deadly illness under the sun. i dont know much about HIV but i do know it can be contracted through blood and unprotected sex so unless you use and share needles i wouldn worry too much. the sore throat could be anything simply a cold or slight infection if you get any other symptoms or it gets worse go see your doctor

[suzi-q]

Just know that EVERY symptom that you look up points to cancer.....it is a tough habit to break, but DON'T DO IT!  You have become a cyberholic!!!!

The fact that you are irrationally worried about HIV shows that you are suffering from anxiety and or depression.....I went down that same road.  If you need to clear your mind go to the doctor and get tested....

most likely then it will manifest itself into ANOTHER disease you think you have (I went from one to another, to another...to another...etc).

Maybe a therapist can help...also consider that!

[daffysoundz]

yo bro listen to me i suffer from anxiety and i had a sore throat for about two weeks, and i was convinced that it was aids. the thought lingerd in my head for a while ontil i got tested, after the test i felt good although i didnt get back the results. it took about six days. that was the worst six days of my life,sleepless nights, looking for symptoms on the net just making my anxiety worst, its a bad feeling waiting for the results, thats the heardess part so if you are thinking of going to get a test look for the fastess way to get results so you wouldnt be putting yourself under to much stress. the sore throat is anxiety related because anxiety causes or prelong all kinds of infections, i had it for three weeks now no fever just an on and off sore throat. but you will be fine just get tested and in the end you will feel alot better hang in there an let me know how you feel

[sbarlett]

Hello Hawks,

Everyone leaving you comments are focusing on their anxiety and symptoms.  If you would like to desensitize things that cause you anxiety there a affective methods you can apply using self hypnosis.  If you would like to learn about hypnosis at no cost to you please send me a message and I will be glad to first, talk to you about what hypnosis is and how it can change your life. if you would like to watch my video the link is: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/195439/1265875.  Hope you have a great weekend!

Steve