Reassurance is never enough for the health anxiety monster

[Lilly13]

Hey guys..
in the past week I have thought I had jaundice because of slight yellowing in eyes.. I didn't.. for any worriers it is actually normal to have some yellow!! Don't google. I even got liver tests.

I have worried about a lymph node on my neck- being linked to popping ears and = cancer - ended up being benign

Now I am worried about two bumps on my scalp that appear to be causing some scalp swelling - after checking the other symptoms the doctor basically wanted to push me out of his office lol.. so he didn't check these bumps throughly.. however - I am wrong about literally EVERYTHING - so I need to believe him that these are clogged hair follicles and not like head cancer causes my ears to be clogged lol.. it sounds so funny

BUT HOW?

TIPS PLEASE

much love

Lilly xx :flowers:

---------- Post added at 17:01 ---------- Previous post was at 16:57 ----------

Please help - need guidance

[CatLady1]

You're right; reassurance is only ever a temporary solution when you have HA.

I really recommend a workbook called 'Understanding Health Anxiety', by David Veale, which I am going through at the minute. It helps you to understand the roots of your HA, and gives you techniques to practice putting it in perspective.

If medication is an option for you, you might want to talk to your GP about an SSRI or other antidepressant. Personally, I have found sertraline to be a huge help.

[AMomentofClarity]

The key is you need to learn to stop seeking reassurance. It doesn’t help because your issue isn’t the fear du jour, it’s a deep seated anxiety. As long as you have the anxiety, a new fear will always arise.

Therapy and medication. You’ll learn to challenge your thoughts and not give into your desire to Google

[Lilly13]

Hi CatLady,

Thank you for your reply.. yes I am a clinical social worker.. and I deep down know the root of my health anxiety is in the fact that I am so excited by my future and my life that I am petrified that something like an illness will steal that away from me.. but what I don't acknowledge is how I am stealing my own life away.. with health anxiety.. :( I am miserable often.. I can't even concentrate at work

---------- Post added at 18:11 ---------- Previous post was at 17:32 ----------

I guess I challenge always stands with how can I be sure that I am not neglecting my health? I think that's always my intrusive thought.. like if I don't get it checked will I feel worse because I am neglecting

[Liddy1993]

I get you. I always feel like I need to ask for reassurance because what if I don’t and it turns out to be something serious and I’ve neglected it? Then when I ask for reassurance be it by doctors or by my friends and family I don’t believe it :roflmao: I think reassurance makes you feel better for a little while but then you constantly need it. What I find helps is ask once and get it checked if you must and if nobody is worried about it remind yourself of the reasons why it isn’t something serious and they always outweigh the reason why it could be something sinister. Health anxiety is such a pain though I relate to you.

---------- Post added at 18:31 ---------- Previous post was at 18:30 ----------

I can do relate to it stealing your life too I’m 25 and have spent the majority of my life worrying about something or other and know in years to come I’ll eegret it. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an off switch for that part of our mind?

[Scass]

The key is you need to learn to stop seeking reassurance. It doesn’t help because your issue isn’t the fear du jour, it’s a deep seated anxiety. As long as you have the anxiety, a new fear will always arise.

Therapy and medication. You’ll learn to challenge your thoughts and not give into your desire to Google



Yes this.
Also, you can’t un-google. So just try not to google the first place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lofwyr]

Yes this.
Also, you can’t un-google. So just try not to google the first place.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I found it was a lot easier to beat down my HA in the days before Google. I am of an age now where I have managed to put most of it behind me and live life. That said I have been faced with a couple real and serious health problems, and found when dealing with an actual problem, Google is an amazing tool. The irony of me using Google for help with genuine issues makes me laugh a bit.

I have to say I have felt very mortal of late, but have been able to avoid seeking reassurance. I have accepted I will in fact die, but rather than feeling scared, I accept it and live life. Young me never could have imagined this version of myself. The reassurance cycle makes that hard to do, maybe impossible. Reassurance kindles the obsessive thoughts, and like a hit from a drug, you might feel better briefly, but the problem of the addiction worsens with each cycle. At least it did for me.

[Lilly13]

I am feeling really insane today.. I went to another doctor because I wasn't happy that the other doctor didn't even bother looking at the bump on my head.. also it feels almost inflamed now and tender.. the other GP said that it was an infection/inflammation caused by a scratch or cut or something that happened on scalp and prescribed cream. I am so stressed out still.

I keep thinking that this isn't it and I just caused it to get infected by touching it so much.. Do you think the doctor could tell if it were a swollen node? or a tumour?

Can they tell the difference?

Fisherman pa I need your insights on this.. haha