Word of Comfort for Fellow Health Anxiety Sufferers

Hey guys,

I know all of what I am about to say has been said before, and may not be appreciated by many, but in my experience over the past few months of extreme anxiety nothing helped me more than seeing the countless testimonials and real life stories relating to almost the exact same thing I was going through, so I figured it was my turn to add one so that maybe someone else will read this and feel the much needed calm I felt in times of absolute despair.

This is my first post on this site, sites like this literally saved my life from going down the drain really rather recently, I have suffered from anxiety for the past 2 years, it transpires that this anxiety is a free floating anxiety usually around the fear of death. So I guess Health Anxiety was something I was set up to suffer from.
Over the past year on and off I had been convinced I had throat cancer, yet was far too scared to go to the doctors about it, I was, however, not afraid to spend hours on google checking symptoms, spending huge parts of my day prodding and poking at what I believed to be a mass in my neck, of course said lump started to enlarge slowly and slowly to the point where the sheer panic I felt every time I touched it or examined my mouth, my gums, my tongue, every time I tongued and probed every part of my mouth that in order to lead a 'normal' life I resorted to being constantly drunk and/or high...I was either far to anxious due to this preoccupation that I could not function or I was either to intoxicated to function as a normal human being as a part of society.
However I eventually broke down, spoke to a friend about everything, she calmed me down, and literally forced me to go to the doctors...which obviously was a very distressing thing for me, a years worth of anxiety about to be faced in the space of a 15 minute doctors appointment.
And hell did I feel mildly sheepish when I sat down and explained to my doctor what was going on...she examined my throat, mouth and ear...sat down and said, "there seriously is absolutely nothing wrong with you" the relief was insane!

Anyone else who is sitting there terrified that you have the big 'C' an STD or anything else we HA sufferers may be fearful of, I beg you, go to the doctors, it more than likely will be good news, and if not, then the enemy you know is surely better than the enemy you do not. Talk to a friend get them to go with you, know that you do not suffer alone, and ALWAYS look at the symptoms you do not have as opposed to the ones you do have, this for me is what has kept me from reverting back to being anxious about it since the doctors.

I really hope this helps at least one person. Thank you to all those whose words inadvertently helped me through such a rough time.

Great post mate, hope you're doing well since your doctors trip :-)

Hi Razorleech:)
what a smashing helpful post to read today [other one by Horse ]
this place is fantastiic that people post such empathy and optimism for the likes of me who is fretting about lung cancer at the moment:blush:.
you are so right in very thing you say .........and said beautifully . thank you x