jumpwomble
01-11-12, 16:04
Hi everyone,
I started posting here because of my anxiety over a bout of what appears to be otitis externa but I've been having anxiety issues for quite some time now, so I thought I'd just write an introductory post. Thanks for reading this! :)
I have lived in the UK for a little over a decade now, I moved here for work and then met my partner and have stayed since. My family are all abroad and at times, it gets pretty hard going and lonely as I have always been extremely close to my family.
My anxiety issues started in my early 30s when I started having a series of minor (but irritating) health problems; before that, I was always more or less like everyone else, possibly with a slightly pessimistic view of life and a melancholic disposition but nothing too bad.
I can't think of one incident which triggered my health anxiety but I think it may be related to some on-going weird, dizziness issues that I repeatedly went to the GP for. They did all sorts of tests and began telling me it was all in my head, when I knew there was something wrong. I even got sent to various ENT specialists who told me various things and that it would eventually get better on its own. It didn't. I learned to cope with it for a couple of years but it was tough and whittling away at my emotional reserves. Eventually, I worked out that the root of my problems was extremely tight/sore neck and shoulder muscles caused by my line of work (at the computer). I went to a physio and everything was sorted out, but I think that left me with less faith than ever in my GPs. I RARELY ever went to the GP but whenever I did, they wouldn't usually be able to help me. :weep:
Naturally through the years, it got worse - whenever I experienced some irritating symptom or other, the GP wouldn't help, and I'd have to somehow get to the bottom of it myself by endless internet searches, etc. I think I've driven my partner up the wall because of it! And on the internet, of course, you can find all sorts of conditions, ranging from common to rare, and that is a very, very dangerous thing with a mind like mine! :huh:
So now, whenever I experience some "odd" symptom (I don't get anxiety over ALL health issues, only some... usually the vague but irritating ones that could have multiple causes), I focus on it obsessively... to the point of having insomnia at night! I spoke to my GP once about it and it was suggested that I visited a private counsellor for CBT to handle my anxiety, but it was really too expensive. :(
So here I am!
jumpy
I started posting here because of my anxiety over a bout of what appears to be otitis externa but I've been having anxiety issues for quite some time now, so I thought I'd just write an introductory post. Thanks for reading this! :)
I have lived in the UK for a little over a decade now, I moved here for work and then met my partner and have stayed since. My family are all abroad and at times, it gets pretty hard going and lonely as I have always been extremely close to my family.
My anxiety issues started in my early 30s when I started having a series of minor (but irritating) health problems; before that, I was always more or less like everyone else, possibly with a slightly pessimistic view of life and a melancholic disposition but nothing too bad.
I can't think of one incident which triggered my health anxiety but I think it may be related to some on-going weird, dizziness issues that I repeatedly went to the GP for. They did all sorts of tests and began telling me it was all in my head, when I knew there was something wrong. I even got sent to various ENT specialists who told me various things and that it would eventually get better on its own. It didn't. I learned to cope with it for a couple of years but it was tough and whittling away at my emotional reserves. Eventually, I worked out that the root of my problems was extremely tight/sore neck and shoulder muscles caused by my line of work (at the computer). I went to a physio and everything was sorted out, but I think that left me with less faith than ever in my GPs. I RARELY ever went to the GP but whenever I did, they wouldn't usually be able to help me. :weep:
Naturally through the years, it got worse - whenever I experienced some irritating symptom or other, the GP wouldn't help, and I'd have to somehow get to the bottom of it myself by endless internet searches, etc. I think I've driven my partner up the wall because of it! And on the internet, of course, you can find all sorts of conditions, ranging from common to rare, and that is a very, very dangerous thing with a mind like mine! :huh:
So now, whenever I experience some "odd" symptom (I don't get anxiety over ALL health issues, only some... usually the vague but irritating ones that could have multiple causes), I focus on it obsessively... to the point of having insomnia at night! I spoke to my GP once about it and it was suggested that I visited a private counsellor for CBT to handle my anxiety, but it was really too expensive. :(
So here I am!
jumpy