Health Anxiety

[Serenitystars]

Hi everyone, new to this website so far I’m enjoying reading all the experiences and stories that people share. It gives me a feeling that I’m not alone :hugs:.
I suffer from HA on and off, my family thinks I’m crazy sometimes they prefer the tough it out approach when it comes to most thing so I often have to go to google for things related to health which then scares the lights out of me.
I was wondering if anyone has some coping methods to share while I wait for my doctor appointment in about two weeks (family doctor is pretty booked) for this spot on my hand, it’s like a tiny red dot/hole (I think it’s a wound that never healed or something). Been there’s for awhile (years :unsure:) but lately I been having pain in my index finger and I notice the spot sometime get really red. The spot doesn’t seem to get bigger or really change though but I’m kinda scared that I’ll end up with late stage skin cancer...
At the moment I just want to see a doctor right away and feel like waiting two weeks might kill me :unsure:

[ErinKC]

Waiting is the worst for sure. Maybe it's a wort of some kind. Just keep thinking about how you were able to handle having this on your hand for years without worry. That means it's your anxiety that's worrying you now. Likely you've just irritated it somehow.

I like to describe anxiety as a little bird that flies around looking for somewhere to land. It doesn't like to be in the air for long, so once you stop worrying about one thing it managed to find somewhere else to land... like a red spot you've had for years.

Try to plan some activities that can distract you from thinking about it. Exercise, do yoga, read, drink tea... plan some soothing activities into your day that make you feel like you're taking care of yourself. My therapist also told me that I should put a rubber band around my wrist when I'm having a lot of anxiety/invasive thoughts, and every time I have one, snap it on my wrist. This is a way to make yourself more aware of how much your thoughts are getting away from you, and ground you back into reality.

[Serenitystars]

Thanks so much for the tips and your reply! Lately it just seem I have medical popping up all over the place, my HA is shooting over the roof :unsure: and since it summer place I have plenty of time to let my mind wonder which is extremely bad.

---------- Post added at 21:47 ---------- Previous post was at 21:45 ----------


Waiting is the worst for sure. Maybe it's a wort of some kind. Just keep thinking about how you were able to handle having this on your hand for years without worry. That means it's your anxiety that's worrying you now. Likely you've just irritated it somehow.

I like to describe anxiety as a little bird that flies around looking for somewhere to land. It doesn't like to be in the air for long, so once you stop worrying about one thing it managed to find somewhere else to land... like a red spot you've had for years.

Try to plan some activities that can distract you from thinking about it. Exercise, do yoga, read, drink tea... plan some soothing activities into your day that make you feel like you're taking care of yourself. My therapist also told me that I should put a rubber band around my wrist when I'm having a lot of anxiety/invasive thoughts, and every time I have one, snap it on my wrist. This is a way to make yourself more aware of how much your thoughts are getting away from you, and ground you back into reality.

Thanks so much for the tips and your reply! Lately it just seem I have medical popping up all over the place, my HA is shooting over the roof :unsure: and since it summer place I have plenty of time to let my mind wonder which is extremely bad.
(Sorry for the double reply, still trying to figure things out at this site. Didn’t see this quote button :doh:)