Does this forum help? Or make things worse?

[Trueman]

So I've been on this forum for 5 days or so now. I've received some great advice and support. But I'm a little concerned that I'm getting addicted to it already and perhaps it's not healthy for me in that Im thinking a lot about health issues again. Not in a negative way necessarily. So I'm guessing you do have to use the forum carefully. I'm guessing if I post every anxious moment I'm not distracting myself?

Or am I? By sharing it.. It eases my mind. Then I can try and just get on with the day?

I'm not sure. But I do know that when I'm really anxious it helps. It's weirdly comforting to know that there are people out there who know how you feel.

[Annie0904]

It has been a great help to me but I am sometimes selective in what I read. For example if someone is posting something that could be a trigger for you, don't read it (like someone with emetophobia reading a post about someone with sickness).

[RoseEve]

I found this site to help me a great deal. I felt not so alone. It really depends on how you are using the site.

[Trueman]

Thanks! Yes, I think it does depend on how you use the site. I certainly have been thinking about that. Little bit of self discipline is required for me anyhow. Annie - yes, avoid any trigger subjects if feeling particularly anxious or susceptible to those thoughts that could be triggered..

[Catherine S]

It depends on which type of health anxiety personality you have. If you are a constant Googler of symptoms then the forum helps in that it can stop you doing that by asking members the same question you would ask Google, and with so many members you get alot of different ways to think about your problems and reassurance that Dr. Google probably wouldn't give with his worst case senarios.

You've only been here a few days but what made you join? Something did, and i'm assuming you'd familiarised yourself with the boards beforehand so you would know what to expect? Don't be put off by members who have been around for a long time...some choose to stay even after they recover to help others, but equally other people leave when they feel more able to function without the forum. But only you can say if its helping or hindering you. If you feel its taking too much of your time then try and allocate a specific time to use the forum and a set time say 1 hour a day or evening and stick to it...don't keep popping back to see replies, they'll still be there the next time you come back on.

At the end of the day, its your own personal struggle and only you can decide what's best for you.

ISB x

[Trueman]

Thanks ISB. I joined because the site kept turning up on my google searches while searching Dr Google! I ventured in and out the site and then decided to join. No, I haven't spent enough time yet looking around the site and will be doing that. I was told I had a health anxiety by my GP and have been receiving CBT for it although its come to a halt for now because I am moving to Scotland soon.

Good advice about the 1hr at a time.. at the moment I am popping in and out. I work from home so it is easy to do this but thats not necessarily a good thing!

[luc]

I have just popped in after work and see BC gene and Pancreas blood test all on front page. I have told myself in no uncertain terms not to open them and I won't because do I want the next hour to be endless ruminating or do I want to make my kids tea!

[Catherine S]

Good luck with the move to Scotland :)

[AlexandriaUK]

I think if it didn't help there woudnt be so many members, also suffering panic/anxiety/HA and having no one to relate to definately makes it worse,i am sure if this site had been available 40 + years ago I think I would have dealt with it so much better.

---------- Post added at 18:24 ---------- Previous post was at 18:23 ----------


I have just popped in after work and see BC gene and Pancreas blood test all on front page. I have told myself in no uncertain terms not to open them and I won't because do I want the next hour to be endless ruminating or do I want to make my kids tea!

That made me smile, I will check them out if you make my tea too :D

[luc]

I would have made your tea Alexandria but I don't want anything checked out ha. That used to be one of my favourite tricks to get my mam or hubby to research an illness, print the info off, read it and then give me the nod and I mean this literally as they were not allowed to show or tell me anything. Did it work, did it f&@@! (that was flip by the way ha). This is what people are doing on here using this as a filter as oppose to googling. Will it work, flip owns but it is soo better than googling, that is googling HA sufferer style!

[NotCool]

Depends.

When I discovered it, I was glad to find such a rich source of posts and threads about symptoms and experiences that have been happening to me, the reassurance that I've gotten after reading that helped me, still does sometimes. I'm far from hypochondria-free, so occasionally I'll relapse and open a thread about my specific symptoms, expecting/asking for additional reassurance, to try to help me keep my panic manageable, so from that aspect it's been all out positive experience.

I have also noticed that amongst all the different symptoms threads, you can find those in which people discuss deeper issues, such as causes for HA, strategies, methods and tactics to battle it, so that's positive as well.

One last thing that points out on these kinds of forums, that sometimes it feels that these symptom threads just keep pouring and emerging all the time, and it gives the impression that some of the people opening them, are only attention and reassurance seekers. To someone who thinks they "beat" HA, they might seem bizzare, exaggerated or even stupid, but that viewpoint is flawed. There are many types of HA sufferers, and people are at different points of dealing with it, some are relapsing and many posters are quiet for a time, just to fall off the HA wagon - it's all natural. Ok, so i'm drifting from the main topic. What I'm trying to say is, that reassurance seeking is definitely one of the stages for dealing with hypochondria, and forum users shouldn't let the flood of symptoms posts turn them away from many many threads that delve deeper into the HA issues (the kinds I mentioned before).

[Catherine S]

NotCool...love your signature :D

[NotCool]

NotCool...love your signature :D
A lot of people do, what's funny is that I picked it off from random website months ago, lol.

[Petesy]

I asked myself the same question once so I know where you're coming from but was too afraid to post a thread about it incase Nicola kicked my butt lol, imo it's been a great help and the administration and members are a great help we need each other and we need to support others from personal experience and knowledge :-)

Hope I ain't coming across as a H.A Jedi knight

Petesy.

P.S Google is the one you should stay well clear of!.

[Catherine S]

H.A. Jedi Knight...may the force be with you always :)

[Serenity1990]

It absolutely helps.

95% of the time I'm fine, it's great to help others in the same boat during that 95% of the time and even better to receive the support that can only come from others in the same boat in the other 5%. Had I not found this place, particularly old posts by RLR and itoldyouiwasill I'd be a mess.

Looking over old threads and characters who have come and gone, the general pattern seems to be turn up in need of support, stick about for a few months or couple of years, toward the beginning of which you read old threads that help and start your own as and when you need to and toward the end of which time you spend almost all of your time helping others, before finally not having HA issues any more and thus no need to log in.

[luc]

I also think that helping others and writing your own experiences down is part of recovery.