Should I return to healthcare?

[Limeslime]

I was a staff nurse until 3 years ago. My health anxiety started the following year in 2017.
I have the opportunity to return to nursing but I’m terrified incase it will be a toxic environment for my HA.
I’m so confused. What should I do?
Has anyone ever been in a similar situation working in healthcare whilst suffering with HA?

[Gee]

I’ve not worked in healthcare but just a thought... it might make it better in some ways? My friend works in A&E and she says she doesn’t worry about health she just thinks what happens happens and she sees so many awful road traffic collisions and that kind of thing that she doesn’t worry at all about the common things we worry about - might make you think ‘I could be worse off’? Not sure - I watch medical shows a lot and they never make me worse which you would assume someone with HA would avoid them like the plague!

[bin tenn]

I've been in Healthcare Information Technology (software engineering) for five years. Not the same as a clinical setting or providing care, I know, but I'm exposed to all sorts of things. Diagnoses, words and phrases that used to trigger my health anxiety, etc. For me, I think it ultimately helped me realize if some of that stuff were going on with me, I'd also be in the hospital and / or seeing my doc, and receiving treatment. It helped me learn to not react just because I see a word or phrase related to an illness. I also thoroughly enjoy what I do, and I'm good at it, I'm successful. I refuse to let anxiety stand in my way of 1) doing what I love, and 2) helping others, because the work I do makes a difference in the care that people receive.

[SarahNah]

One of my best friends had some of the worst HA, fear of blood, fear of vomit, out of anywould I had ever meet. She was scared of alot, she kinda through life fell into being a nurse (Long, long story). She said it's the best thing that's ever happened to her. She works on a cancer ward for older people, so she deals with hard things everyday but she said talking to these people being with them has changed her life. She's never looked back, it's changed her mindset so much. I remember all of my friend group was worried about her, but she's shown us how wrong we were to worry- she could cope better than she ever expected herself. So why not take the chance? If you find it's not for you, you can always change jobs?