I wonder

[luc]

Hi all,

I wonder how many of the hundreds of members and the thousands of posts relating to worry about one disease/ ailment or the other over the last 10 or so years actually panned out to be anything. Probably VERY few. So with those thousand of worries times them by hundreds of hours - all in all, a hell of a lot

of wasted time:mad:

Lucia:hugs:

[Catherine S]

Lol Lucia, its true and probably why the older I get, the less I worry...after all I'm still here :)

ISB x

[luc]

Likewise ISB ! It saddens me when I look at my old posts of about 6 years ago and realise I had the same irrational worry last week and last month and last year!! We are like hamsters on a wheel - no wonder we are exhausted ha. HA is the only illness that about 95 % ( my guesstimate ) of us actually have.

[nomorepanic]

On the flip side what about those of us that never had a worry about health and end up with "real" illnesses that are life changing and in fact nearly cost us our life.

There are a few of us on here

[Catherine S]

Its ironic nic isn't it, that the people on the forum who do have true illnesses don't panic. Is that because having a real condition diagnosed means knowing what you're dealing with and getting on with it?

[nomorepanic]

For me ISB it was realisation that I could have died, and I want to carry on living so life is too short to worry about every ache and pain and just get on with living.

I don't allow myself to think about the future as I have no idea what it will bring and no-one has a crystal ball.

I do admit - and this has never been kept a secret on here - that I can't understand why people spend all their time worrying about an illness they probably will never ever get and they don't truly live their lives because the worry consumes their every thought.

What will be will be - what happened to me was meant for a reason and I just have to deal with that and get on with things.

I can't change things so yes as you say I just get on with it and rarely moan about all the problems I have with my illnesses cos what can anyone do - nothing really.

[luc]

That is true Nichola . I suppose that because I only use the HA forum most of the people are the worried well. 'The worried well' now that is an oxymoron as when you have HA to the extent that some do or did on NMP ( I include myself) you are really not well, you do have a very real illness wich when chronic can definitely be life changing and, in a few cases, life threatening.

[Catherine S]

:bighug: don't tell everybody nicola ok? I mean, from someone who doesn't do hugs that's a floppin big hug right there.

[nomorepanic]

Thanks ISB - I know you don't do hugs lol xx

Luc - it is frustrating for me to see people with HA so desperately sad and wanting answers. Sometimes there aren't any answers though and we just have to accept that and live life.

[luc]

luckily I've kind of got there myself now Nicola and NMP has played no small part in that. THe worst part of HA for me was that even in the early days I was very aware that my illness was a mental one but that would not stop me from OBSESSING over a physical one. With me there was never the experience that once you realise it's a mental thing half the battle is over as I was always aware I had HA,which I believe to be a form of OCD. I can understand your frustration Nicola as from where I am now I want to shout there is nothing wrong with your lymph nodes,no you not going to have a heart attack etc. However that would be rich so I am just truly grateful that I got here in the end :hugs:

[nomorepanic]

Luc - I just read what I wrote and it came across wrong. I meant that it frustrates me to the point of sadness - not anger towards sufferers.

I just want to hug someone and shake them at the same time and say "YOU ARE OK" if that makes sense

[Fishmanpa]

Luc - I just read what I wrote and it came across wrong. I meant that it frustrates me to the point of sadness - not anger towards sufferers.

I just want to hug someone and shake them at the same time and say "YOU ARE OK" if that makes sense

That's where I'm at right now. Like you Nic, I've faced my own mortality. That being said, you don't need an experience like that to get your head on straight. It is truly sad to see so many, and especially so many young people, consumed with worry and fear when they should be enjoying life.

My daughter suffers from anxiety and her Mom and I made sure she's getting help. She's doing well now and enjoying life. It can be done. One has to have the desire to do so. How many here answer "nothing" when asked what they're doing to treat their anxiety?... LOTS! Yes, it is frustrating and sad :(

I too sometimes want to reach through the screen and while I'm thinking slap upside the head as opposed to hug, the sentiment is the same ;)

Positive thoughts

[nomorepanic]

Hi FMP

I hoped you would comment as you have been through way more than me and most of us on here but I think we are both on the same wavelength with things.

Life is so precious and you have to understand that and do all you can to get control of the HA.

I just wish people would get some help with the route of the problem - some form of anxiety - rather than just plod on posting the same thing all the time but never indicating that they are doing anything to help with the anxiety.

Unless you treat the cause you cannot treat the predicted outcome.

[Catherine S]

Hey fishmanpa...almost forgot to wish y'all happy independence day :D

ISB x

[Notsoskinny]

Sorry to sound a bit thick, but Does HA stand for Heart Attack ? It's the only relevant explanation I could find by having to google HA!! As a Newbie ( yes a new person to this forum ) I would appreciate it if at least somewhere through the thread I could at least pick up on what the 'HA' actually stood for. Perhaps a link to this sites forum abbreviations would prove useful to someone like myself who is trawling feverishly for relevant answers on other topics ?, LOL ( that's lots of love :blush: ).

[nomorepanic]

HA = Health Anxiety

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks ISB :D We went to see fireworks last night but they were cancelled until tomorrow due to rainy weather. We're just chilling out and relaxing today. I have a gig Saturday night and one on Sunday afternoon so I better get some rest while I can ;)

Notso... HA is Health Anxiety. Thus the forum this is on...

Nic.... The thing is, I've personally used the CBT course that's offered here for my own mental demons (depression and occasional "scanxiety"). It works but you have to work at it and truly want to get better. There has to be a real desire. I had a conversation with Robin and it's amazing how few downloads there have been based on the number of members and the cost. Bottom line is actions speak louder than words.

I know with my physical illnesses, attitude played and still plays a huge part in my recovery. I struggle daily but I also work at my attitude daily. Most of the time I succeed and I allow myself the grace to fail once in a while.

Everyone is different and what works for one may not work for another but you have to at least try! Anything has to be better than suffering. You can get better and heal. There are many I know that have. That's not to say they have a blip now and again but they have the tools to keep the dragon in his cave. Speak to a medical professional openly and get referred to a mental health professional.

Positive thoughts

[Notsoskinny]

Thanks ISB :D We went to see fireworks last night but they were cancelled until tomorrow due to rainy weather. We're just chilling out and relaxing today. I have a gig Saturday night and one on Sunday afternoon so I better get some rest while I can ;)

Notso... HA is Health Anxiety. Thus the forum this is on...

Nic.... The thing is, I've personally used the CBT course that's offered here for my own mental demons (depression and occasional "scanxiety"). It works but you have to work at it and truly want to get better. There has to be a real desire. I had a conversation with Robin and it's amazing how few downloads there have been based on the number of members and the cost. Bottom line is actions speak louder than words.

I know with my physical illnesses, attitude played and still plays a huge part in my recovery. I struggle daily but I also work at my attitude daily. Most of the time I succeed and I allow myself the grace to fail once in a while.

Everyone is different and what works for one may not work for another but you have to at least try! Anything has to be better than suffering. You can get better and heal. There are many I know that have. That's not to say they have a blip now and again but they have the tools to keep the dragon in his cave. Speak to a medical professional openly and get referred to a mental health professional.

Positive thoughts

Sorry Fishmanpa, I got to this page via the active topics/todays post. I've now seen the column on the right !!! will be more observant next time:blush:

[swgrl09]

Honestly, I haven't faced a life-threatening illness but went through my mom's. She had HA her whole life and I always had a little but not bad. She got diagnosed with a ridiculously rare cancer out of nowhere and I will NEVER forget her sitting there telling me how it wasn't worth worrying all her life because all of her worrying would not have prevented what happened to her.

Then she died a month after that. Then my HA went crazy.

But you know, as an HA sufferer myself, it's hard. I feel split because part of me knows what happened to her and doesn't want to live my life in fear like she did. God forbid I do die young, I don't want to live in fear like this. That is my motivation to work on this stuff.

At the same time there is a part of me that is so traumatized by what happened that it is super anxious and on edge, ready for anything, aware of all symptoms so that I don't get caught off guard by something like that ever again. No matter how much work I do on my own HA and other anxieties, I don't know if that part of me will ever really come to terms with what happened ...

I guess we are all different. There is no one size fits all approach. But I do appreciate the members here who have been through the worst of health problems and come out on the other side ok. It's a good reminder that illnesses are not always the end and also puts our own lives in perspective.

Thanks

[luc]

So true Fishmanpapa. Whether mental or physical it is how you deal with it. With HA it can be more drawn out as in most cases you are not making clinical decisions. Real illnesses need action on the part of the patient and the provider. With HA you can just be sucked into apathy or denial or just complete anxiety/depression and nothing changes you just live this life which is very sad for you and must be so frustrating for others. I won't mention names but there is someone on here who made me write the OP (original post) who I would like to hug/shake in the same measures.eighties!!
AS your tag says Nicola, Be afraid of a unlived life and this forum and the wise ( and not so wise) amongst it has made me see just that !!!

[Primula]

I have used the online course as suggested on here, and Robin is brilliant, he answered my emails and was very helpful.

I've recently been having CBT with a fantastic therapist, and it's really helping with all areas of my life. We are working on my HA now, and as she predicted it has got a little worse, because she is making me face things I haven't faced before. But as Robin Hall says, setbacks are not relapses, they are a chance to learn the new skills you have learned.

Although I have a way to go yet, it's the first time I feel I can conquer this.

I want to live the rest of my life, fear free, and I will. I will control panic and anxiety it will not control me, or choose what I can and cannot do.

I highly recommend anyone to have a look at the online course.:D