Sarah Lou
23-10-07, 22:48
Hello
I found this site a few days ago and have spent some time familiarising myself with it before saying hello for the first time, and I actually feel kinda nervous now!
Anyway, I suffer health anxiety (linked to depression), and it is a nightmare in only it's mildest forms!
I started to suffer the symptons of health anxiety at the age of 15, after I was sexually abused. This continued until the age of 32, when things changed considerably. From 15, although I worried excessively about certain health issues, I was always able to get back on track by discussing the issues with my Mum or by avoiding whatever I thought would exacerbate a particular condition, however, post natal depression after the birth of my first Son (at age 32) sent me spiralling into an unknown world of panic attacks/obsessive thoughts and anxieties I couldn't control! The panic attacks were horrendous and frightening and would put me in bed sometimes for a couple of days at a time, but slowly I learnt to control them and can happily say that I don't suffer panic attacks anymore although I do suffer anxiety attacks, which are quite different for me. With the panic attacks I learnt to control the physical symptons and eventually could stop an attack before it started by recognising the first signs, but with health anxiety I just cannot apply the same logic! I still have physical symptons but whereas the symptons of a panic attack would have a start, middle and end, the symptons of health anxiety stay with me for weeks at a time, even months! I thinks the difference is that I learnt to recognise a panic attack for what it was and knew it would eventually pass, but with health anxiety I never REALLY know whether it's in my head or whether I really am ill, and that freaks me out!
I think the deep seated reason for my health anxiety is my fear of getting ill and leaving my children, as they are my whole world, but why I think like this I just don't know??
It was a joy to stumble upon this site, and reading all your stories makes me feel less alone, and for that I am grateful.
Sarah Lou :blush:
I found this site a few days ago and have spent some time familiarising myself with it before saying hello for the first time, and I actually feel kinda nervous now!
Anyway, I suffer health anxiety (linked to depression), and it is a nightmare in only it's mildest forms!
I started to suffer the symptons of health anxiety at the age of 15, after I was sexually abused. This continued until the age of 32, when things changed considerably. From 15, although I worried excessively about certain health issues, I was always able to get back on track by discussing the issues with my Mum or by avoiding whatever I thought would exacerbate a particular condition, however, post natal depression after the birth of my first Son (at age 32) sent me spiralling into an unknown world of panic attacks/obsessive thoughts and anxieties I couldn't control! The panic attacks were horrendous and frightening and would put me in bed sometimes for a couple of days at a time, but slowly I learnt to control them and can happily say that I don't suffer panic attacks anymore although I do suffer anxiety attacks, which are quite different for me. With the panic attacks I learnt to control the physical symptons and eventually could stop an attack before it started by recognising the first signs, but with health anxiety I just cannot apply the same logic! I still have physical symptons but whereas the symptons of a panic attack would have a start, middle and end, the symptons of health anxiety stay with me for weeks at a time, even months! I thinks the difference is that I learnt to recognise a panic attack for what it was and knew it would eventually pass, but with health anxiety I never REALLY know whether it's in my head or whether I really am ill, and that freaks me out!
I think the deep seated reason for my health anxiety is my fear of getting ill and leaving my children, as they are my whole world, but why I think like this I just don't know??
It was a joy to stumble upon this site, and reading all your stories makes me feel less alone, and for that I am grateful.
Sarah Lou :blush: