Does anyone else do this particular checking?

[ClipClop]

I've been getting on and off nosebleeds for about 18 months which has become an outright health obsession for me. I'm terrified of getting one and, as a result, I've fallen for all the anxiety tricks and have massively limited my daily behaviours in an attempt to not get one.

But one thing I've done for so long now that I honestly can't remember if it's normal to do - I check inside my nose all the time. I get really close up to the mirror, tilt my head back and flare my nostrils to see if there's any blood inside. Is this behaviour extreme or does anyone else check inside their nose routinely? Is it normal to do this??

It would be helpful to know as today, after checking, I saw some dried blood inside and instantly felt terrible. I proceeded to keep checking and of course I just felt progressively worse. I couldn't help thinking that if I hadn't checked at all, I might not have known until I blew my nose or something. I could try not doing this if I knew it wasn't 'normal'.

Thank you for listening. I know this sounds ridiculous but it upsets me so much. I've had several cauterisations by an ENT doctor and, even though the severity of the nose bleeds is less, I'm still not 100% fixed. My therapist thinks they are caused by stress and I should learn to 'not care' but I'm terrified of them.

[AMomentofClarity]

My therapist thinks they are caused by stress and I should learn to 'not care' but I'm terrified of them.

I know it’s much easier said than done, but I think this advice is very solid for most forms of health anxiety. The same way people move from one fear to the next....as soon as something new starts, an existing symptom goes away. The trick is finding something else besides health to care about, then it all goes.

[roseanxiety]

I don’t think the behavior of checking inside your nose is normal behavior. You are hyper vigilant about the nosebleeds which causes your anxiety to ramp up resulting in constant checking for bleeding. That is not normal . Maybe you can stop doing it now.


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[ClipClop]

Thank you for replying, both of you. You speak a lot of sense. X

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Yes it's obsessive behaviour (OCD) stress can certainly build up and can cause nose bleeds, you need to focus on other things can I ask what help are you getting for your HA? As this points to the main cause of your problem! ATB

[unsure_about_this]

I dont check my nose as much (apart from lately last couple of days I got a small spot/pimple which I have picked) I keep thinking this is nose cancer.