recovery tips

[luc]

For those of us who are fortunate to be experiencing relatively good times regarding HA I would like to share (and hope others will to) the things that I feel have helped me feel better.

Getting a job
stop drinking alcohol
exposure
NMP

Lucia

---------- Post added at 21:38 ---------- Previous post was at 21:16 ----------

.....also you need to be committed to quitting (like any other habit/addiction) as in my experience it does not just fizzle out.

[luc]

....and finally ha, the best of all the tecniques I have put in place the one that has worked the best is controlling urges to check,google,see consultants/doctors. I use time frames which has really helped and give me a sense of control over the situation. I am not saying this is easy but I really helped me in terms of catastrophizing .

[Fishmanpa]

You nailed it luc!

You need to be committed! Just like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Much of HA is reinforcing negative habits (like Googling). Techniques and tools like CBT require practice and commitment and a real desire to get better. Doing things that make you feel better like quitting smoking, drinking, exercise etc. require commitment, will power and work but the return on investment outweighs it all.

Positive thoughts

[Carnation]

Yes, I agree, my Health Anxiety has thankfully gone, because I made a point of getting rid of it. I finally accepted that there was nothing wrong with me, stopped fretting about what I should eat or not eat, started living normally again. But, I wish I could say the same for the General Anxieties and Panic Attacks. (There's a lot of stress and emotions going on in my Life at the moment, so maybe it's because of that). I've always thought that there has to be a reason for everything).:shrug:

[worryworryworry]

....and finally ha, the best of all the tecniques I have put in place the one that has worked the best is controlling urges to check,google,see consultants/doctors. I use time frames which has really helped and give me a sense of control over the situation. I am not saying this is easy but I really helped me in terms of catastrophizing .

I like this - what are your time frames? and what do you mean by exposure?

B x

[luc]

By exposure I mean exposing yourself to the things you fear most those things that you avoid. In theory, each time you do so the fear lessens. It is not always easy and takes commitment and courage. For example, for ten years I have not been able to touch or look at my breasts for fear of finding a lump. If you read my posts you will see the impact of this on daily life. I always knew what I had to do but always found an excuse. A couple of months ago however i finally realised that if I don't expose myself to my fears I will be stuck with these well embedded avoidance teqhniques for the rest of my life. I did it the hard way as I was just exhausted and completely peed off with it all. I got up that morning, went in the shower, washed my boobs, looked at bra, put on bra adjusting boobs in bra and on the day went and the next day etc etc. Contact with my boobs is now becoming normalised. - my aim is to get to where I am not conscious of them. This takes determination and commitment but go does it pay off. I cannot let myself slip back to my old ways. I want rid of the days of pure unadulterated fear regarding everything to do with my boobs/ upper torso. I have done the above regarding female bleeding but we won't go into that one.

ps a more gradual process of exposure is what most CBT practicioners advocate.

Time frame - ooh I will have to come back to that when I get in from work:winks::winks:Have a good day all!

[luc]

Hi all - how hot????

Hi Worry, Worry, Worry (WWW in future ha)

By time frames I mean that instead of instantly reacting to symptoms say to yourself if this pain, swelling, etc is still there in given number of days then I will do something then. Until then I will not google and I will get on with daily life. Usually what had 5 days earlier been the 'real thing' requiring medical intervention had GONE. If I had of reacted I would have started a ball rolling and months later I would have had numerous tests, more 'knowledge', sometimes a lighter pocket and any reassurance gained would be short lived!

Lucia