View Full Version : Some harsh truths about health anxiety
I debated whether or not to post this, but I feel that it needs saying. I've personally been completely free from health anxiety for roughly 4 years now, and I wrote my book 'How to Beat Health Anxiety' to help people in the situation I was in, because I know how bad it is AND found the way out of the vicious cycle.
The thing about health anxiety is that it's not limited to a certain social group or class, gender or age group. Many people seem to think that it's a disease of the mainly 'down-and-outs' of society - you know, the kind of folk you see at the grottiest Starbucks in town with some of the worst fashion sense on the planet, and a penchant for grotesque tattoos on the face and neck.
This is absolutely not the case. Health anxiety can affect ANYONE, rich or poor, young or old, male or female, to varying degrees. It's not a 'one-size-fits-all' affliction, and I would even hesitate to call it the one name as everyone's experience of it is different. I find it funny that the word 'hypochondria' has been replaced by health anxiety due to its negative connotations, but hey I guess that's just the way the world is going.
So the harsh truths?
Anyone who comes on this forum for any reason that is not purely to help others with their health anxiety, still has health anxiety. This forum is wonderful, but if you're using it then you have health anxiety to some degree. Unless you're going to use it to help others once you have overcome your own anxiety, then you should not be coming back here at all. I would urge you DO come back once you've beaten this, but ONLY to help others.
Another harsh truth is that some of you (and I'm not pointing the finger here) will have a personality trait that makes you use your symptoms as a means to get sympathy and attention from others. Only you truly know if you are one of these people. It's like you're always searching for a diagnosis of something, there always has to be something wrong with you to get that attention you crave.
Many of you will NOT be like this. Some of you will be timid personalities, with frailties often developed through bad childhood experiences. There may be lots of stuff going on in your life and the fallout from this manifests itself in your chest pains, your palpitations, your twitching, your obsession with cancer.
Some of you will be natural worriers. That is, you get overly worried by most things. You're too focused in on the minutiae of life and you struggle to see the bigger picture. You will know if this is you - you will be the type to get angry if you burn your toast in the morning, or if someone blocks you in at the carpark. You will constantly worry about your children, whether you're making the right choices for them. You struggle to make big decisions swiftly and effectively, this is due to a lack of courage in your own convictions.
Some of you will be simply more illness-prone human beings than others. I remember learning at school about a king who was described as a 'sickly' child. Maybe your digestive system is just a little off-kilter, maybe you are more prone to anxiety. Maybe (like me) your heart is prone to throwing off skipped beats all the time. The variation in nature is staggering. We all look different, so we will all be different inside too. That's not to say you can't all lead long healthy lives if you work with what you've got.
Skippy you're brilliant........ but you have just opened up another big can of worms:roflmao:
Everything you say is true and I see myself in a lot of what you have said.:winks:
sarah
Brilliant post.
I'm in the category of being a natural worrier, I had to laugh at the burning of toast and getting blocked in at a car park, both those things irritate me. I also have been known to worry about worrying too much although lately I've adopted the laissez-faire attitude. (Well, except for today when I gave in to google after 3 months of not doing it).
I don't think there is anything harsh in what you have written, just very truthful.
Worriedwellornot
20-05-14, 17:41
Hi Skippy, great post. I recognise myself as a natural worrier and can completely identify with the anxiety of the worry of bringing up children. I really don't know how they, or I survived this and they have grown up into sensible mature men without HA, so I must have done something right.
I have seen you post here a few times and wondered if your book could help someone like me?
Interesting post. It did however made me think oh heck did I come on for sympathy? Have my posts been attention seeking?
I don't think that posts that seem to be attention seeking necessarily are? Perhaps that person is oblivious to the fact they appear to be attention seeking and simply are in a heightened state of panic looking for support?
I'm new to this site and will always try to support others but also would like to feel be able to express my health anxieties.. To be supported.
I know in heightened moments of anxiety it becomes obsessive but not because I want attention. Just my thoughts.. But I agree that the website can be abused perhaps? Using it as a diagnosis tool maybe? Or are just discussing their fears?
Can't mental health in general affect anyone of any class?
FYI down and outs generally don't go to starbucks (its too expensive) and people with visible tattoos can get HA too so maybe avoid flaunting your personal prejudices if you want to appeal to people en masse.
I do agree with some of your latter points though, I don't use this forum to talk about my HA because I found it made it worse and it wasn't a productive space. I think there are a few ways in which people use it inappropriately, and I don't feel comfortable using it anymore. I don't think wanting sympathy or support are bad but wanting sympathy for attention is.
I am a natural worrier too. Although since I joined here I've gotten control of my HA on my own and I consider myself cured of it. It's not an anxiety anymore, just an occasional worry that is easily reasoned with 90% of the time.
If people only come back when they've beaten it there will be no one to help though surely?
Brilliant post, Skippy. As usual, you're so right in what you're saying. Thanks for the reminder.
Although I agree with some of your points I feel as though it dosent really matter that much what is behind your health anxiety if you have it you have it and if people find comfort and support on here then surely that's most important .For me with the life,experiences I've had its been so much help and,consolation I don't want pity or,sympathy but empathy and advice and,an odd kind word does wonders please don't forget that
I use the forum now as a place of support. I do not look at posts which are about symptoms related to my anxieties. I hope I also offer support and insight into the intricacies of my HA. Sharing experiences both good and bad allows us a little respite from thinking we are losing the plot! When I found out that some people had the same 'peculiar' coping strategies as me I was taken aback. Why, I do not know - worry = avoidance and there are only so many ways you can do this so there is bound to be common ground!
I have never really thought of the socio-economic background of those with HA but for me ,judging by this forum being a thinker, and of high intellect (ha) is a common trait. I can't say I have thought of anyone attention seeking. I usually think that it is blind panic that makes some people obsessive and very irrational. Being a bit further down the line I can see this but at my worst moments I was no different
Okay, I confess I don't know enough about health anxiety per se to help those who have it. But, it makes sense when I hear some of the long-timers on here implore people to just get help for their health anxiety, to refuse to feed the fear of the ever-changing symptoms, and searching for "reassurance" that it's not this disease or that disease. When I first came on here I saw all these thread titles: colon cancer! brain tumour! And I thought, OMG, no wonder they're anxious ... only to open the post to find that the poster had closely examined his poo and found "strange bits" in it (please stop closely examining your poo!) Or, you know, he/she had a really bad headache and had an MRI, but had concluded that the doctor was either a) lying, or b) incompetent, when he/she was told they had probably been dehydrated, there was no tumour. Back online to get feedback from all of us, none of whom are doctors. (!) Some are amazing for their sheer persistence in being tested over and over again. For one thing after another! If health anxiety sounds better than hypochondria, then that's fine. But I can well see how it can lead to depression. Like for anyone who can see no peace ahead.
Once in awhile someone will break through the denial (or come back in recovery) and say, you know what? You can reassure me all you want. I won't be reassured. There is no end to this game. I truly need to get help with the health anxiety. That is the problem. That's what I need to be told to do.
And I personally believe that message can be passed along in a kind and loving way even when someone is currently in a heightened state of panic. That is real support. "Yes, we care. Some of us have been there. We understand. We want to help. That's why we are suggesting you detach from the symptoms and talk about your health anxiety with your doctor, and learn all you can here from the folks who have gotten better. There are lots of great threads, and if you have any questions about how to deal with your health anxiety, fire away!"
And may I point out in a kind and loving way, that, as best as I can tell, this forum is not "The Health Anxiety Forum"? Although it does seem some days like it is due to the overwhelming number of daily posts on health anxiety's countless symptoms. It is just one of some 16 or 17 problems and issues that are supported here. People come on here for support and reassurance when starting a new medication, like I did.
Skippy, I know you weren't trying to make it sound like health anxiety is all this forum is about. But you have touched a chord with some who are willing to take a look at how they can best use this resource to help themselves. You make important points about recovery and helping others get there. I don't have health anxiety, but my mind has being opened here on NMP to seeing where my depression is intertwined with anxiety, and I am finding the courage and hope to do whatever it takes to get better. And I'm making friends. ... Now at the risk of getting a blast myself, I have to pass along something I heard in past that has served me well: "If you hear something you don't like, then you might want to give it some thought before rejecting it out of hand. Sometimes the truth hurts, but the truth will set you free ..."
Marie :flowers:
I'm confused. Is the suggestion then that you shouldn't discuss your fears or anxiety (health related or not) on here and only with the GP? I'm getting anxious now about how to use the forum and what I should/shouldn't mention! (JOKE)
Seriously, I think a lot of people are aware of their own anxiety and perhaps how they reinforce it with negative behaviours/thoughts. Isn't that why we are all here? At least we know we have a problem. And want to support/be supported. Not judge whether someone is attention seeking.. Who am I to decide that? Does it matter whether its health anxiety or any other anxiety/phobia? We are all here for support and ultimately to overcome those anxieties..
I agree a lot with Trueman's point about not being our place to judge who is attention-seeking and who is not.
Skippy, you make some valid points. It does come across as a little harsh, which I understand could be just how I am reading it and not your intention. I think I struggle with your first "truth" about not coming here unless we truly want to help others.
When I found this forum during the worst part of my health anxiety, it felt sooo good to know I wasn't alone, I wasn't crazy, and there were people to help me through the paralyzing fear of finding a bump or a weird mole or whatever it may have been at the time. It was a god-send to know that some people understood how paralyzing those fears can be, even if I logically knew it was stupid.
So maybe I am just confused by your point. I understand people post a lot about symptoms, but in the height of health anxiety, it's so hard not to, especially when trying not to google. So although I understand how it can be frustrating to see people repeatedly asking about symptoms, I empathize with them because I know what it's like to feel that desperate and afraid. I try to help people even though I still know I have health anxiety. I'm pretty sure I will always have it to some degree, and that acceptance is part of my treatment and journey too. So I am confused when it sounds like you were saying we shouldn't come back on here to help people unless we are sure we are done with HA. I honestly don't think I will ever be done with HA, and I'm learning to be ok with that.
Please forgive me if I misunderstood your points. I know it's easy to misunderstand through forums and written posts.
Hi, Trueman! You raise some valid points. But discussing our fears and problems is not the same thing as coming on panicking about every health symptom when one is a hypochondriac (often they will submit their diagnoses). It doesn't help to do this. If it's not one symptom its another, as they will say in desperation themselves! My heart goes out to them. But these posts really shouldn't become the overwhelming threads for every page on the problems/issues board. (Others of us have problems too.)
Anyway, if my doctor has told me I don't have a,b,c,d then how in God's name would it support me to get the opinions of non-medical folks who have no access to anything? If I know having them speculate is a negative reinforcement of an unhelpful behaviour then why do it? Call it what you want. No one means to hurt anyone else by what they say I'm sure. Maybe it is best not to speculate on motive. And you're right, in a perfect world, we wouldn't care, and by the way, there are some real saints on here who are the soul of patience with folks struggling with this behaviour. That is valid and serves a purpose for sure. Love is never the wrong thing to offer. But real support finally is helping another person to get better. Real reassurance is saying, I have been there and when I addressed my HA I learned tools to break the cycle and gain freedom from it. You can too.
That's what I heard Skippy really meaning, and some of the anxiety sufferers agreeing with at least to a point. I'm also hearing via private message from friends that don't visit here every day anymore that guess what? They are making the most of their good days by getting out there offline, and do tend to only come back either for a bit of help when needed, or to offer suggestions that work, to others. Which is what Skippy was suggesting. Shouldn't this be what we all aim to use this forum for? I'm atm hurting and grappling with start-up side effects, but when I am able to do more then you betcha, I look forward to doing both!
---------- Post added at 15:56 ---------- Previous post was at 15:41 ----------
And swgrl, thank God, as you say, that there are those who can and will help new HA sufferers to relate. Key. Huge. Needed. And will still be needed from time to time, no doubt. But it's the behaviour of continuous health symptoms posting without seeming to seek real help that I think was being suggested isn't helping anyone. You are one who knows best how to reach them, Godspeed my girl. And God bless! :hugs:
Thanks for the kind words, Marie :) I guess I just see it as up to us individually on what/how much we can handle. We have to have our own boundaries with this site and respect what others' are too. I know my use has changed over the years based on where I am in my journey with anxiety.
I see it as it's not my job to change somebody else. If somebody is attention-seeking, I will say what I can to be supportive. If it goes unnoticed or the person doesn't take my advice or support, then I just move on and don't let it get to me. That's their deal and not mine. I read the threads that I feel I can and won't trigger me. I don't read the ones that I think might bother me. I try to be supportive and accepting of everybody though.
It's just like being with people in person, I suppose. We don't have to read any thread or sub-forum if we don't want to, just like how in person we don't have to hang out with people if we don't want to. It doesn't matter to me what other people use the forum for as long as it isn't hurting me or anybody else. If it's something that bothers me or is irrelevant, I just pay it no mind and move on to other threads.
As always.... great post Skippy! I actually find myself spending less time and responding less as it's becoming increasingly frustrating knowing all the kind words/reassurance or advice means nothing unless one acts.
People... get Slippy's book and read it. It's brilliant. Do it for yourself, your family and friends. Seek help!
Worry is part of human nature but excessive worry, whether it's about your health of other life issues is fruitless and won't change anything. As one who knows full well just how short life can be, know it's for living, not for worrying.
Positive thoughts
xBettyBoopx
21-05-14, 02:01
I debated whether or not to post this, but I feel that it needs saying. I've personally been completely free from health anxiety for roughly 4 years now, and I wrote my book 'How to Beat Health Anxiety' to help people in the situation I was in, because I know how bad it is AND found the way out of the vicious cycle.
The thing about health anxiety is that it's not limited to a certain social group or class, gender or age group. Many people seem to think that it's a disease of the mainly 'down-and-outs' of society - you know, the kind of folk you see at the grottiest Starbucks in town with some of the worst fashion sense on the planet, and a penchant for grotesque tattoos on the face and neck.
This is absolutely not the case. Health anxiety can affect ANYONE, rich or poor, young or old, male or female, to varying degrees. It's not a 'one-size-fits-all' affliction, and I would even hesitate to call it the one name as everyone's experience of it is different. I find it funny that the word 'hypochondria' has been replaced by health anxiety due to its negative connotations, but hey I guess that's just the way the world is going.
So the harsh truths?
Anyone who comes on this forum for any reason that is not purely to help others with their health anxiety, still has health anxiety. This forum is wonderful, but if you're using it then you have health anxiety to some degree. Unless you're going to use it to help others once you have overcome your own anxiety, then you should not be coming back here at all. I would urge you DO come back once you've beaten this, but ONLY to help others.
Another harsh truth is that some of you (and I'm not pointing the finger here) will have a personality trait that makes you use your symptoms as a means to get sympathy and attention from others. Only you truly know if you are one of these people. It's like you're always searching for a diagnosis of something, there always has to be something wrong with you to get that attention you crave.
Many of you will NOT be like this. Some of you will be timid personalities, with frailties often developed through bad childhood experiences. There may be lots of stuff going on in your life and the fallout from this manifests itself in your chest pains, your palpitations, your twitching, your obsession with cancer.
Some of you will be natural worriers. That is, you get overly worried by most things. You're too focused in on the minutiae of life and you struggle to see the bigger picture. You will know if this is you - you will be the type to get angry if you burn your toast in the morning, or if someone blocks you in at the carpark. You will constantly worry about your children, whether you're making the right choices for them. You struggle to make big decisions swiftly and effectively, this is due to a lack of courage in your own convictions.
Some of you will be simply more illness-prone human beings than others. I remember learning at school about a king who was described as a 'sickly' child. Maybe your digestive system is just a little off-kilter, maybe you are more prone to anxiety. Maybe (like me) your heart is prone to throwing off skipped beats all the time. The variation in nature is staggering. We all look different, so we will all be different inside too. That's not to say you can't all lead long healthy lives if you work with what you've got.
Who did you debate with as to whether or not to post?
Why do you think this needed to be said?
What do you think people are going to get out of this post?
Do you only come here to help others?
Maybe you are attention seeking!
I am absolutely unsure of what good starting this thread is going to do.
Further to my last post I would just like to add that although you mention about coming on here to help others it saddens me to see a thread that was posted on the HA board yesterday from somebody who has taken an active steps to get better and is about to start cbt today. That person has asked for advice on what to expect from it and guess what 67 views and not one reply!!!!!! He/she was obviously looking for some encouragement. I can't reply as I haven't undergone cbt myself so I'm unable to shed some light but I believe there are others who have that May have been able to help.
In with Swgrl09 on this. I understand the concern that the forum can be used to reinforce negative thoughts/obsessions and all anxieties but that is exactly it. It should be a forum to help people offload their anxieties, it's better to talk as they say...
However, it's then up to us whether we can empathise or not. Choose to empathise or not. Swgrl09 quite rightly points out it is up to us to decide whether we can be of help, support - whether it is useful for our own progress with HA to become involved. I imagine its an easy route, slipping back into negative behaviours/thoughts.
I think the original post is a little harsh and judgemental. We are all at different stages in our HA. Our appearance, and where we hang out is of no real importance to anyone. Nor is boxing us into stereotypes. I did feel a little disappointed reading the original post because I felt judged having read it.
But I understand the essence of the post, that progress has to be made, steps have to be taken - to take control and not just wallow in our anxieties or phobias. And that its hard work.
Perhaps there needs to be a thread for all anxieties/phobias on main page - for those who want to post positive posts just discussing day to day positive steps taken, Achevements made (no symptom/test talk). Then we can share our progress without it getting mixed in with various other posts. Apologies if there is already one like that. I have not looked through all the resources/links yet.
---------- Post added at 07:49 ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 ----------
Still swaying from one anxiety to rational thoughts to another anxiety.. Inevitably I came straight to the forum.. But I will research, read and learn everything else that is on offer..
Booboojenny
21-05-14, 09:08
Good reply TRUEMAN... With everything that is going on in my life our lives as no panic members do we really need to be worrying if we are attention seeking... I DONT think so :)
Good for you skippy you no longer have anxiety health issues, i am happy for you I really am...and thank you for advertising your book...
As always with a post like this (and there have been several over the last several months), there are those that see the positive in it and those that due to the mirror it help up, don't.
Positive thoughts
Fishmanpa, I think we are all looking at the positives, or trying to. I'm not sure who is being negative here? It is a positive debate to have as long as no-one is insulting or offensive.
Fishmanpa, I think we are all looking at the positives, or trying to. I'm not sure who is being negative here? It is a positive debate to have as long as no-one is insulting or offensive.
Agreed. There are some, despite a poster being as general as they possibly can be, who will and do take offense. Perhaps they see themselves in the post or for another reason. As the OP stated, there are those from every walk of life and every stage of affliction and recovery who are afflicted. Take that demographic and mix it up on an internet forum and the result can be slightly volatile at times. Some will see it as beneficial and some won't.
As I mentioned, there have been several threads "debating" similar subject matter over the months and they always go in the "open can of worms" direction.
Positive thoughts
Yes, there is nothing wrong voicing wwhat OP thinks are some harsh truths but there is a way, place and time - not all of us are in the same way, place or time. It's all relative.
Hence, placing a few labels on a large demographic mix of people - maybe not be the best route. And yes, will open a can or worms.. but hey it means I've paid more attention ;)
Yes, there is nothing wrong voicing wwhat OP thinks are some harsh truths but there is a way, place and time - not all of us are in the same way, place or time. It's all relative.
Hence, placing a few labels on a large demographic mix of people - maybe not be the best route. And yes, will open a can or worms.. but hey it means I've paid more attention ;)
One way to gauge a situation, how to or if you should respond or not, is to look at the post history. For example, if you go back and look at Skippy's posts from when he joined until now, you'll see he was in a very bad place. What you'll also see are the steps he took for recovery and how they changed him to the point of writing a rather good book about the subject. In other post histories, all you see is the endless spiral that HA causes.
Everyone are in different places and mental states. Some can grab hold and begin to pull themselves up and others cannot, do not or are just not in a strong enough place to do so.
Positive thoughts
Fishmanpa - I really appreciate the words of support, you my friend are awesome and so many people on here can learn a hell of a lot from you and your positive attitude.
To others who have taken offence at what I have written, I truly apologise as I did not mean to make you feel bad and simply wanted to promote some healthy debate on what is an often touchy and controversial topic that not everyone is going to agree on.
Funny FMP that you mention my old posts - here is my first post on this forum, I hope some of you can understand what kind of place I was in at the time, and can relate - and then take heart from the fact that I have managed to find a way out of it:
Hi. I'm a 28 yr old male. I've just been swimming and for the second time in a week I've come home feeling short of breath and with a tightness in my lower chest (central) that feels almost muscular. I didn't do much - only around 15 lengths of slow breatstroke and back crawl.
Last time the feeling was gone by the next morning.
What is it???????? PLEASE HELP ME SOMEBODY.
Here are my other daily symptoms:
PVCs - 20-30 a day, some in runs giving me a head rush. Cardio has checked me over and over and said that it's all benign. I beg to differ.
Chest pains - some stabbing, lots of tightness, constricting, mainly seem to come from lower central chest where the diaphragm? is I think, and sometimes seems muscular. Doc thinks its just one of those things but I think its either:
- hiatal hernia that could strangulate any moment
- pulmonary edema or some other lung nasty
- huge tumour in my chest/upper stomach (never been xrayed to check)
- impending heart attack
- cardiomyopathy
- cancer of the esophagus (sometimes i also get a feeling of food stuck in throat)
High blood pressure - I've had a 24 hr thing which said high ish at times but normal for you, I beg to differ. My wrist monitor when I feel stressed gives readings of 150/120 sometimes and NEVER below 130/90 except once when I took it because I was feeling really dizzy. Cousin nearly died from stroke at 24 and im convinced im next because of my high bp and pvcs.
Nosebleeds - come in waves, away for a month then bam one every day for a few days. Sinus scan said all clear but that wouldn't tell me if they were related to my sky high blood pressure.
Panic attacks - first started back in 2003 and now having them in places i can't escape from eg airport queue, barber, supermarket queue. Now every time I go into a supermarket I automatically start feeling dizzy. I know this is harmless but I can't stop it unless I've had a few drinks beforehand. But I don't want to be an alcoholic and anyway, alcohol aggravates my dodgy heart.
Sleep paralysis - happens once in a blue moon but happened last night. Woke up mentally but not physically, unable to move or scream no matter how hard I tried. It's one of the most terrifying things I've had.
I'm sitting here feeling short of breath and with lower chest tightness thinking that I'm just going to die. How can this not be serious? What do I do? It's happened before and gone away. Do I have a chlorine allergy or something? because I also sat in a hot tub for like 10 minutes.
I catastrophize every little symptom, but I've forgotten what 'normal' is for me. I was never like this in my teens. This whole health anxiety thing started because of the PVCs, and its got beyond serious. It's affecting my relationships and daily life. I don't want to do anything fun any more. I'm grumpy 90% of the time because I'm feeling ill 90% of the time.
Docs all think I'm a hypochondriac and they're right. Problem is, how to f***ing cure it????? And will that cure the symptoms - I don't f***ing think so?
PLEASE HELP - some reassurance is desperately needed.
Thanks for sharing that Skippy. Being relatively new to the site I have not gone through old posts and can barely remember one username from the other at the moment! I believe it might be useful to go through old posts Fishmanpa - but not many people will and may don't have the time to do so. But that being said I will take some time to do so when I can. So thanks for the suggestion.
I think that sometimes, some people do not recognise or are not ready to recognise that steps are needed to move on.. and well, if they post about constant tests/illnesses then that is just fine. Just like you did Skippy. One day, either you, me or someone else, will trigger/motivate someone else to take that step forward in their own time, not in anyone else's time. And that's just fine too.
We all have to take control/responsibility for our own thoughts/actions - which is actually - really what your post was about. And I think everyone on here is trying to do that, whatever stage they are at.
Skippy and fishmanpa, you both have really good points and I do agree with the things you are saying. I guess for me, I have learned over the years that I can't except others to change or expect myself to be able to make somebody change who isn't ready to. I used to try to and it would be so frustrating for me. I had to learn to find my own boundaries and do what I can, but not exhaust myself over other people and their lives.
What I have is my life and my own feelings, and that's what I can control. I can't control if somebody is going to follow my advice. If I feel I can offer it and not be upset regardless of what the person does with my advice, then I will offer it.
We are all here on our own paths to feeling better. Some paths may be longer than others, some may have more obstacles or dead ends along the way, and some may have obstructed views. I just want to be supportive of people where ever they may be on their path.
Trueman, I like what you said at the end of your last post ... "We all have to take control/responsibility for our own thoughts/actions - which is actually - really what your post was about. And I think everyone on here is trying to do that, whatever stage they are at." That sums it up really well for me.
I agree with many elements of what you say, but I did not see a mention of those who suffer health anxiety as a direct result of traumatic events and bereavement complications, which in my experience encompasses the majority. x
I agree with many elements of what you say, but I did not see a mention of those who suffer health anxiety as a direct result of traumatic events and bereavement complications, which in my experience encompasses the majority. x
That is a good point. I've read on several mental health/psychological/psychiatry journals and websites that HA is directly correlated and related to PTSD. In fact, the "scanxiety" I experience is a direct result of my cancer experience. I believe that to some extent, I do suffer from PTSD. When I was dealing with cancer and the treatments, my focus was on survival. Now, a year out, I believe the effects of that traumatic event have affected me. Fortunately, I'm not debilitated at all... a bit inconvenienced and irritated yes, but I don't suffer at all as many here do.
Quite often here, you read of those who had a relative or friend that were stricken with a serious illness and it was a trigger to their HA.
Positive thoughts
I agree too. I've written before about my mom's rare cancer diagnosis that killed her quickly. My HA went from "light/ignorable" to unbearable after that. Thanks for bringing it up.
Sympathy ??
I (and suspet others) find this rather offensive. People do not come on here to gain any sympathy. They have real issues and look for real support. Givenn a choice none of us would ever feel the need to ever come back here. I for one will avoid your posts in the future, last thing I need on here is the thought of my posts ever being judged in such a manner.
@skippy and SADnomore - for what it's worth, I agree with a lot of what you're saying.
I have lived most of my life with one sort of anxiety or another and was first put on amitryptyline when I was about 8 years old. At times, the anxiety has almost overwhelmed me. These days, I think my major anxiety is about not having enough time to do what I want to do - I sometimes wish I could have nine lives and then I'd be able to do it all. But that's my problem and I'll have to find ways of dealing with it.
The things that have got me through have been an absolutely excellent GP, who has a great understanding of mental health issues, and also having CBT about 3 1/2 years ago. That was an incredibly useful experience, as it taught me the roots of how I feel like this and what I can do about the thought patterns to manage anxiety (and the associated depression that comes with it for a lot of people). I also learnt about mindfulness, which has been a real lifesaver and I would recommend it to anyone.
CBT also taught me acceptance. I. Am. Not. Cured. (as there is no magical "cure"). , I know I have an anxious nature, but that's OK, as it's part of what I am and the experiences I have had. I wouldn't be the same person if I hadn't been through all the crap, and that's OK because I have learnt from it.
Would I have used a forum like this if the internet had been around in my early 20s? I'm sure I would - but I suspect it could have made the rumination worse and helped me wallow in my symptoms. And as a lot of us have found out, there is a perverse sort of comfort in wallowing...
When I first came on here, the thing that I did notice was that a lot of the users seemed to be in a worse state than I was, which was a good bit of perspective as it made me grateful that I could still work and mostly function. I always work on the premise that if I've got a useful bit of advice, then I'll share it as it might help someone else, however I'm sure that at times I come across as a bit blunt!
However, if I have helped just one person then that's OK. There is a way out of anxiety, but every sufferer has to realise that the key is with them. Ownership and acceptance - find whatever way you can to get out of the "rageflail" stage and give someone else a leg-up on the way.
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