Health Anxiety about everything!

[LS26]

My health anxiety started about 3 months ago were I became obsessed that there was something wrong with me. I had my first panic attack Christmas Day and ended up having to go to urgent care because I thought I was having a heart attack. 3 months in and still no better...been to doctors numerous times, had blood tests- all normal, this satisfied me for about a day then convinced myself the doctors had missed something. My stomach constantly churns and makes really loud noises....I am continuing to lose weight (even though I am eating) I have to go to the toilet ALOT....which again makes me think something is wrong with me. I bath in the dark so I can’t see my body just incase I see something that quite right...I also google symptoms up to 25 times a day. I suppose I am writing in here just to see if anyone else who suffers with health anxiety has the same symptoms and these are all ‘normal’


Thanks for listening

[au Lait]

Everything you described is classic health anxiety. It sounds like the only thing “wrong” with you is anxiety, which can be managed in various ways. Therapy, medication and CBT seem to be the most effective treatments for most people. Loud stomach noises and frequently needing to go to the bathroom can definitely be side effects of being anxious all the time. If you’re not doing anything to treat your anxiety then you’ll continue to feel this way.

Anxiety isn’t really something that just goes away on its own. It will take conscious effort on your part to counteract your current way of thinking. It’s really not as daunting as it sounds. It’s just retraining your brain and, like any kind of training, it takes effort and time. You can start by quitting the google habit. That is something that is directly within your control. Stop googling every time you have a sensation and you will start to feel a lot better.

Best of luck to you.

[LS26]

Thank you...I am on the waiting list for CBT..hopefully it will help.