View Full Version : What is anxiety?
I've never actually focuses on this, instead I worry about imaginary illnesses. Does it mean there's something medically wrong if I assume the worst. I had bloods done a few months back and everything was ok so it simply is anxiety. I don't know how it works so maybe if I did I could beat it quicker
Good question! I think it's irrational fear. If my house is burning down and my child is inside then my anxiety level would be and should be sky high. But to have my anxiety at that same sky high level because my house "could" burn down with my child inside someday...well then that is irrational anxiety. And I think that's what many of us here have. Why is a whole different story lol.
N.
I've discovered a friend also has this and we were laughing at our irrational thinking. Is it a part of our personality or something deeper?
I don't know. It's good to hear you can laugh at it. That's very healthy...and rational. Sometimes I wonder if it can't be traced back to something. Not necessarily a single event. But possibly something that kept one afraid as a child. Such as the possibility of a fight between a mom and dad that often fought. What do you think?
N.
Sometimes everyday things become very worrisome. Work, money , family. It can get to the point where you just feel like you cant handle one more thing going wrong.
I've always pin pointed mine to my mom having a skin cancer removed. Funnily enough I was not worried about skin cancer until later this year. I have had HA for a year, this month actually! And worried about everything and anything possible,
That's true also. Sometimes we are just totally overwhelmed by life. Then I think at a certain point it can spiral out of control. I mean our anxiety can get beyond what is warranted by life's events.
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I've always pin pointed mine to my mom having a skin cancer removed. Funnily enough I was not worried about skin cancer until later this year. I have had HA for a year, this month actually! And worried about everything and anything possible,
Just wondering - how long ago did your mom have the skin cancer? My dad had melanoma and they took care of it thankfully. Now I do the annual skin check.
Last June just before my HA kicked in, she had basal cell and has three monthly check ups and *touch wood* been fine since.
Stressed32
23-07-16, 21:51
I just asked this question in a thread today. I used to have health anxiety where I had a real symptom but assumed the worse based on something real...now my mind literally sees and feels things that are not there! I can feel heavy chest for days and swear it's hard to breath and convince myself I have some cancer but then we go visit friends or family comes to visit and that pain is gone! Currently, I have an invisible bump on my chest. It comes and goes...I know there is no bump but now I can't stop checking to make sure it didn't come back. Sigh. I wish I knew what to do to just make the thoughts stop. Distraction and exercise r my best options but I can only be distracted for so long ya know
Oh ok. Yeah basil cell is technically skin cancer. But it is extremely common and easily and effectively treated. I've had that before. Doc cut it right out. melanoma is far more serious. Not to down play your concerns or your moms basil cell. you should just get your annuals like me and you will be fine for sure.
N.
---------- Post added at 20:54 ---------- Previous post was at 20:51 ----------
I just asked this question in a thread today. I used to have health anxiety where I had a real symptom but assumed the worse based on something real...now my mind literally sees and feels things that are not there! I can feel heavy chest for days and swear it's hard to breath and convince myself I have some cancer but then we go visit friends or family comes to visit and that pain is gone! Currently, I have an invisible bump on my chest. It comes and goes...I know there is no bump but now I can't stop checking to make sure it didn't come back. Sigh. I wish I knew what to do to just make the thoughts stop. Distraction and exercise r my best options but I can only be distracted for so long ya know
Hi - I've been where you're at right now. I know it isn't easy but you can take positive steps to help yourself. And you mentioned two of them - distraction and exercise. Also - stop googling - it's really bad. Good diet. I think it will pass for you.
I check myself every few months. I was obsessed with my freckles a month back, so so so obsessed. I was checking by the hour. I'm low risk and rarely burn, just freckley as are most of my moms side. She used sun beds religiously for ten years though.
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It's so bad that I get any symptom and because of my constant googling I'll remember what it can be a sign of 'pins and needles = stroke/ms/brain tumour, headache = aneurysm/brain tumour' I wish I was more logical. That's what's missing here. And I'm quite intelligent and blunt and cut the crap on any situation but my anxiety, it always seemed to win.
I like freckles!:D Can you imaging how many freckles there are in the world without issue? Gotta be at least...um...a kajillion or so...:)
Don't worry you are fine. Now go enjoy your vacation...and don't forget the sunblock!
N.
---------- Post added at 21:02 ---------- Previous post was at 21:00 ----------
Hahahaha...intelligent, blunt, and cut the crap! Now you're talking my language!:hugs:
I just wish I was as blunt with myself and this darned thinking!
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:roflmao:
I suspect you're going to kick your HA's butt when all's said and done.
You've kept your sense of humor...and that's so important.
MyNameIsTerry
24-07-16, 06:16
Does it mean there's something medically wrong if I assume the worst.
No, not the way you are thinking about it. There is a mental health disorder in play, so technically something is wrong and this is what you need to get help with.
Some anxiety disorders are categorised by naming diseases which proves that your statement is completely allowed for.
These types of thinking behaviours are well documented and a good place to start is reading the Cognitive Distortions page on Wiki. Those NAT's as they call them show how thinking is biased towards the negative. This differs for us all and it's also heavily influenced by how our anxiety has manifested e.g. I have no HA issues but have other obsessive problems which mean I employ some CD's (or I used to since I've got a handle on them and have done for some time now) but in different "volumes" to say you. When I say "volumes", consider the NAT's like a set of volume controls or perhaps controls like sharpness, brightness, etc on a TV.
You would really do yourself a favour by doing some CBT. And I don't mean IAPT CBT where info can be generic, I mean as in something that goes into more detail so you can understand things better. There are plenty of workbooks for this. IAPT CBT is hit and miss, you may get a good one, you may get a poor one, but the workbooks tend to stick closer to what CBT actually is and as a consequence of this, you are taught more about thoughts, feelings, sensations and emotions. There is also plenty of info out there on the various anxiety disorders but don't limit it to just the articles on here as they are getting on a bit and places like the charities can fill in gaps. Use Google for something proactive, learn about your anxiety and not focussing on todays worries with your searches.
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