Someone please help!

[Myranda]

I have severe health anxiety, to the point where I went to the doctor for the SIXTH time last night and she told me my anxiety was so bad that I need to get immediate psychiatric help. I could not find any, however, I am seeing somebody tomorrow...
I have this fear of getting Meningitis or any other severe sickness. I keep checking my neck by doing the Meningitis neck test, checking my temperature every hour or so...
A couple of nights ago I even went to the ER because my body didn't feel right and they did every single test on me from blood tests to ECG, X-rays, etc.

I started taking Zoloft last night as well. 50mg of it and I don't know if it's making me feel worse.

I've been feeling super dizzy lately to the point where I feel like I'm going to fall over. I get heart palpitations too. I keep feeling like there is something wrong with me and it makes me feel like today is my last day everyday. I don't know what to do anymore.

[SLA]

Hi Myranda,

Sorry to hear you're feeling so crap. The Zoloft will take a while to work.

You have gone into a downwards spiral of anxiety.

Your brain is super stressed, and feels vunerable. It is focussing all of its attention on your bodily sensations, and you have become hyper-sensitised to everything. To a point where every sensation could mean something significant.

Then you have worrying thoughts. Then you identify with the thought, and label yourself as.... "sick, dying etc"

It is a viscous self-perpetuating circle.

You are seeing someone tomorrow, that is awesome!

For the rest of the day, try and give your poor brain a rest. Focus on doing something to occupy your mind.

Go for a walk. Talk with a friend. Do some puzzles. Bake a cake... whatever it is to get yourself out of your head for a while.

Then talk it through with the therapist tomorrow.

Good luck!