Trying to convince myself its Health Anxiety

[Beliky]

Ive always been a worrier and over the years ive convinced myself im dying of one thing or another (moles/lumps/aches/pains).

I was going through and ok period until about 3 months ago when I started having problems with my bowels, doc said it was possibly viral or another doc said IBS. While this was going on there were other niggling things going on with my body (trembling/pins & needles/hands cold etc etc) which seemed totally unrelated to the virus/IBS.

Back to the doc, did various blood tests which all came back clear.

Symptoms have all pretty much stopped except a tingling/pins & needles down one side of my face & head.

It comes and goes and I think the more I think the worse it gets and if im out with friends or doing something which is keeping my mind occupied I dont notice it.

I have just bought a book 'Its not all in your head' which ive just started about health anxiety. I didnt even know such a thing existed until googling symptoms on the internet which I realise is the worst thing you can do.

Soooo where am I at now? Some days im convinced its the worry thats causing the symptoms, other days its something life threatening :wacko:

I suppose im posting here because I think people will understand (friends just think im mad) :doh:

[southey]

Where are you now?

Well the Doctors tests came back clear so thats great! Did you explain the tingling at that time? Could be anxiety related as it does all sorts to us when we are stressed?

You realise that google is our enemy so now do not use it again to self diagnose. If you have a genuine concern it is up to your Doctor to diagnose you as they can think rationally whereas we cannot when we have health anxiety.

There are treatments for health anxiety, a mix of drugs and therapy is the usual way so you don't have to suffer forever.

I know how you feel about thinking always the worse and may think your going mad but your really not it's just your over taxed brain misbehaving. Can you remember back to a time when you felt OK and didn't obsess about health. You can feel like this again with help!


Atb,

Steve.

[guiltyhyperchondriac]

That book, sounds like the most toxic thing a person with health anxiety could ever pick up. The book has clearly been marketed on fear. Fear is the driving force that is selling that thing. The media's number one profitable human emotion is fear, newspapers, tv programms magazines all thrive and capatalise on our fears and try and sustain, control and create fears amongst us, so that we continue to consume. That book, if you do not mind me saying sounds like BS and I would throw it in the garbage. Much love xxx

---------- Post added at 22:58 ---------- Previous post was at 22:56 ----------

Ok just read a review on amazon and realised what the book is actually about. I thought it was trying to dissuade you from believing in your health anxiety and convince you that your symptoms were real. My mistake! xx