General Anxiety vs Health Anxiety

[lovemenot]

What is the difference? because if you are afraid about your health it's something general, right? feering it every time?

[Mark13]

Well I've got Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Which means I'm in a state of anxiety almost constantly, my body is on alert even when there is nothing troubling me. Also someone with GAD will invariably latch onto any perceived criticism, injustice (towards them, even if imagined) and worry about it constantly, sometimes to the exclusion of almost everything else.

I've had Health Anxiety but I don't have it now, at least it's very minor anyway.

But those with HA generally have either GAD or Panic Disorder but their worries and obsessions are about health and mental and physical symptoms almost 100% of the time.

So yes, they're much related but characterised by whatever your anxieties fixate on IMHO.

[Pipkin]

Hi there,

GAD is a condition where sufferers worry constantly and disproportionately about more or less anything, including health. Health anxiety is the same but worries are confined to health issues.

Ultimately, they're both forms of an anxiety disorder and sufferers need help rather than constant reassurance which doesn't really solve the problem as there'll be another worry around the corner.

Hope that helps

Pip xx

[Dreamer71]

Something's hit home with me there in that description of GAD. Latching onto perceived criticism, injustice etc. then OMG I've probably had GAD for 24 years!
I've certainly been obsessed over wanting to be appreciated and rewarded for my work, but found myself in badly run companies. Whenever something ended suddenly and it's not my doing, I took on all the emotional angst and convinced myself that I had a part to play in the reasons, if that makes sense.
I hope I can get that sorted out with CBT soon.