Have you ever been so obsessed??

[Kez_miller]

Have you ever been so obsessed and convinced that you have got a fatal illness that you, run through conversations with specialists and doctors. The moment you are told that you have said illness, how you'll feel when you're told etc. And I don't mean just for a couple of days. I mean fornweeks on end that's all you can think about? Anyone else or just me? Lol

[Sampowell542]

This is me right now. I'll have no symptoms and then all of a sudden they'll just appear and I'll start thinking about how I'm going to tell my family I've got a fatal illness. I'd love to get out of this vicious cycle!

[cattia]

Yes, I often do this. I also dream about it sometimes :(

[MyNameIsTerry]

Not for health issues in my case but certainly over other events in my life. Distraction does help break it up a bit, you don't want too much thinking time when your anxiety is like this until you reach a place in recovery where you have more control over your obsessions so you can accept, confront, etc to stop it.

[Clydesdale Epona]

I find obsession really easy to fall into and I have for many things not just health but also other events, friendships/relationships, and even interests x

its a vicious cycle especially when it falls under health but it's important to remember how unlikely said thing is to happen. distraction is always helpful and so is grounding x

Best wishes :hugs:

[Sphincterclench]

Every day, and every night. I go from diagnosis to death.

the space between my ears is a neighborhood I should'nt be allowed to go to by myself awake or otherwise.

[swajj]

I don't have HA anymore but I used to do it. If I was at the doctors to get results I would be trying to read the receptionist's face because I knew she would have seen the results. If she was busy or something I would even start to think that she was avoiding looking at and talking to me because she couldn't face me now she knew I was dying. lol

It's funny now but at the time not so much. :shrug:

[robinhall]

The great thing about the posts in this thread is everyone realises that they are obsessing

That is actually a really important first step towards recovery

Realising you are obsessing is miles away from being convinced that each health scare is something absolutely real each time

So take heart and keep building on that. Mindfulness can be very helpful

You can read an 'quick read' cartoon illustrated introduction to Mindfulness here

THE MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS (http://cbt4panic.org/mindfulness-for-panic-and-anxiety/)

:-)