Anxiety about Health Anxiety

[Dan21]

One of my biggest genuine fears is that my Health Anxiety will eventually end up making me seriously ill. I worry that HA might end up causing some terrible disease.

Does anyone else have this?

[sarahsarah]

Absolutely. I worrying am going to give myself a stroke or a heart attack when my HA is at it's peak. So worry about worry about worry- vicious circle, isn't it?

I don't have any answers but I find sitting with my feet up, eyes closed with a cup of tea in silence for half an hour or so helps enormously.

I also find not drinking alcohol helps too. I have never been much of a drinker but it never helped my HA so rarely drink now.

Xx

[Dan21]

Thanks Sarah for the advice.

I started having health anxiety seven years ago and I dread to think the damage I've done to myself through stress and worry. You hear all sorts of stories about increased anxiety bringing on things like cancer and it terrifies me as I feel I can't help but have health anxiety but that very thing might cause the thing I'm worried about.


Simply horrible.

[overhead_drums]

Hi Dan,

I love your sig at the bottom of your posts, I feel the same way.

I get exactly what your saying, I haven't found a way to stop me thinking in this irrational way, but sometimes it's nice to know you share the same boat as somebody. Irrational thoughts being the key things though, they are thought and nothing but thoughts.

Look after yourself x

[cattia]

Yes, I also worry about this too, although my friend is a cancer nurse and she told me that acute episodes of stress are more likely to trigger cancer than chronic anxiety according to research. It still worries me though, I feel like I am just waiting to get ill half the time.

[joebloggs]

Hi. There is no evidence whatsoever that anxiety can cause cancer, or can extreme trauma. This has been a matter of controversy in the medical fraternity for years, and there is still no sustainable evidence for it. I do wish those who do not suffer from this nasty problem could stop putting the 'frighteners' on those who do!
They do not know the misery they cause and should be ashamed of themselves, especially those in the medical profession. joe.

[Dan21]

Thanks All.

Joe, I completely agree on that. Coming out with claims that have no discernible basis in fact isn't only speculation, it's also potentially quite damaging for those of us who are trying, extremely hard, to deal with conditions such as HA.

My Grandma used to say to me (genuinely mockingly) "Oh you're such a hypochondriac" and it was passed off in our family as being a bit of a jokey/innocent jibe. I think this could be why I've struggled to come to terms with my own HA/hypochondria as I always had it instilled in me that such a thing was a weakness or a condition that you should be able to shrug off. The truth is, it often completely debilitates my ability to function cognitively on even the most basic of levels. I still don't think my doctors acknowledge how serious it is (not just for me but for the wider community of HA sufferers).

I just wish I could stop my brain from acting so self-destructively.

[joebloggs]

Hi. Dan. I couldn't agree more. You have said it all. Your example is typical of how others who have not 'been there' can fail to understand and cause so much distress. Your Grandmother, like so many others, was, or so she thought, acting for your good, but it had the opposite effect. We really cannot blame them because I would probably had the same reaction before I had GAD. Many thanks for your post. joe.