Do you really have HA?

[travelgirl77]

I know that is a random title, but there are times I think I have HA and other times I think I am just really intuitive and know something is truly wrong with either myself or my children. It is this latter feeling that prevents me from seeking help, because I think I am right, that something is wrong and no therapy will assist with that. I worry each and every day that I have breast cancer and that my kids have brain tumors...I mean every single day. Not a day has gone by in the last 3 years when I have not checked my breasts and have not looked closely at my kids eyes and behaviors. I feel like I have a strong intuition about things and have been correct about things in the past which makes me believe that what I fear is the truth. I am on high alert all of the time.

Everyone else around me wants me to seek help. I think help is kind of ridiculous because I know the diagnosis is coming. I am trying to determine how or if I need help, and really how well it can help. I cannot see me picking up the phone to schedule an appointment. Who has sought help and how did you get there? How do you know it is anxiety and not intuition? How?

[Fishmanpa]

Everyone else around me wants me to seek help. I think help is kind of ridiculous because I know the diagnosis is coming. I am trying to determine how or if I need help, and really how well it can help. I cannot see me picking up the phone to schedule an appointment. Who has sought help and how did you get there? How do you know it is anxiety and not intuition? How?

Two questions... Has your intuition ever been right concerning brain tumors and breast cancer and why are you on a HA forum?

You can speak to your GP about a referral for a mental health professional or contact your local mental health agency. (https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help)

Positive thoughts

[ErinKC]

If you have spent every day for three years thinking you have breast cancer and your children have brain tumors, yet none of you have ever had symptoms of these things or been diagnosed with them, then yes - this is health anxiety and not intuition. It is absolutely not normal to spend each day fearing breast cancer and brain tumors. It's not intuition to obsess over your children's behavior and appearance. It's not heathy for you and it's not healthy for them.

As someone who both grew up with a hyper-vigilant mother who has health anxiety and someone who also suffers from health anxiety myself, I implore you to seek help. Constantly checking your children will make them end up with anxiety. I say this as someone who ended up with health anxiety as an adult that mirrors my mother's exactly. My therapist tells me one of the reasons I have the anxiety I have is because I was raised in a house where I was taught that the world wasn't safe and that something terrible could happen at any moment. I was conditioned to assume that the smallest symptom could be something deadly. I spent most of my life rejecting this model, but after my daughter was born 5 years ago my severe postpartum anxiety morphed into a carbon copy of my mom's health anxiety. Thankfully, mine is completely internally focused and I don't ever get anxious about my daughter's health. But, to this day my mom pours her anxiety onto me whenever I'm with her. If I cough, or go to the bathroom more than usual, or have dark circles under my eyes, she obsesses about what could be wrong with me. It's exhausting to the point that being around her feels oppressive.

Seek help now, if only to save your children from this experience.

I finally started seeing a therapist when my daughter was a year old and I couldn't take it anymore. It saved me! I still struggle from time to time, but I could not have survived without her. Do this for both you and your children!

I would start by asking friends if they have someone they could recommend. If not, Psychology Today has a great list of therapist you can search through by geographic area, specialty, and what insurance they accept. Then, just start calling to see who has openings.

[Weasley123]

If you have spent every day for three years thinking you have breast cancer and your children have brain tumors, yet none of you have ever had symptoms of these things or been diagnosed with them, then yes - this is health anxiety and not intuition. It is absolutely not normal to spend each day fearing breast cancer and brain tumors. It's not intuition to obsess over your children's behavior and appearance. It's not heathy for you and it's not healthy for them.

As someone who both grew up with a hyper-vigilant mother who has health anxiety and someone who also suffers from health anxiety myself, I implore you to seek help. Constantly checking your children will make them end up with anxiety. I say this as someone who ended up with health anxiety as an adult that mirrors my mother's exactly. My therapist tells me one of the reasons I have the anxiety I have is because I was raised in a house where I was taught that the world wasn't safe and that something terrible could happen at any moment. I was conditioned to assume that the smallest symptom could be something deadly. I spent most of my life rejecting this model, but after my daughter was born 5 years ago my severe postpartum anxiety morphed into a carbon copy of my mom's health anxiety. Thankfully, mine is completely internally focused and I don't ever get anxious about my daughter's health. But, to this day my mom pours her anxiety onto me whenever I'm with her. If I cough, or go to the bathroom more than usual, or have dark circles under my eyes, she obsesses about what could be wrong with me. It's exhausting to the point that being around her feels oppressive.

Seek help now, if only to save your children from this experience.

I finally started seeing a therapist when my daughter was a year old and I couldn't take it anymore. It saved me! I still struggle from time to time, but I could not have survived without her. Do this for both you and your children!

I would start by asking friends if they have someone they could recommend. If not, Psychology Today has a great list of therapist you can search through by geographic area, specialty, and what insurance they accept. Then, just start calling to see who has openings.

You really must seek help. I grew up with an anxious mother who has numerous physical and mental health problems and absolutely refuses to acknowledge a mental health component or seek help I believe her constant worrying and obsessing over my health as well as not seeking help for legitimate ailments worsened my anxiety. Today we are estranged

[BlueIris]

You really must seek help. I grew up with an anxious mother who has numerous physical and mental health problems and absolutely refuses to acknowledge a mental health component or seek help I believe her constant worrying and obsessing over my health as well as not seeking help for legitimate ailments worsened my anxiety. Today we are estranged

Sounds as though there's a lot of us in this particular club, unfortunately. My relationship with my (anxious, unwilling to acknowledge it) mother is strained to this day, and I don't think I'll ever be able to completely forgive her for the years of emotional abuse.