Health anxiety ruining my life.

[walkerjord]

Hi my name is jordan, im a 21 year old male. I have been suffering from anxiety for about a year now, mainly health anxiety. I had a break through for about a month straight where i had no worries at all. Until my girlfriend was threatened with eviction so we decided to get a place together and find £2000 to pay for it all putting so much stress on me causing me to revert back to anxiety. It's got to the point where i dont like being left alone just incase something happens to me. I find myself trying to talk to anyone just to pass the time until i have company again.

Lately my health worries have been due to thinking i have oral/throat/stomach cancer amongst other things like thinking im having a heart attack. Even though i have spoke to my doctor and read the statistics on someone at my age and in my health and with no family history getting cancer nothing seems to ease my mind.

All these worries bring on other things that i end up thinking are "symptoms" such as the ache/lump in the throat feeling and dizzyness and lightheadedness. I have also been feeling very tired and weak which has also sent me thinking that i have something more serious when it could all be down to stress, anxiety.

I'm just not the person i used to be anymore. I used to be so independant and love having time alone to practice guitar and draw and many other things but now i find myself that worried that all i focus my time on is feeling for lumps and trying to find things that i think are wrong. It's hard to believe i used to be so normal because of how bad things are now :( when i think about things more and more i tend to get a choking sensation as if someone is pressing on my windpipe amongst other feelings such as- Fatigue, night sweats, nightmares, dizzyness, chest pain, breathless feelings, difficulty eating and swallowing.

I guess im just looking for someone to talk to about all this and get some re-assurance and ask if anyone else has had these problems and to give me someone to talk to whilst im alone instead of worrying all the time.

Sorry this is such a big post i just had quite a lot to get off my chest

Jordan

[Shelly15]

This sounds like me writing this, I get dizzy and lightheaded a lot and that's what scares me the most. I also hate being in my own incase something happens and I have a 2 year old so I'm scared I will faint and he will be on his own. Looking back I used to be so independent was always busy never at home but now I'm complete opposite hate even walking to the corner shop. Have you tried CBT?

[walkerjord]

Hi shelly,

thanks for the reply, i havent really thought about trying cbt before because i thought it wouldnt help much. If i did decide to go ahead with it then how would i go about getting cbt?

[Shivmarie]

I started CBT last Friday for my health anxiety so far so good.
Go to your GP they will give you a service to call and refer yourself, your
then usually have a chat with a therapist over the phone and he will then refer you to see someome. I'm seeing a high intensity guy and he's pretty cool. Try it can't be much worst? Xx

[bagpuss75]

I know where you're coming from on this one. I used to be so comfortable and happy in my own company that I could go on holiday on my own. Now, I can't seem to spend any time on my own, as I hate being inside my own head.
I hope things get better for you. I'm going to see my GP tomorrow to see what, if anything can be done to help.

[Shelly15]

I was the same didn't think it would helpme but it was either CBT or meds, It has helped me a lot but I've only just started but I'm going to stick at it. Go to your go and ask to get refured, at least try it you never no it might really help you.

[jamieb]

Hi walkerjord. Having suffered with health anxiety myself I hope the following helps you like it helped me.

1. Visit a therapist who specialises in cbt and emdr.
2. Purchase overcoming health anxiety by rob wilson. Its a great book and doesnt cost much at all on kindle and will really help.
3. Set goals in your life so your focusing on targets away from your health.
4. learn mindfulness and use as a tool when you are focusing on your physical sensations.

Good luck

[eastofeden]

i can totally relate to this. i agree with the first poster it sounds like i wrote this as well.

it really upsets me reading about other people's health anxiety because it's such a curse of a thing to have and i hate the idea of other people's lives being affected because they're going through the same thing. it's horrible and i wouldn't wish it on anyone.

you are soo young and true (blockage) heart attacks are basically non existent in your age group. i know that feeling where even doctors can't reassure you.
when i have panic attacks, i have physical symptoms. the walls spin, i feel like i'm passing out, my arms go numb and i can't breathe. 2 years ago my entire left side went numb and i thought i was having a stroke. i had to call an ambulance, and in the end it was pure panic that caused it. i'm constantly exhausted and nauseous too. it's all the worrying and stress.
the amazing thing is, these symptoms are all caused by my anxiety.
also, what i've learned from many a doctor is that if you're dizzy, you should not worry about it one tiny bit - unless you actually lose consciousness.
dizziness is not a sign of something serious. fainting however should be checked out. so unless you've actually fainted during one of those episodes you should just dismiss it. i get dizzy 24/7.

i think you just have to take it one day at a time. it sounds like this eviction threatened your sense of security and triggered this constant state of 'what if' and uncertainty.
the only thing that helped me was getting a job and making my own money.
not only did i have less time to think about myself and all my crazy ailments, but i also felt more secure knowing i had my own cash. you'd be amazed at how many people suffer from awful anxiety but they keep themselves so occupied and busy that they just forget/are too tired to be worried anymore. and being social and talking to people at your job definitely reduces anxiety because you have to pay attention to them more than yourself.

my #1 tip would be, wherever possible, keep yourself occupied. go out for walks, go out to dinner with your gf, run errands or help people run theirs, go to the shops, cook a meal, write or draw something, make a list of things you want/need to buy, if you're starting to think about your health again then put on some music or watch a good movie to distract yourself, get a dog lol, whatever. set yourself a project. think of something you want to achieve this year and work towards it. just keep busy. don't stare at yourself in the mirror and check for lumps and bumps or listen out for any twinges of pain and google them. i used to do that and it ruined my life. i think you will get through this. good luck.