How to ignore feeling unwell(?)

[KayeS]

I don't know whether or not it's health anxiety still in the back of my mind, or there is something genuinely wrong with me (although I've had every test under the sun it feels like), but I always seem to feel tired, unwell, sick, and just generally not very healthy despite eating well, going to the gym and trying to have a positive attitude. I am not sure whether or not it's to do with having health anxiety and focusing too much on how my body feels... I'm sure that is a part of it. If I feel a new twinge or sick feeling for a even a second, I feel the adrenaline of panic rush through me.

My question is does anyone have any successful ways they have found to just not focus on things like this and try and 'think' themselves into feeling healthier and more positive? I just can't shake a feeling in the back of my mind that something is wrong with me and that my health is declining. It really gets me down and stops me enjoying life as much as I should be :(

[Sam123]

It sounds HA related to me, i;ve been through phases like that and it doesn't make any sense why i feel so groggy. Try focusing on the healthy things you do, like you say you eat well and exercise which is great for your body. I'm assuming you intake enough water too?

You will be very aware of your body and every little thing you feel, as you said you automatically feel panic with a twinge. I've said this lots of times but we tend to have the view that a 'Healthy person' does not experience any symptoms, never feels any pain or strange sensations and thats simply not true. We dwell on the smallest of feelings until we are convinced there is something serious going on.

You said you've had many tests done so to me it definitely sounds like HA and stress. :)

[Carnation]

Try to think of logical reasons for the pain, twinge, ache or feeling.

Examples:-

Pain in chest - Rushed food and have Indigestion/heartburn

Tired - overdone things, too much fresh air, not eaten enough food

Pain in Jaw - clenching of jaw, gritting teeth

Pain or ache in stomach - trapped wind

Pain in shoulder - trapped wind or too much hunching shoulders

Headache - tiredness, hunger, hunching of shoulders

Feeling faint - dehydration, breathing erratically, hunching of shoulders


Use this method when you feel a symptom and it will help you. :)

[MRS STRESS ED]

My question is does anyone have any successful ways they have found to just not focus on things like this and try and 'think' themselves into feeling healthier and more positive? I just can't shake a feeling in the back of my mind that something is wrong with me and that my health is declining. It really gets me down and stops me enjoying life as much as I should be :([/QUOTE]

you have to find a way of coping with this ,instead of what if its this what if its that ,change it to what if its not, what if I am well :yesyes: start to
live ,focus all that energy on positive thoughts do something every day ,plan things stay busy ,keep your mind busy doing things not worrying sending you positive thoughts xxxx

[Carnation]

Mrs Stressed, I agree.

The down side to that is the increase in exhaustion from the keeping busy constantly. And as we know, the Anxiety symptoms are more likely to occur when we are relaxed, so we end up in a burn-out period.

It's the Fear we have to keep at bay and that is easier said than done.

I take each day as it comes now. I do make plans, as we all need something to aim for and look forward to. But, I don't overload myself with chores and responsibilities.
I've taken up lots of hobbies and past-times rather than bog myself down with jobs.

Hope you are keeping well. :)

[KayeS]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I am pretty sure it's mostly to do with anxiety... I just hate how if for example I notice myself feeling a bit light headed, or nauseous, a list of about 10 things instantly goes through my head, of serious illnesses, and I don't even have to dwell on it, just the thought that it might be one of those instantly makes me feel as if I am actually sick... I am trying SO HARD to rid my mind of these irrational thoughts, I've been having counselling sessions for 3 months now, but they aren't really helping. I am doing a LOT better than I was before but instead of how I used to be, which was a constant state of panic, it's more an underlying worry that I have now that just makes me feel generally ill, because the underlying worry is that I have a serious illness lurking beneath the surface :(

[Davit]

Mrs Stress ed

The answer is in your post. There are good what ifs too you know but no one seems to use them.

For me I just accept that I'm getting old and I'm on borrowed time. One day it will be gone so I'm enjoying it.

[swajj]

Because one perceived illness follows another perceived illness I try to tell myself that it is highly unlikely that the latest one is any more real than the others. For example, last week you thought you had a brain tumour and the week before that it was bowel cancer. Now this week it's ALS. How can that be? What are the chances? If one thing always takes the place of another thing then it has to be anxiety. 3 months isn't long when it comes to counselling. I was under a therapist for well over a year. I didn't take medication so don't give up on counselling and turn to medication because you think counselling isn't working.

[KayeS]

I'll definitely stick with the counselling but I just really don't think I'm the type of person that can benefit from this style of therapy... I'll stick it out regardless. I am definitely a lot better in general than I was but it's mainly due to my own work on myself. Today I've actually woken up feeling rested for the first time in a long time, and I feel well today. So I'm gonna remember this feeling and try and make it every day!

[MRS STRESS ED]

Mrs Stress ed

The answer is in your post. There are good what ifs too you know but no one seems to use them.

For me I just accept that I'm getting old and I'm on borrowed time. One day it will be gone so I'm enjoying it.

WE ARE ALL ON BORROWED TIME DAVIT AND YOUR SO RIGHT ENJOY EVERY MINUTE WE ARE HERE AND TAKE THE ROUGH WITH THE SMOOTH ONE LIFE ONE SHOT :hugs:LETS LIVE IT

[swajj]

Because one perceived illness follows another perceived illness I try to tell myself that it is highly unlikely that the latest one is any more real than the others. For example, last week you thought you had a brain tumour and the week before that it was bowel cancer. Now this week it's ALS. How can that be? What are the chances? If one thing always takes the place of another thing then it has to be anxiety. 3 months isn't long when it comes to counselling. I was under a therapist for well over a year. I didn't take medication so don't give up on counselling and turn to medication because you think counselling isn't working.

How logical do I sound? What I forgot to add to all that logic was that the thought that usually follows all that logical blah blah blah is "BUT what if this time it really is real". That's been my experience this week. And I think it started the day after I wrote that post. If it wasn't so pathetic it would be funny. I'm so over Health Anxiety.

[Davit]

Mrs Stress

We are all on borrowed time and that is the underlying fear with HA, not that they have some horrible disease like my arthritis which doesn't kill but that their life is going to be cut short. Three score and ten may be the average but it is not a guarantee. (and I'm getting close) I just live each day to the best of my ability and try to enjoy them. Once I'm dead I won't remember any of this anyway. Might as well enjoy it.

[MRS STRESS ED]

Davit you could be around for years to come my nan is 91 and there is no stopping her ,but your right we are only here once I try to tell myself enjoy life and live xx just now and then god dam anxiety kicks us xx ut we keep positive :D

[MyNameIsTerry]

I would suggest reading this thread:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=168527

An interesting concept is Primary and Secondary pain.

Primary is the actual physical pain being experience and secondary is the translation of the conscious mind. So, if we focus on it and be negative, we only intensify secondary pain.

I know I have this issue and more recently I have been trying to think about what I am focussing on & why. I have found that I can recognise my negative focussing on physical pain and understand that I am making it worse. Thats perhaps step 2 after learning about it as step 1. The next is dealing with it by dialling down my secondary pain issues.

There is an interesting articles on it here:

http://franticworld.com/can-mindfulness-meditation-really-reduce-pain-and-suffering-by-90-percent-2/