View Full Version : An extreme method for dealing with health anxiety
I've started having counselling for my health anxiety. Most of it has been fairly obvious stuff about recognising the thought patterns involved, but there was a rather unexpected technique, which I found quite useful.
This comes with a warning: If you do it properly, this can be really, really upsetting. I wouldn't suggest doing this unless you're a long term sufferer and you know it's health anxiety that's causing the problems.
My therapist's advice was to set aside a good 40 minutes and write out a 'script' where whatever I'm worrying about at the time gets taken to its ultimate conclusion. So, I sat down and wrote a story when I developed cancer, slowly lost the battle against it and then died. Even writing it as fiction was one of the most unpleasant things I've ever done.
His argument was that HA tends to occur as a cycle, and by doing this you skip what could be months of build-up and confront the main issue. Like I say, it's brutal. I felt shaken for the whole day after I did it, but then I was alright for a couple of weeks.
I've started having counselling for my health anxiety. Most of it has been fairly obvious stuff about recognising the thought patterns involved, but there was a rather unexpected technique, which I found quite useful.
This comes with a warning: If you do it properly, this can be really, really upsetting. I wouldn't suggest doing this unless you're a long term sufferer and you know it's health anxiety that's causing the problems.
My therapist's advice was to set aside a good 40 minutes and write out a 'script' where whatever I'm worrying about at the time gets taken to its ultimate conclusion. So, I sat down and wrote a story when I developed cancer, slowly lost the battle against it and then died. Even writing it as fiction was one of the most unpleasant things I've ever done.
His argument was that HA tends to occur as a cycle, and by doing this you skip what could be months of build-up and confront the main issue. Like I say, it's brutal. I felt shaken for the whole day after I did it, but then I was alright for a couple of weeks.
Wow this made me have chills just reading it. You see i do pretty much the same but in my head, i always play out what's going to happen even down to imagining my family grieving and my funeral, it's dreadful. I'm not sure how writing it like this would help but maybe it does for some?
I'm not sure how writing it like this would help but maybe it does for some?
It's keeping a journal of your thoughts. Writing it all down can be cathartic for some and the realization afterwards that you're still alive and breathing could be an "ah ha" moment for some. Also, revisiting the journal can show one the irrationality of the thoughts at that time. I've read many comments saying just that from those on the road to recovery.
Positive thoughts
It's keeping a journal of your thoughts. Writing it all down can be cathartic for some and the realization afterwards that you're still alive and breathing could be an "ah ha" moment for some. Also, revisiting the journal can show one the irrationality of the thoughts at that time. I've read many comments saying just that from those on the road to recovery.
Positive thoughts
Yeah i agree about writing down your thoughts fears ect as in keeping a journal to look back on. But actually writing out a play/script of you being diagnosed with cancer ect ect is a bit different, for me personally i don't think that would help just make me cry, but i can see where the logic is coming from with it
It makes me cry too. Profusely, at times.
I've just tried it for the third time and it's brutal. Did seem to help a little before, so hopefully it will do here too. Like I say, I wouldn't even contemplate this unless you're unfortunate enough to reach the "oh no, not this again" stage where the logical part of your brain is 99% certain that it's health anxiety.
Ironically, since writing the first post, I've had quite a bad relapse with my health anxiety! Really struggling to cope at the moment.
I have jounraled in the past, when I was in a particularly bad episode. It wasn't health related anxiety at the time, in fact I never found any root cause for it. It was just four straight months of generalized anxiety.
In the end, it tapered off, and the journal from the period still sits on a shelf. I have never opened it, but it did help me at the time to set aside the anxiety as what it was.
countrygirl
21-06-16, 19:45
Its a very common aspect of CBT to get you to do this, its like facing your phobia as you would with say a spider phobia and they make you get closer and closer, its supposed to reduce the feelings of fear!!
It specatularly didn't work for me as knowing has never been a fear of mine, its the not knowing whats wrong that freaks me. Once I know whats wrong even if its not good and i have some serious health issues then I can deal with it so this aspect of cbt was wasted on me:)
MyNameIsTerry
21-06-16, 22:53
Its a very common aspect of CBT to get you to do this, its like facing your phobia as you would with say a spider phobia and they make you get closer and closer, its supposed to reduce the feelings of fear!!
It specatularly didn't work for me as knowing has never been a fear of mine, its the not knowing whats wrong that freaks me. Once I know whats wrong even if its not good and i have some serious health issues then I can deal with it so this aspect of cbt was wasted on me:)
Yep, it's a technique that can be used issue exposure therapy. Another is getting people to read all about a cancer to it's worst conclusions.
It's about habituation and extinction. Passing through and seeing you are ok time & time again until it no longer triggers fear the same way.
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