denim03
06-05-17, 14:24
I've been on this forum before and read some of the threads/posts and today I finally decided to register and become a member on this site. Mainly because I feel hopeless and I don't think anyone can understand me better than people who are going through the same thing as I am.
My problem is that I don't know what's real and what isn't any more? When I get symptoms or believe that I have a certain disease I get this nagging thought at the back of my head that says "is this my health anxiety talking or is something really wrong this time? Should I go to the doctor or will I just get labelled as a hypochondriac?" For instance, I woke up with a slight sore throat and cough on wednesday and since I've been completely convinced this past few months that I have diabetes I forced myself to go for a 5 km power walk and did the same the next day but then I started experiencing sharp chest pain and difficulty breathing and I am now convinced that I have caused myself to get myocarditis (worth noting is that I'd been under a lot of stress a few days before this). The sharp pains in the chest lasted only for a day but I still feel discomfort and have difficulty breathing and a head ache. What did this do? Endless searching on google, crying, anxiety, sleeplessness and I am afraid to move because you have to rest as much as you can when you have myocarditis. Basically, I will do nothing but obsess over this day and night until my symptoms go away or I eventually go to the doctor. I've lost my sense of judgement. I feel like these thoughts and the anxiety that comes with it cripples me and I can spend days and nights and even weeks staying at home and crying and stressing over something I am convinced that I have. My health anxiety has completely taken over my life. My questions is, how do you deal with this? Any helpful tips regarding how to handle these debilitating thoughts are appreciated. How do you manage to have a normal life despite being convinced that you have a dangerous condition/disease? How do you manage to think logically? Or do you always make sure to get confirmation from a doctor?
My problem is that I don't know what's real and what isn't any more? When I get symptoms or believe that I have a certain disease I get this nagging thought at the back of my head that says "is this my health anxiety talking or is something really wrong this time? Should I go to the doctor or will I just get labelled as a hypochondriac?" For instance, I woke up with a slight sore throat and cough on wednesday and since I've been completely convinced this past few months that I have diabetes I forced myself to go for a 5 km power walk and did the same the next day but then I started experiencing sharp chest pain and difficulty breathing and I am now convinced that I have caused myself to get myocarditis (worth noting is that I'd been under a lot of stress a few days before this). The sharp pains in the chest lasted only for a day but I still feel discomfort and have difficulty breathing and a head ache. What did this do? Endless searching on google, crying, anxiety, sleeplessness and I am afraid to move because you have to rest as much as you can when you have myocarditis. Basically, I will do nothing but obsess over this day and night until my symptoms go away or I eventually go to the doctor. I've lost my sense of judgement. I feel like these thoughts and the anxiety that comes with it cripples me and I can spend days and nights and even weeks staying at home and crying and stressing over something I am convinced that I have. My health anxiety has completely taken over my life. My questions is, how do you deal with this? Any helpful tips regarding how to handle these debilitating thoughts are appreciated. How do you manage to have a normal life despite being convinced that you have a dangerous condition/disease? How do you manage to think logically? Or do you always make sure to get confirmation from a doctor?