How long do your health anxiety episodes last?

[emmegee]

My health anxiety episodes usually follow this pattern:

-some symptom noticed, brood over it for a few weeks to a month, maybe a trip to the doctor for opinion on symptom

-health anxiety episode eventually ensues with fear, panic, obsessive thoughts and catastrophizing over symptom being something terrible. After experiencing this downward spiral, my body is in the anxiety state and it takes a long time for me to get through it. This state usually lasts about two months for me before I am able to pull myself out of the hole and start to feel normal again.

I am wondering how long it takes others to get through these episodes?

[unsure_about_this]

Dentist health anxiety about my teeth years, I go and get any problem sorted, but I am getting worst.

Sometimes other things can last for minutes or weeks.

[fma11122345]

I found a lump in my neck/sholder back in august and freaked over it for weeks till I went to the er and was told I was fine, that was not good enough and a few visits latter was told to go to a ent so I did and ended up being fine. A few weeks latter I saw sonthing on bone cancer and of cores I thought I had that. Now my new fear is brain cancer because of this numbing headache I get daily. So short awsner is I don't think I'll ever feal normal again, five months and counting....-.-

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[smoothie]

its always in the background but i have recurring episodes. ill learn of a new illness or type of cancer and ill be utterly convinced i have it and im guaranteed to die soon for a few days. then ill be better. i just have to wait it out. :shrug:

[xfilme]

Minor things that have fleeting symptoms i can overcome in as little as about 15 minutes. Ones with persistent recurring symptoms can last months. I think im on month two of my current health anxiety issue. Its exhausting. My life tends to go on hold while im freaking out. When it peaks and the sumptom disappears, i can revert to normal and become really proactive and focussed almost immediately. Its hell waiting for it to peak though.