View Full Version : How do your family and friends react to your health anxiety?
I was wondering how anyone suffering with health anxiety parents or family or friends react to it? I was told to simply get over it.
Well that's bad advice. You can't just get over anxiety. However, if your threads here are an indicator of how bad your HA is then it is understandable that your all consuming anxiety is driving your significant others crazy. Get help from a psych and I think your family etc will have more patience with you because they will see that you are taking steps to address your anxiety.
Well that's bad advice. You can't just get over anxiety. However, if your threads here are an indicator of how bad your HA is then it is understandable that your all consuming anxiety is driving your significant others crazy. Get help from a psych and I think your family etc will have more patience with you because they will see that you are taking steps to address your anxiety.
Oh no sorry this was in general, I am very away it must drive them crazy, but I've also suffered depression and not been told to get over it, so I was wondering if anyone else doesn't get health anxiety took seriously, I do get help. I have seen someone since I was 14 for some issues unrelated but have brought it up since, I am 20 now. I was wondering how over sufferers family's react out of curiosity, sorry if I annoyed anyone with my threads
I was told to simply get over it.
General?
I was told to simply get over it.
General?
Yes I wasn't asking for advice. I wanted to know in general and was explaining how I got told.
ok confused now.
Good luck.
ok confused now.
Good luck.
You've had health anxiety, how's was yours treated by others when you told them? Is what I asking, I was saying I was told to get over it.
Elliejane44
17-09-17, 18:06
Hi
I have mixed . My parents are great , dad better but both are really supportive .
Husband does not get it as much he really tries but sometimes just gets so annoyed at me going on and on. Can't blame him
Most of my friends know and some are very good others just think it funny !
Sisters both excellent support .
Does that help
Ellie
My mum has a friend with health anxiety, and she's always telling her to stop worrying, she's wasting doctor's time and she tells me that she finds it annoying. Little does she know that in my head i am always worrying about something 24/7, but i feel like i can;t say anything because now i know she isn't very supportive of her friend. that's why i come on here, because there are always people that understand :)
Mine is mixed up
My mom at first would be like "anxiety and depression are for the weak minded" when she finally saw me go through it at my worst she changed. But she has moments where she does not have the patience.
My husband just tells me to relax. He finally listened to me recently and is being more supportive.
In laws think I'm doing it for attention as well as my brothers. It hurts.
A close friend of mine once said that she didn't get my anxiety and I tried explaining it to her and she cut me off and said "don't come to me about that I get it enough from my mother"
I just come here. But here I get the 50/50.
Mine is mixed up
My mom at first would be like "anxiety and depression are for the weak minded" when she finally saw me go through it at my worst she changed. But she has moments where she does not have the patience.
My husband just tells me to relax. He finally listened to me recently and is being more supportive.
In laws think I'm doing it for attention as well as my brothers. It hurts.
A close friend of mine once said that she didn't get my anxiety and I tried explaining it to her and she cut me off and said "don't come to me about that I get it enough from my mother"
I just come here. But here I get the 50/50.
Really where? As in on here? Ive never seen a post where someone said they're doing it attention :(
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CleverLittleViper
20-09-17, 19:15
When I was at my worst, my mam was supportive, and my brother, too. I think my dad didn't "get it." It was beyond his comprehension, and his attitude was kind of, "You've got too much time on your hands." He didn't seem to understand that what I had on my hands was/is a mental illness that can't be fully done away with by simply occupying all of my time with other things.
The thing is, to people without anxiety, we are oddities. We are nuisances, to be blunt. And it is true. I know when I was at my worst, I was erratic, and annoying, and all I would talk/think about was, "Is this symptom a sign of x, y and z disease? OMG, I'm going to die!" I was a nightmare to live with and be around. I'm not saying that everyone should be fun to be around 100% of the time, but being around someone who is constantly worrying over something is not fun at all.
It's important for the people in our lives to be supportive, and encouraging, and understanding. However, I also think it's important for us to understand why our way of thinking/being is so confusing to others. I read something that someone wrote regarding this topic. It's about how people with anxiety/depression often feel misunderstood, and frustrated that the people around them won't come to their way of thinking. Never realising that their way of thinking is wrong-and the people around them are right.
I've been told all sorts-get over it, you're putting it on for attention, you've got too much time on your hands. All kinds of variations intent on minimising and trivialising what I'm going through. It's tempting to think they all meant ill will and harm when they say it-but a lot don't. They want to help, and in some ways, these "tough love" nuggets are intended as little helpers, but it's a situation that must be navigated with the precision of a razor blade. Not easy for a lot of people to deal with. Especially if you live with someone who is in the thick of an anxiety breakdown.
I know I've rambled a bit. :doh: It's just that sometimes, I think that people without anxiety don't understand, and that they may say things that are out of turn/rude/harmful to us without even realising it. It wasn't until my dad sat with me in a doctor's appointment and had the doctor explain what was happening and how it was affecting me did he start to understand the severity. So, if anyone is struggling with their relatives or friends not understanding and maybe being a little bit ignorant, it might be a good idea to point them in a direction of some reading material/videos about the subject. Just so they can gain a better understanding.
I annoy myself so can only imagine how my family feels. My mum is great. She will come help with the kids but I find she starts telling me all her ailments and I start worrying about her too. My dad always says nothing a vodka and stiff upper lip can't cure. My sisters are supportive too and try help. I've never been told just get over it. How can you? The symptoms are real and until you get to the bottom of why you have said symptom your mind can't rest. I can see some peoples frustrations because some stuff I've read on here is just pure bonkers.
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