Ch1982
25-03-17, 12:05
Hi, I'm new to posting in the forums but have viewed them for a while now.
I'm hoping someone with similar experience of what I'm suffering from can provide me with support and advice on how to overcome my anxiety.
For a long time now I've had a recurring fear of cancer, particularly brain tumours. However, I also suffer from generalised anxiety and find that stress or perceived stress makes this worse.
Although I've convinced myself for the moment that it's unlikely I have a brain tumour due to my only symptom being recurring headaches that haven't really gotten worse over the lasts three months. I've visited a doctor who has prescribed me medication for my anxiety and doesn't seem at all worried about cancer.
The main problem I have is that I've developed very tiresome and ritualistic behaviour that seems to be focused around my neck. I think I've convinced myself that tension in my neck is causing my headaches but when I think more deeply into it I think my anxiety is making me perform rituals that is, in turn, prolonging the anxiety that I'm feeling.
Rituals that I perform at intervals during the day
- constantly flexing and stretching my neck
- pressing on my neck regularly
- using muscle relaxing cream on my neck
- using hot water bottles on my neck
- using moisturising lotion on my neck
- using vics vapour rub on my temples and forehead.
I guess at the bottom of this is the misguided belief that convincing myself that my problem stems from my neck in turn means that I don't have a brain tumour.
I don't get any relief from painkillers so I guess my anxiety is making any minor physical problem worse than it really is.
I'm really looking for some advice as to how to begin to gain more control over this behaviour and wonder if anyone has suffered similar problems and has any insight into my condition or any techniques I could try?
Thanks for reading.
I'm hoping someone with similar experience of what I'm suffering from can provide me with support and advice on how to overcome my anxiety.
For a long time now I've had a recurring fear of cancer, particularly brain tumours. However, I also suffer from generalised anxiety and find that stress or perceived stress makes this worse.
Although I've convinced myself for the moment that it's unlikely I have a brain tumour due to my only symptom being recurring headaches that haven't really gotten worse over the lasts three months. I've visited a doctor who has prescribed me medication for my anxiety and doesn't seem at all worried about cancer.
The main problem I have is that I've developed very tiresome and ritualistic behaviour that seems to be focused around my neck. I think I've convinced myself that tension in my neck is causing my headaches but when I think more deeply into it I think my anxiety is making me perform rituals that is, in turn, prolonging the anxiety that I'm feeling.
Rituals that I perform at intervals during the day
- constantly flexing and stretching my neck
- pressing on my neck regularly
- using muscle relaxing cream on my neck
- using hot water bottles on my neck
- using moisturising lotion on my neck
- using vics vapour rub on my temples and forehead.
I guess at the bottom of this is the misguided belief that convincing myself that my problem stems from my neck in turn means that I don't have a brain tumour.
I don't get any relief from painkillers so I guess my anxiety is making any minor physical problem worse than it really is.
I'm really looking for some advice as to how to begin to gain more control over this behaviour and wonder if anyone has suffered similar problems and has any insight into my condition or any techniques I could try?
Thanks for reading.