Health Anxiety

[dolphin8808]

How many here have developed a form of Health Anxiety?  I know I have, I am so all over my health and get freaked out with the smallest of things. I look for constant reassurance from docs, family and friends. It is not constant but for example, I have a red bump on my shoulder, going to the derm tomorrow to get it removed and have myself convinced it is Skin Cancer!  I am also convinced I have heart disease and want the docs to do the top notch testing to make sure I don't. But then I worry about the radiation from the CT Scan LOL!  Then I also worry that they will find something, its a catch 22.

I have gone through so many tests for so many things. For my chest pains, my hip pains etc. And while my panic and anxiety do not run my life, they are always there, in the back of my mind.

Anyone else with GAD and panic also suffer with Health Anxiety?

[cj29]

It's no problem at all.  Just remember that there are good and bad days with this.  Focus on what you have learned over time and do what works for you.  In my experience, even though it is VERY frustrating when anxiety and panic seem to return out of the blue, grounding myself and remembering what I have learned along the way in confronting anxiety works when it returns.  Keep us posted!

[dolphin8808]

I agree with everyone, very much so. I will get hooked on something and just stick too it... reassurance lasts a few days then the thoughts creep back in. I do agree that I think it all trickles down to the fear of dying as well.

Such a vicious cycle and very frustrating at times. Thank you all for sharing your stories with me xoxo

[Worried197833]

I hear you. You are not alone...

[cj29]

Anxiety can definitely ebb and flow in my opinion.  I have literally gone years between feeling health anxiety only for it to return.  Initially it is frustrating, but just remember what you have learned in the past and use it.  For me, I can sometimes get a little too complacent at times, however, refocusing and going to talk about it with someone to remind me that it can be confronted helps tremendously.  

[Life360_Dave]

I think in some ways health anxiety is related to the fear of dying. We become aware of our humanity and read and see things everyday about people with illnesses. I think adding some deep spiritual convictions eases these fears as we know in our hearts that we have a purpose in the dance of life.

Saying a prayer once in a while to the creator of our choice brings peace of mind weather one exists or not.

Dear God, thank You for my life, thank You for Your love, thank You for the peace i have in my soul. Without faith, without You, i have no understanding.

[Amy4891]

I have health anxiety. I think that hypochondria and health anxiety is a little bit different though. For hypochondria the person insists that they have an illness even if tests prove otherwise. I will give my dad for example. He says he has blood sugar issues, but he got his blood sugar levels tested three days in a row that all came back within normal range, but despite the test results he still says he has blood sugar problems.
For me and my health anxiety I have a symptom and then I have anxiety if I don't know what it is or what is causing it. Also if I had some accute illness and it goes away I have anxiety it will come back. I also get anxiety if an illness limits my functioning in some way, because I feel like I need to do things and the illness is effecting me in ways that makes me not able to do the things I need to do, then I have anxiety about not being able to do them. It is a circle sometimes, lol.

[robin62t]

Yes, all the time. It's not as bad as my anxiety about social situations and my family getting ill/hurt but it's definitely a pain in the arse!

[dolphin8808]

Very true and I have been in therapy off and on for years. I have lived with panic and anxiety for 14 years or so and Zoloft keeps it very much at bay but I do have flair ups. When my job moved I had to stop seeing the therapist I just loved but I have decided to see if she will offer evening hours. I also resigned up for meditation and yoga.  Doctors reassurance though only lasts for a short period of time.

Looking forward to seeing my therapist again and feeling more normal. This is exhausting at times!!!!

[cj29]

I believe that health anxiety is quite common here in this community.  My original experience with anxiety and panic came from concerns over heart health.  In my opinion, you are describing pretty much exactly 'to a t,' what we all initially go through with health anxiety.  For example, with me, despite test after test showing my heart was good to go, I would not believe the docs.  I felt every little pain, twinge, skipped heart beat, etc...you name it, I felt it.  I believe that we become so hyper-aware and hyper-sensitive to anything that we can relate to what concerns us, we will feel it no matter what it is.  In my experience, I tended to misinterpret the feelings and was so oversensitized to any feeling that I had a hard accepting the fact that physically I was okay.  Are you in counseling for this right now?  For me, learning about it, was the best way to confront it.