always looking for reasurance

[tricia56]

hi ive got GAD and HA for 7yrs i am always looking for reasureance either on here or googling or going to my gp or asking family i even phone helplines everyday and its always about how i feel or if its normal to feel or think this way or that way, its seems that i cant think for myself and have to someone to tell me if its normal or tell me wat i should do .ive been going to my gp at least twice aweek just to get reasurance. i know im doing it but just cant sdeem to stop it. could it be that keep asking for reasurance all the time is making my anxiety and health anxiety worse as i cant go on like this. also because i went up yet again last night to see gp he told me that i need to start to make my own mind up and not keep asking every one for reasurance if its my anxiety or something medical . could anyone give me any tips on how to overcome it (here i go again asking) or am i not helping myself and just keep feeding my anxiety because of it so would like some opinions off people if they think im doing it all wrong thk you

[Tinalou]

Hi Tricia, I have been seeing a counsellor who has told me she thinks I have GAD.I am seeing her because I have been off work with depression. She told me that I am always looking for reassurance and it was like a light bulb moment for me. I don't trust myself. She did a questionnaire with me that showed I was high on needing reassurance. What she has told me is that this is a coping mechanism have adopted and when I don't feel reassured I get anxious. I guess its a case of learning to trust yourself and ride out the uncomfortable feelings by not asking for the reassurance. It comes from perfectionism with me as I never want to make a mistake and want to always know whats going to happen.

[unsure_about_this]

Hi

I am always seeking reassurance, a number of trips to doctors, reassurance from parents no stop, it like a rollercoaster, it has to stop for me. I am getting some help starting next month.

[jayjoe18]

Hi Tricia, I would always seek reassurance about my health worries especially from my mum until I realised that it would only help temporarily and I was just fuelling the anxiety. Google also extremely fuelled my anxiety and after CBT I now see this. Don't get me wrong I still seek reassurance from time to time (like now!) but that's probably for about 1 out of my 10 worries that I may get for example. Google really doesn't help at all so you really need to try and stop yourself from searching, I know it's hard and I still do it occassionally but if you can stop yourself from doing it 90% of the time it will really help. I also learnt in CBT to reassure myself, the best way for me is to write a for and against for my anxiety eg. I'm having a heart attack - For: I have chest pain - Against: I'm young, heart attacks usually happen when your older, I have anxiety so the chest pain is probably from palpitations etc, etc. It's not always easy and you do get times when you just can't reassure yourself but if you can practice that I think it would help. x