Could this be Health Anxiety?

[Gibbo92]

Hello guys.

I really think I need some help. I'm a 20 year old male and I think I may have health anxiety. I'm not sure. I've never been diagnosed or anything.

Hopefully it's okay if I can run you through some things and you let me know what you guys think. I'm a typical male really I bottle up most emotions and feelings and rarely let them out. I have never told anyone about these feelings I get sometimes and I tend to suffer in silence.

Okay, so it started around 2 years ago around Christmas time. I got food poisoning and it was the most ill I have been in my entire life, After then I started experiencing pains in the side of my head which I believe where due to stress and lack of sleep, but I convinced myself I had a brain tumour and I began to become really really panicky. And it got worse and worse, I couldn't sleep, and I eventually ended up being sick a couple of times. And then just like that it went and I was fine again. It has pretty much stayed away for the last year or so. But now it's back again and almost worse then before.

I got a sore throat about 2 or 3 weeks ago, stayed in bed and it went, throat swelled up the week after with no pain, I convinced myself I had throat cancer after googling the ******* symptoms. Went to the doctors on Tuesday and he told me I only had tonsilitus, gave me some Penicillin and sent me on my way. Although I really grabbed on to the fact that he kept saying to me "I hope I can help you" and asked me if I smoked which made me think I had tonsil cancer even more.

Anyway, I got home from work today and did the weekly feel of my nads and I felt a lump at the top near the tube and I've convinced myself I now have testicle cancer also, and it's spread to my throat. Even though I'm sure this 'lump' has been there as long as I remember. And to put it bluntly I am freaking out. I am currently sat in my room taking short breaths I don't know what to do, I'm close to tears and I'm not really someone who ever cries. I managed to be in a great mood earlier too. :-(.

I just don't know what to do guys, is this Health Anxiety?

[anthrokid]

Hey Gibbo,

Sounds like you're having a rough time at the moment, you poor thing :( However, it does also sound to me like you are suffering from a degree of anxiety, particularly related to your health. Have you noticed that every time you've been ill since that occasion at Christmas you've automatically assumed cancer? This is very typical of health anxiety. And as you've said, the doctor has given you penicillin for tonsilitis, and you are sure that lump has been there for as long as you can remember :) That would indicate to me that there's nothing cancerous going on for you, just a bunch of anxiety.

Have you spoken to your doctor about your worries? It may be helpful to have a chat and let him know that you're concerned that is may be cancer and see what he says. You could also consider asking to see a counsellor/psychologist to talk about your worries and anxiety, in case it does become worse in the future. Best to stop is in it's tracks I say :)

[Eyji1]

Yes. You have health anxiety. You think about these things way, waywaywayway too much friend.

You should check out some mindfulness books and or lectures.

[Gibbo92]

Thank you for the responses guys. I appreciate it. I often do associate cancer with anytime I'm ill. I hate it, it often gets me down. :(.

Had a doctors appointment yesterday and he encouraged me that I didn't have anything to worry about when he looked at my testicle. And he's booked me in for a scan just to be 100% sure although he said he was almost sure that I had nothing wrong with me.

It's the tonsil that is still causing me the most worry. I finished my dose of penicillin yesterday and my tonsil is still very swollen, although not to the extent that it was before. Really quite worried that this could be some form of tonsil cancer, even though I am quite a young man. And apparently tonsil cancer is only really common in people who are over 50+

I guess I just wouldn't mind if someone could put my mind at ease a little bit. As it seems that fact I'm feeling no other symptoms actually points to the fact that it could be cancer more.

I've spoke to my mum about it and she said it shouldn't be something to worry about, although she said if I wished she would book me back into doctors next week. As I should just give my antibiotics the rest of the week to see if they have any effect.

Also as someone who has barely had tonsilitus in his life, is it possible that one of the tonsils may take a while to become less swollen due to fighting off the infection. I just find it a bit strange that I could be perfectly fine, get tonsilitus and then cancer miraculously appears. Especially after a condition that gives me swollen tonsils, right?

I guess I just wouldn't mind some peace of mind.

Thanks everyone :)