"Lucky you got that removed it was starting to change"

[Masonn]

So, I got some weird brown spot removed from my forehead despite my doctor and my parents telling me I'm just being paranoid. I'm 17. And today I went to get the stitches and whatnot checked and the doctor told me "lucky you wanted to get it removed, it was starting to change" or something like that. What does that mean? I asked him what does that mean? And he said don't worry, it was not cancer. I don't get it? He had to go see another patient so I didn't have much time. I wasn't there to see him I just was there to see the nurse.

This scared the absolute shit out of me. What does that even mean? Was it melanoma in situ? Or just a dysplastic mole? He told me not to worry it's completely removed now but I can't help it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

That's doctors for you, a seemingly innocent remark that someone without HA would think "phew!", the HA person will obsess even though it's not even in their body anymore.

It could have been many things. He/she may have meant it was changing some form of stage into when you would need it removing, but it doesn't matter since it's been done.

The important thing is that he/she said you had something removed before it could even become a problem. If they are happy with that, you need to do your best to accept it and move on. Hard I know, but it's the right way.

[Masonn]

I guess you're right, it just scares me that there was something that was potentially dangerous with me and in a way I was somewhat right to get it removed and they were wrong, and it makes me even more scared to think about what other things I might be right about.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I can imagine. These things do sometimes happen but perhaps on this occasion you knew enough to know you should push all the way and with something else you may have less conviction so will work through it as anxiety?

You did the right thing consulting a doctor. Doctors do sometimes make mistakes, but the vast majority of the time they do further tests to check or rule out, or take action. Again, as a non HA person I would be saying 'well, that's doctors but thank god I sorted it' but for you, it's a very different thing to process as that's at the core of your disorder. So, maybe the answer lies in working on your anxiety to get yourself out of that mindset? If you can reduce it's impact, or recover completely, you will have more of a chance of looking at this without the skews that your anxiety brings.

"What ifs" work both ways remember - "what if it happens again" BUT "what if it never happens again". The latter are termed "Positive What ifs" and you counter the negative one with 3-5 of these. That's just a technique, but the point is that there is little point worrying over something that may never happen, something we are all working on in this place.