Constant Illness

[sofiawebster]

Okay so since september, I have had, tonsillitis a number of times, scarlet fever, colds, chest infections the lot.. now I've been to the doctors and they keep saying it's nothing to worry about but, I'm really not convinced.
I keep saying to myself 'oh its just anxiety you'll be fine', and my constant fear of meningitis and heart problems is kinda making me think 'yeah it is anxiety'.. but then I think.. how the hell can I have this many illnesses? like I'm pretty sure anxiety doesn't produce bacteria lmao..
Not helping that my asthma has been worse cos of stopping smoking and winter, that may of contributed towards my chest infections so I stopped smoking.. but yeah I'm so just so stressed with this and I'm worried because my fear of going outside and getting infected is getting worse, so I'm becoming more depressed, and officially a month self harm free and I don't wanna go there..
help.. anxiety or really sick?

[Starman]

What you describe can be symptoms of anxiety. Constant anxiety/stress can lower your immune system.

http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms/infections.shtml

[Katki]

None of the things you've had are serious anyway, I've had tonsilitus since I was really little and they never even took my tonsils out and I was getting it about 5 times a year at one point!

Thankfully I didn't have HA at that point, lol.

September is sort of a rough time as lots of illnesses begin to rear thier ugly head around that time, I think. Next year I'm 100% getting the flu jab, even if it doesn't work!

Chest infection is really common in anxiety sufferers.

It's good that you stopped smoking.

I know it's ridiculous but I do try to ''think'' myself healthy. If you actually start thinking, Oh I'm healthy! You will slowly believe it and probbaly notice your symptoms lessening as your anxiety over it lessens. I always think if you're on the internet googling and typing out your health related symptoms and problems they probbaly arent that bad!

p.s. congrats on 1 month. keep going, that's really amazing.

[Munchlet]

Hi
If it makes you feel any better I've had 4 colds and an ear infection since September and it worries me too.

But as others have said stress and anxiety do have an impact on the immune system and I do believe that once you pick up one thing you are more prone to picking up others.

The key is if your doctors aren't worried then you shouldn't be. Sept is that time when everyone returns to college/school and the bugs start circulating. I work in and infant school and I was worrying about myself but having seen teachers going down with things every few weeks it's reassured me.

Try not to stress I'm sure once the winter passes you will start to feel better.

[GirlAfraid23]

I keep getting ill too...had what I think was mumps before Christmas, my face swelled up on both sides and had a slight temperature etc...Straight after that I had a severe chest infection that didn't clear up for around 5 weeks, followed my a sinus and head cold.
Now I have a UTI that I just can't get rid of despite antibiotics and to top it all off, I have a pain in my side/pelvis that won't go away. And IBS...so not great times here at the moment either :(