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View Full Version : Health Anxiety- thoughts working backwards



Caseyg89
11-11-17, 02:05
Hi everyone,

I was talking with my partner today and one thing that we noticed was the fact that my health anxiety has worked backwards. I started to fear death, which translated into a fear of cancer for me. I then started to notice any symptoms that could be attributed to cancer and did such. Since doing this, I have feared about 14 different types of cancer over the last 10 months. For example, in February I started to worry about cancer and noticed I was peeing a lot. I used a symptom checker and up came some scary diagnoses. So since I was fearing cancer, this is w hat I became convinced I had. Once this symptom stopped or I received reassurance, I would notice other symptoms in my body and determine what type of cancer they must be. I also realize that I have doubted every test that I have had. My first test in February was for my ovaries, I thought the radiologist might have mistaken a cyst. Then when I became pregnant, I thought I was having a false positive test. I doubted 2 endoscopes, 2 colonoscopies and ultrasounds. Does anyone else feel that they have experienced something similar?

artist12
11-11-17, 19:15
Absolutely - cancer is my biggest fear as well, and I'm not sure why I fear it more than other diseases. There is a much greater risk of diabetes, cardiac issues, etc. in my family as opposed to cancer, those are the things I should have a healthy concern about.

I have phases in which I equate every symptom, every pain, to some kind of cancer. For some reason I have sort of a sub-obsession with having cancer and not catching it until it is too late.

Hang in there - I think it's progress of some sort that we can start to recognize these thought patterns about ourselves.

emmegee
12-11-17, 22:28
I have phases in which I equate every symptom, every pain, to some kind of cancer. For some reason I have sort of a sub-obsession with having cancer and not catching it until it is too late.


Me too. Today I had a complete downward spiral anxiety attack at the thought of stomach cancer. I have no real symptoms but that doesn't matter since many cancers have no symptoms until they spread. Its a paralyzing fear.