Hyperfocusing on symptoms

[wingo22]

Hi all,

i know this may have been asked before, but how does hyperfocusing on symptoms make your symptoms more intense or feel worse?? Is that really a thing?
For example if if you think you have a brain tumour and focus on your headache would it make your headache worse?

Does it work the same for like tingling and other symptoms too?

 Any resources that you know of that may help with this for me. I’m hyper focused on tingling and weird sensations in my foot now. 

[Worrywart84]

Yep. I’m living proof. I have an uncanny ability to make symptoms appear after reading about them. And then disappear once fears are alleviated.

[jojo2316]

I would say most categorically YES

[Gee]

I agree with worrywort, I had every MS symptom going until I had a clear MRI

[spacebunnyx]

Hi, for me hyperfocusing means I feel every little tingle and ache I would normally ignore in an area I am worried about. At one point when I was worried about lung cancer I hyper focussed on my breathing and developed an anxiety cough which made the anxiety worse! The brain is so powerful. 90%+ of all we do is unconscious.

[KatieProsecco]

I feel every body sensation as well. Then typically can even create them which is very difficult to deal with. I have a throbbing sensation at the back of my nose area which gets worse when doing things even just going to the shops. The more I have it, the more i focus on it constantly. It drives me mad but on the plus side I do know it's anxiety related. Need to figure out how to accept it and move on which is proving impossible at the moment it. Our bodies and minds are weird things!