Just to say I can see that I am maybe getting slightly better cos.......

[jellybean43]

after I posted yesterday about my itchy hands and feet I thought to myself why the heck am i doing this to myself??????????
Every little symptom--whether it be stomach ache(you know normal stomach ache that we all got every week---caused by wind, over eating or whatever), feeling a bit tired(again normal stuff and my own fault cos i never seem to go to bed before about 1 am!!!!!) etc etc ---I seem to turn into a symptom of my biggest fear---lymphoma!!
However, today, I havent itched at all. I thought to myself it is all in my head and lo and behold i havent had it!!
I got up and went out to watch my lovely nephew(and hey although i say it myself he is a really lovely lad who for ten years old is extremely polite and kind) play in a footie tournament all day and never gave my "daft" worries a second thought!!I am definately turning a corner cos the HA isnt taking over every minute of every day like it was a few months ago!!I am now having good and bad days and yesterday i did feel like i did at the onset. Today is different again.
Maybe the tablets are kicking in ----but the best help has been everyone on here. You cant imagine how desperate and alone i felt when i first came on these boards. I thought i was the only person who felt like i did.
So i hope this post can be of some reassurance to all the newbies on here---you will start and feel better---but it does take time.
Thanks again everyone xxxx

[anxious]

may the bad days become few and the good many
We do understand how desperate and alone you can feel but so glad you found us,

love anx xx

[itoldyouiwasill]

This is interesting as it sort of relates to a theory I have regarding health anxiety.

When we first start with all the health worries and specific disease terrors it has the effect of turning ourselves away from our tired and stressed minds and we focus solely on the physical....we become totally absorbed in our body and also on these new and weird and wonderful sensations we are having.

Now, I believe that this process is happening for a reason and that in our minds at this time it actually makes perfect sense. The thing is, the longer we 'suffer' with health anxiety is starts to become obvious to us that maybe it is not actually an organic disease that we after all, heck, how can it be ALS if I have been twitching for 18 months and can still run for the bus??

Now, something strange happens here. Health anxiety is all about percentages and this is where I believe it mirrors Pure OCD, whereas in the past we may have believed we had anxiety 90% and had a 10% worry about an organic illness, this 10% would ALWAYS totally negate the good 90%. What suddenly happens is that the 90% starts eating into that 10% and getting stronger and just at this time the crucial thing happens:

WE GET SICK AND TIRED OF CARRYING OUT THE SAME ROUTINES AND THINKING PATTERNS AND SEE HEALTH ANXIETY FOR THE FRAUD IT IS!!

Yep, this may sound simplistic but one of the common factors I have seen in all people who have recovered from health anxiety is that they all reached a point where they had just had enough of the life they where living whilst in the grip of health anxiety. This comment may be contensious but I believe that many health anxiety sufferers are deep in the grip of the condition as this is somehow more beneficial to them on a sunconcious level than dealing with other aspects of their lives....there is nothing better than health anxiety for giving you a get out of jail free card or an excuse to step out of life for a while. I strongly believe that at some pont in every sufferers journey, the time comes when this fundamental truth is glimpsed and it is at this point that a concerted effort can push through to recovery!