When did we become so anxious?

[nm1]

I am pondering tonight and trying to keep my mind busy so I don't overthink about what is wrong with me. I am wondering why this all started and would love to hear when others developed health anxiety. I had started of with panic attacks which had for about 7 years but always something that triggered it, however this health anxiety and constant worrying everyday about health has been a new thing about 2 months barely that. I think i live a fairly healthy lifestyle so I don't understand where this negative thinking of health started,, because I feel nothing triggered me and never used to worry ever about health its baffling how its gone to the other extreme....confused.


I was wondering when everyone else got specifically health anxiety, any triggers? and how long have you had it? I would love to hear other people's anxiety journey, share if you wish. Thanks

[RoseEve]

I got anxiety from smoking marijuana. I had bad panic attacks. Not really sure how it morphed into HA though.

[Agadch]

I always had general anxiety but I got HA a few months ago when my grandfather died of lung cancer and an aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. It bewilders me how people can get it without anything triggering it. It's strange how you just start worrying about your health almost out of the blue.

[swanick15]

I think mine was underlying for many years as it seems to have gotten worse over the past few months as I developed GAD from being extremely unhappy at sixth form. Mine while mainly irrational thoughts did spur me to go to the GP about a potentially dangerous mole which lead to a referral to a dermatologist and a benign diagnosis, which immediately stopped my worries about it, still want it removed though.

[AnxietyDJ]

I'm not sure when mine started... It sort of crept up on me after I faced up to the fact that I had more generalised anxiety and depression (which was approx. 12 months ago now). I just found myself worrying about my health and life/death way more than I ever had and it spiralled from there really. I wish I could put my finger on where everything stemmed from, but unfortunately it just isn't that simple :(

[Peronel]

I have always had anxiety, I think I was born worried! I developed HA in my late teens when I became very stressed in my final year of high school.

That was twelve years ago. Gulp!

I have been through periods of great calm and happiness since then, as well as periods of great anxiety, some depression, and some flatness.

I really need to write an introduction post to cover some of these things in more detail. For those just starting with anxiety, it can and will get better, you may never be anxiety free or you may be able to achieve that, but just keep working at it and keep coming here for support. I know I've spent most of my morning at work on here, and that's okay because I'm having a rough time at the moment.

[Linda01818]

Regardless of when it strikes, how it strikes, what it stems from or what we think causes it, anxiety comes from within ourselves. We create it. Not willingly, of course, but it just happens. It could be something that's happened recently to send our minds off in another direction or it could be something that's been building, little by little, since childhood. I don't believe any substance (food, drugs, etc) causes anxiety. It's something that is developed within our minds. We do it to ourselves.

Mine blindsided me. In my early 40's I just started having panic attacks and it's developed from there, into GAD and HA as well.

I just want to be happy again. I just want to live my life every day without constantly worrying about what may or may not happen. It's bordering on debilitating.