Health Anxiety and OCD

[Sesame Seed]

This combination is absolutely difficult for sure, but I am curious if anyone has had any luck or has ideas on dealing with checking issues?

For example right now I'm very anxious about the flu because in the US it's been really bad and a lot of folks have died, it's actually taking out completely healthy people more than usual and my boyfriend's friend had a good friend (who my boyfriend knew casually) just die from it at 30. That alone was a trigger, followed up by an additional trigger of having another person in my life pass away (from diabetes however).

Since then I have spent the last two weeks obsessively washing my hands and checking my temperature (to the tune of about every hour or more), as well as, looking online for latest flu news and maps... It got pretty bad in the last couple days with so many people on my team at work out taking care of children or their partners that were sick with fevers. I went home feeling a little off and ended up in a full blown panic attack that involved me actually getting another thermometer so I can check forehead and ear temperature along with oral temperature and I have to do this all the time now.

I am feeling fine but I can't stop myself from checking, it took me forever to stop checking my blood pressure, which is another long story from another health anxiety issue. In that case it took several doctors visits where I had my usual 'good' pressure to feel less like I have to check it. However, I'm not sure how to quell this one but am curious if anyone has had similar issues and if they've successfully found ways to combat it.

Cheers!

[Blob11]

I can definitely relate. When my HA is really bad and I worried about something I will check it until it seems just right. Not only that but other parts of my OCD show up. Things like seeing what time it is on a digital clock. It had to be a "good number" or walking into a room over and over until it feels right. It is really frustrating and just ads to my anxiety. I haven't found a way to combat it yet. Sorry I couldn't help.

[budgie1979]

I'm right there with you. This year is really rough. I generally manage okay with flu because I get my flu shot every year, and most of the time I'm not too worried about actually getting the flu (no one wants to be sick, but it's usually just an unpleasant few days if you're otherwise healthy). This year, though, I'm super paranoid. Lots of hand washing, hand sanitizer, and getting nervous whenever I hear anyone cough or sneeze. I also check my temperature compulsively (not every day, but I have bad anxiety days where I check every few hours).

I don't have any good techniques for stopping it. In the past, when I've had a checking compulsion for health things, I've just had to do it by sheer force of will. Like, I just say in my head "This is the last time I'm allowed to check on this today. If I still feel the need, I can check once tomorrow morning." Obviously you can't do that with hand washing, but you can set yourself common sense rules like "only wash hands once before meals and once when coming in from public places".

As far as the online stuff goes, you can download a web blocker that lets you selectively block certain websites. I always end up getting frustrated and unblocking them, but it would probably help for things that are really specific like the flu outbreak maps. Not sure what you can do about the news--it seems pretty impossible to avoid at the moment.

[Pkstracy]

Ways to prevent it, make sure you are getting lots of rest, drinking lots of fluids, taking vitamins, I had the flu this year, but mine was mild, just body aches, low fever, being tired, and cold, it lasted three days, I stayed home took aspirin, ate home made chicken noodle soup, upped my vitamin c intake and stayed hydrated and slept, I feel great now. I am in California , where it dosen't get cold enough to kill cold germs, you have to tell yourself just because other people die from it doesn't mean you are, what mostly kills someone with the flu is they wait too long to see a doctor and get dehydrated and have extremely high fevers.