View Full Version : Is the health anxiety just about yourself, or others well ?
i would be interested in people views, as when I am ill I am convinced its something serious and I am going to die, yet when someone else is ill, like my son or husband, I can see the illness/complaint for what it actually is, and don't panic or think irrationally.
I really dont worry too much about my own health but am really obsessive about my husbands and kids health, convinced that every little thing is potentially serious....I'm also a nurse and a little knowledge is definitely a dangerous thing in terms of anxiety.
Coni XX
Most obsessed about my own health but overly concerned about my family also.
This is a very interesting question indeed and has got me thnking.
Mine almost certainly stems from worry about other people's health. My mum had breast cancer when I was young (but she is still here and well nearly 20 years on), my brother has ME, my little boys both had worrying health problems that landed them in hospital (though nothing actually really serious). I had a multiple sclerosis scare 10 years ago which led to some anxiety. But in the last 18 months I have had panic and anxiety from nowhere and a lot is related to my health. Not others - it is all inwardly focused. It no longer focuses on others but on me. So it has changed.
I just don't think I can cope with illness deep down and it has wrecked my mental health, presumably.
My biggest worry apart from my own health, is the health of my children. As soon as one of them says I have a headache/tummy ache/feel hot etc. etc. I flip and the anxiety starts.
Solely about me, rather selfishly! Whenever anyone else is ill, I always think 'They'll be fine', but can often never apply the same logic to myself! However, I have been much better lately, thanks to happy pills and supportive friends and family.
I'm glad someone brought up this topic! My Health Anxiety is limited to myself, unless I have reason to believe that a family member or friend is likely to be at risk of something serious.
Usually if my partner/mum/dad/friend is anxious about something I can see how unlikely it is and not worry.
Weird!
I only found out i have anxiety like 2 days ago.. up until then i thought i had lung cancer or something similiar... damn tight chest .. now i know what it is its just got worse! ruining my life!
I have suffered from this for 25 years, and strangely I am still alive. I only seem to be really worried about myself, if my wife is ill I normally reckon she will get better. If she has a tummy bug, I fall to pieces!
Unfortunately just about me.
If someone else does get ill, I worry about getting it.
:lac:
i would be interested in people views, as when I am ill I am convinced its something serious and I am going to die, yet when someone else is ill, like my son or husband, I can see the illness/complaint for what it actually is, and don't panic or think irrationally.
That's true for me, it doesn't mean you aren't sympathetic or anything like that. Several times I thought I have something very, very serious, I spend days worrying myself and convincing myself it is what I think it is, then I finally go to the Doctor and it turns out to be nothing or something completely benign.
When we watch the TV or Google the internet we only see the bad consequences and we see that we have some of the symptoms which led to it. What we don't see is that for every bad consequence those symptoms lead to, there are 20, 50 or more benign ones.
An example - when I was younger I found a lump on one of my testicles. It was a time of "increased awareness" about testicular cancer so naturally my thought was "sh*t, this is it, I have it". I made an appointment with the doctor and spent a couple of very bad days convincing myself I was going to die. The Doctor examined me and declared it a benign cyst, they are very common, yet I had no idea.
This raises a point about "awareness campaigns" and their effect on health-anxiety sufferers, I think I'll post a new thread.
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