Need to help each other

[tjb113]

There is one thing I've noticed now in my years of living with health anxiety. We all are guilty of going to Google or forums like these and looking up articles and posts of people who are experiencing issues like we are. It might help us feel better to know others are out there dealing with the same things, and maybe if it didn't end badly for them then maybe it won't be so bad for us. That gives us hope, though that's usually where this all falls flat.

What I have noticed from viewing forums like this, other forums, comment areas on threads, and so on, is that people come to the forums to report their problems and report what they're dealing with but you never see the resolution. The posts always end with the outcome up in the air and that really negates the greatest benefit that these discussions could have, and that's to provide some closure to those who read about what we're dealing with. I find others with my symptoms, there might be a back and forth with other users about the symptoms, but then it ends. It could be 5 years since that post occurred but that person never returns to say how they're doing, what the tests found, what they found out it was, or anything of that nature. In the end I think this often only makes matters worse for those of us who come across those discussions. I think it's very helpful to others like ourselves if we followup with what we're dealing with, but maybe that's just me.

[Fishmanpa]

tjb... it's a virtual world. Yes, there are real people behind the screen names and posts but the reality of this forum and many others is it's a click away from going away. You hit the little "x" and poof!

I know personally for some, they've just taken the bull by the horns, got real life help and moved on. In many instances, once someone is in therapy for HA, being on the forum and feeding the reassurance cycle isn't healthy and many are advised to stay away. There are many from this forum that have done so and started a Facebook group focused on recovery. Reassurance seeking and symptom posting monitored closely!

You can look at the post history and find the resolution there as well. Often you'll see a "OMG I'm dying" post, never see a resolution and then see the poster posting about something else a week later. The conclusion is obvious right?

The best and most likely case is that they took the advice given, acted on it and moved on with their lives.

Positive thoughts

[Minivil]

I'm new here, so I don't know about all the dynamics. My health anxiety typically comes and goes, and this is the first time I've talked to "internet people" about my fears as opposed to bothering my husband or solitary googling of symptoms and scanning my body. For me, this is a better alternative. Google is for health anxiety is like a special rung of hell. It's EXTREMELY easy to get caught up in the vicious, self-fulfilling loop of panic over illness, and EXTREMELY hard to get off the ride. All that is to say, this place offers a degree of safety for some.

Kind of agree with Fishman. I think there are some who might use this place differently and in time might find it triggering. For me, I'm finding it rewarding to talk with others and recognize similar anxiety patterns in myself (and a couple others of varying severity in my family). Interesting stuff.