skippy66
05-08-13, 11:41
One of the things which perpetuates health anxiety is dwelling on it. It's all too easy to curl up and hope your symptoms simply go away when you have HA. This is an extract from a guide I wrote, I hope it helps somebody!
STEP 4: GET OFF THE COUCH
So far so good - if you’ve been following these steps you are probably already seeing a marked reduction in your short-term health anxiety. These steps worked for me, and my health anxiety was particularly severe for many years. The next step is the hardest, but probably the most beneficial of all: getting off the couch.
In the depths of my health anxiety my wife would regularly come home from work to find me slumped on the couch, moaning about my latest affliction. Health anxiety turned me into a virtual recluse. I didn’t want to go anywhere because I felt too ill all the time. I didn’t want to travel because of the ‘what ifs’ - what if I have a heart attack on the plane? What if I have a panic attack on the motorway? Every time I felt a scary symptom such as chest pain, or my eyelid started twitching, or I got nauseous, I would stop what I was doing to go for a rest. Usually the couch, sometimes I would go straight to bed in the middle of the day. I should add that I worked from home at the time and the couch was readily available, but even at my previous office job I would go and sit in my car for as long as I could, hoping for the terrifying symptoms to subside. It was one of the main reasons I was made redundant.
I have learnt the hard way that this kind of behaviour can only make health anxiety worse. To make it better you need to make a determined effort to get yourself active. Stop hitting the couch every time you feel poorly. One of the best things you can do is to go for a walk. I completely understand how difficult this can seem at the time. ‘How can I go for a walk when my heart is constantly skipping beats?’ ‘I’m sure I’ve got a brain tumour - a walk isn’t going to help’. Believe me, a walk will help to reduce your health anxiety.
I have found that exercise of any kind has a few beneficial effects. First, it gets blood pumping through your body, improving your circulation. This can actually solve problems such as tingling in your limbs, numbness or some breathing issues. By exercising you are oxgenating the blood and releasing endorphins which make you feel good. A fit and healthy body is key to a fit and healthy mind. Don’t be scared of exercise - start with a gentle walk and increase it if and when you feel you can. Talk to your doctor or a fitness instructor about devising a plan to get you back in shape.
The other thing exercise does is very important - it gives you renewed trust and confidence in your own body. Before you go for that walk you may feel like you’re about to die on the couch. After the walk your attitude will change: ‘Even though I felt so bad, I just went for a walk and survived’. For best results, combine your exercise with music - listen to your favourite songs while you are walking and you will see a fast reduction in your anxiety.
STEP 4: GET OFF THE COUCH
So far so good - if you’ve been following these steps you are probably already seeing a marked reduction in your short-term health anxiety. These steps worked for me, and my health anxiety was particularly severe for many years. The next step is the hardest, but probably the most beneficial of all: getting off the couch.
In the depths of my health anxiety my wife would regularly come home from work to find me slumped on the couch, moaning about my latest affliction. Health anxiety turned me into a virtual recluse. I didn’t want to go anywhere because I felt too ill all the time. I didn’t want to travel because of the ‘what ifs’ - what if I have a heart attack on the plane? What if I have a panic attack on the motorway? Every time I felt a scary symptom such as chest pain, or my eyelid started twitching, or I got nauseous, I would stop what I was doing to go for a rest. Usually the couch, sometimes I would go straight to bed in the middle of the day. I should add that I worked from home at the time and the couch was readily available, but even at my previous office job I would go and sit in my car for as long as I could, hoping for the terrifying symptoms to subside. It was one of the main reasons I was made redundant.
I have learnt the hard way that this kind of behaviour can only make health anxiety worse. To make it better you need to make a determined effort to get yourself active. Stop hitting the couch every time you feel poorly. One of the best things you can do is to go for a walk. I completely understand how difficult this can seem at the time. ‘How can I go for a walk when my heart is constantly skipping beats?’ ‘I’m sure I’ve got a brain tumour - a walk isn’t going to help’. Believe me, a walk will help to reduce your health anxiety.
I have found that exercise of any kind has a few beneficial effects. First, it gets blood pumping through your body, improving your circulation. This can actually solve problems such as tingling in your limbs, numbness or some breathing issues. By exercising you are oxgenating the blood and releasing endorphins which make you feel good. A fit and healthy body is key to a fit and healthy mind. Don’t be scared of exercise - start with a gentle walk and increase it if and when you feel you can. Talk to your doctor or a fitness instructor about devising a plan to get you back in shape.
The other thing exercise does is very important - it gives you renewed trust and confidence in your own body. Before you go for that walk you may feel like you’re about to die on the couch. After the walk your attitude will change: ‘Even though I felt so bad, I just went for a walk and survived’. For best results, combine your exercise with music - listen to your favourite songs while you are walking and you will see a fast reduction in your anxiety.