Checking, googling, reasurance seeking......

[flatterycat]

I’m going to follow this.

[Ellecee]

I'm game. My HA is at a high again, and I've lost control. I'm tired. It's 4:30am and I'm awake after 2 hours of sleep. Why? Because I'm scared. I woke up with stomach acid, and the little voice woke me, telling me it was something more sinister. I sat up, shaking with a panic attack. That little voice wants me to Google. I know it's not going to end well. So, while I'm going to lose sleep, I'm not going to lose this battle. Thanks for the encouragement.

[pulisa]

Please don't Google. It will all end in tears and more sleepless nights. Follow this thread and keep reading TheGroundhog's wise words and don't read anything about spiralling symptoms from others on here.

[Catherine S]

Good thread, and actually this is what the forum was set up for in the first place. I remember how it was with affection now lol! It was created by Nicola to address anxiety and panic, not to advise people about their symptoms and what blood tests mean. It's a fine line for alot of people though, in understanding the difference between posting to ask for help with their anxiety and posting to ask what each symptom might mean.

In other words, don't ask us about your symptoms BEFORE you've been checked out, ask us to help AFTER you've been told it's anxiety or depression and we'll do our best to help you cope with it

[Emilychazza98]

I was told the very same advice yesterday by my therapist.

As I'm not getting any better, only worse from anxiety he told me I need to start doing something to get better. His advice was

.stop the self assessing behaviours
.stop googling
.keep busy
.adult colouring books for distraction
.be the bully of anxiety and take control

[Mindprison]

Good thread. I'll give it a try too and see how it goes

[pulisa]

Good thread, and actually this is what the forum was set up for in the first place. I remember how it was with affection now lol! It was created by Nicola to address anxiety and panic, not to advise people about their symptoms and what blood tests mean. It's a fine line for alot of people though, in understanding the difference between posting to ask for help with their anxiety and posting to ask what each symptom might mean.

In other words, don't ask us about your symptoms BEFORE you've been checked out, ask us to help AFTER you've been told it's anxiety or depression and we'll do our best to help you cope with it

It's a shame that so many people are resistant to this approach and are locked in a self-torture cycle.

[tryingtosurvive1]

Well, today I didn't google health related information or seek reassurance off or online. I realize Facebook sends me down a lot of rabbit holes as well. It also encourages me to spend too much time on the group for my medical condition, when there's not a lot of new or helpful information I'm getting. So I should think about how to moderate my time there.

I think getting through one day without googling health related things was an achievement!

[pulisa]

Yes it certainly was and well done! It's a pretty boring and futile exercise anyway.

[TheGroundhog]

Yay! How nice to see people responding and considering/or actually giving it a go - well done, huge respect, it's really hard but you can do it.

Do keep posting to say how you are getting on, if one person got through a whole week of no adverse behaviours - that would be amazing!

I was trapped in HA for the best part of 25 years and have been in therapy for the last 7 years. I will always have anxiety, I will probably always have HA blips, but by controlling your own behaviour, you can live with it okay, honestly.