Worrywart528
19-01-16, 15:40
I can remember having health anxiety as far back as my early teens. I was afraid of AIDS... If I saw a band aid on the street it would set me off. These fears subsided and I had a few good years.
When I was in highschool I started to get sick my junior year. I was getting head colds, ear infections, sinus infections every other week. I lost 20 pounds and My lymph nodes all over my body popped up. My blood counts were off. It was at that time I first heard the C word in regards to my health. Endless tests, blood tests, a biopsy on a node in my neck.. countless anti biotics. I lived in fear during for the last two years of Higschool. While waiting for biopsy results i lived with the fear that I only had a few years left. When it was all said and done my tonsils were removed and I stopped getting sick every two weeks. I had peace for a short time.
My freshman year in college I Started experiencing muscle twitching and floaters in my eyes. I convinced myself I had ALS or MS. These thoughts consumed me. I started having panic attacks, from the constant worrying I was tired and slept alot more. The twitching continued. I had a break down where I told my girlfriend I think I had a nuerological disorder and I was dying. Eventually my symptoms never progressed and I accepted these twitches were from stress.
I had a very productive life and since college my health anxiety popped up and quickly faded. With every new girlfriend or hook up I quickly became anxious about STD's. I would examine myself non stop.... and get testing. I know these fears are insane but I obsess over it.
My newest bout of HA has been my worst and the one where I am saying I need to fix this. It is melanoma and other skin cancers. I grew up in the sun and came from a family that never used sun screen. We spent summers at the beach and I played outdoor sports my entire life. I used tanning beds in my 20's and sporadically into my 30's. I have alot of moles and over the last year have been sick over melanoma. It consumes me and I find myself obsessing over it. I will have a good day and start surfing the internet. I will find a story about someone whos life was cut short by melanoma and I find myself crippled with anxiety. I want to enjoy my life and have fun. It has been almost 20 years suffering with bouts of Health Anxiety and I cannot live like this anymore. I am open to any advice or help. I have never seen a mental health professional but am certain I have OCD and anxiety.
When I was in highschool I started to get sick my junior year. I was getting head colds, ear infections, sinus infections every other week. I lost 20 pounds and My lymph nodes all over my body popped up. My blood counts were off. It was at that time I first heard the C word in regards to my health. Endless tests, blood tests, a biopsy on a node in my neck.. countless anti biotics. I lived in fear during for the last two years of Higschool. While waiting for biopsy results i lived with the fear that I only had a few years left. When it was all said and done my tonsils were removed and I stopped getting sick every two weeks. I had peace for a short time.
My freshman year in college I Started experiencing muscle twitching and floaters in my eyes. I convinced myself I had ALS or MS. These thoughts consumed me. I started having panic attacks, from the constant worrying I was tired and slept alot more. The twitching continued. I had a break down where I told my girlfriend I think I had a nuerological disorder and I was dying. Eventually my symptoms never progressed and I accepted these twitches were from stress.
I had a very productive life and since college my health anxiety popped up and quickly faded. With every new girlfriend or hook up I quickly became anxious about STD's. I would examine myself non stop.... and get testing. I know these fears are insane but I obsess over it.
My newest bout of HA has been my worst and the one where I am saying I need to fix this. It is melanoma and other skin cancers. I grew up in the sun and came from a family that never used sun screen. We spent summers at the beach and I played outdoor sports my entire life. I used tanning beds in my 20's and sporadically into my 30's. I have alot of moles and over the last year have been sick over melanoma. It consumes me and I find myself obsessing over it. I will have a good day and start surfing the internet. I will find a story about someone whos life was cut short by melanoma and I find myself crippled with anxiety. I want to enjoy my life and have fun. It has been almost 20 years suffering with bouts of Health Anxiety and I cannot live like this anymore. I am open to any advice or help. I have never seen a mental health professional but am certain I have OCD and anxiety.