Is it me, or is cancer EVERYWHERE?

[carabijoux]

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all as well as can be :hugs:

I'm not sure if it's just me, but cancer seems to be EVERYWHERE right now.

Everywhere I look, I see it.

On adverts. On social media. Amongst my friends and family. In magazines. In the people I meet. In the people I work for. The girl who works for me.

All I seem to read is stories of people losing the battle (despite knowing that's not always the case - my own Dad is in remission from Leukaemia).

My HA is so extreme right now, that even the slightest 'trigger' can send me in a downward spiral. But right now, it feels near impossible to avoid it.

I feel this huge shadow on my heart. The fear is just so great - and I'm just so tired of every twinge or every niggle sending panic signals to my brain.

I don't know. I don't even know what the point of this post was...other than to say if there's anyone else out there struggling with fear induced by HA and you just can't seem to avoid everything you're terrified of, I'm with you.

C xo

Ps. I just wanted to clarify - not that I think cancer shouldn't be spoken about!!!!!!!! It just seems right now that it's surrounding me, and my HA just gets worse and worse with every encounter :( I feel selfish even saying that, because there are people who ARE facing their fears in the most real sense. But at the same time, I wouldn't wish HA on anyone :( x

[BrokenAge]

I know exactly what you mean. One of my fears was schizophrenia for awhile. Anxiety always produces a vast range of symptoms and I was terrified that any panic attack would trigger some rare mental disorder. I would see a video of "what it's like to be schizophrenic" or I remember reading an article about a murderer who happened to be schizophrenic and everytime it send me into sheer panic. Just last night I saw a commerical about a young girl with Leukemia and that's what prompted my last post. Seeing all these diseases and disorders scares me. My biggest fear in life is feel helpless and that's a major part of why I think I have health anxiety. I hope this has some consolation to you.

[carabijoux]

I know exactly what you mean. One of my fears was schizophrenia for awhile. Anxiety always produces a vast range of symptoms and I was terrified that any panic attack would trigger some rare mental disorder. I would see a video of "what it's like to be schizophrenic" or I remember reading an article about a murderer who happened to be schizophrenic and everytime it send me into sheer panic. Just last night I saw a commerical about a young girl with Leukemia and that's what prompted my last post. Seeing all these diseases and disorders scares me. My biggest fear in life is feel helpless and that's a major part of why I think I have health anxiety. I hope this has some consolation to you.

I know, right BrokenAge?

It's so hard - because the more you try to avoid what you're afraid of, the more fuel goes into the anxiety.

But for me - any sad story I read just literally breaks me. Even though I may not even know the person, I just feel this immense grief and heartache - in addition to fears for my own health.

It's just so, so hard :( xo

[DisgracedAngel]

I totally get it too. I realise this is somewhat affects so many people (not just ones who get it but families, etc) and all day long the adverts on TV are for cancer charities asking for donations and they really use emotive advertising to try to get you to do it, however for me it just gets my mind going!

[aaronrh76]

I agree. I am finally getting better from a lung cancer scare due to my HA. My intercoastals are strained so I get some chest pains from time to time which triggers my panic, plus anxiety causes chest pain, its like a never ending cycle, and when I try to relax and watch tv or at work listening to the radio, every other commercial is cancer this cancer that lol. Good lord no wonder HA is on the rise.

[Fishmanpa]

It's has the same exposure now as it has over the last several years. It's more that you're hyper aware of it. It's the same about noticing a number or a certain car. You know... you buy a car and all of a sudden you see the same car everywhere.

Positive thoughts

[debs71]

I agree. I find it both disturbing in terms of my anxiety, and frankly (and I know I sound like a moo for saying this) irritating.

Cancer is a huge reality. This we all know. It is a horrendous disease and has a terrible impact on both the sufferer and everyone who knows and loves them. It deserves public recognition and all of the help it can get to fund continued research, but I do feel that there is far, far too much in the media these days about it. It has sort of reached saturation point now IMO, and to a point where it may well be turning people OFF to donating, which is kind of counterproductive.

I understand the need for funding, but i sometimes feel that here in the UK (in particular) with all of the TV/media campaigns/ads to 'help fight Cancer/help Syria/help dogs charities/help water aid/etc, etc. that they think we are all some kind of bottomless pit of money, which frankly most of us are not. The campaigns that REALLY annoy me though, are the ones spearheaded by celebrities, ie. the charity ads. It is hard to stomach a celebrity who is making megabucks asking Joe public for cash. Why don't THEY donate their pay packets??!!

Sorry for ranting, but this subject is a tetchy one for me. As an anxiety sufferer too, I totally understand your feelings, carabijoux. Though I don't suffer from full blown HA, i do teeter on the edges of it, and I too find the constant bombardments upsetting and unsettling. I sometimes feel that we are so inundated with negatives these days - images, news, advertising - in life, while the positives and uplifting and inspiring things get very little reference at all! :shrug: