Advice on how to stop checking

[Hco]

Hi, I have posted recently about eye symptoms which were really concerning me even after 2 eye exams I thought the worse.
Constantly checking and comparing my vision 24/7.
I saw my GP last who really helped me recognise it’s my health anxiety for which mostly I believe.
Even spoke to my optition again today who said I nailed the vision field test and the all the eye exams normal.
Of course as soon as I come out the doctor I test again and tell my self this is the last time. 10 minutes later testing again getting my self all worked up.
I’ve now calmed down but how do i stop from testing?
I have children who don’t sleep great so up with them in the night which is when I feel the panic begin.
Any advice is really appreciated
Thank you

[Fishmanpa]

When it comes to poking and prodding... Mittens
When it comes to Dr Google... download a parental restriction app. Have a friend set up a password and block sites that would feed your dragon.
When it comes to self testing? I don't have a method.... it comes down to self-control :shrug:

FMP

[NotDeadYet]

It’s really about challenging your thoughts. At the height of my lymph node anxiety I would tell myself “you checked it 2 hours ago, it hasn’t changed.” Challenging my thinking is how I finally got it under control.

[LF87]

I treat it the same as I do with my OCD door/handle/window checking. It's an urge, that's all. You're in control of the urge. We check to try and relieve anxiety but it's actually just keeping us in the cycle, and not relieving anxiety at all. I find distraction is good for my HA, a game, cooking, go out somwhere. And if you've been checked over by a gp and an optician, write it down, what they said. And read it every time you have an urge to check. Also my therapist says folding your arms and saying to yourself I do not need to check, I am safe, this is just an urge, a feeling, that is all it is.
Don't check- set yourself a date for next month. You can check then, for no longer than 20 seconds, then you have to stop. This months is done. Thats another technique I find helpful. X

[pav1984]

Everyone is different however you could just stop or you could slowly cut down.

You could try giving yourself a checking holiday. What I mean here is set a date in which you aren't allowed to check until. You might find that having a future date where you can check again reassuring however until that date you might find that you are getting out of the habit of checking.

You should see if your doctor can arrange some counselling. And you should work with your doctor while working on this as you might find that you feel more anxious initially.

[Double_Rainbow]

Hi, I don't have any advice for you, sadly. But checking is the worst. This is kind of a "doomed if you do, doomed if you don't" sort of situation. I tried self control with my own checking and gave up every time as anxiety gets real bad. Today alone I have checked [a spot in my mouth] so much, my cheek hurts and my eyes hurt too from looking at it on the angle. Im getting a headache from this constant checking. I realize there is no purpose to this whatsoever but still can't stop. Sorry Hco, I have no solution., but I sure desperately hope that one day we both will find it.

[cattia]

HI, I also struggle with checking and have a lot over the years. I think the thing I find that works best is to restrict it. If it’s really bad I will restrict it to maybe once an hour, then try to stretch the time out so that I can go longer intervals. When I’ve tired to go cold turkey with it in the past, I’ve not been able to but this seems to work a little better for me.

[Double_Rainbow]

HI, I also struggle with checking and have a lot over the years. I think the thing I find that works best is to restrict it. If it’s really bad I will restrict it to maybe once an hour, then try to stretch the time out so that I can go longer intervals. When I’ve tired to go cold turkey with it in the past, I’ve not been able to but this seems to work a little better for me.
I am doing the same thing, and some days it works. I can go without checking for hours. Sometimes I am able to only check twice a day or even once. But then I have a bad day and it gets to me again and I check and check like crazy. Even though I understand that there is no purpose in checking so often, I can't stop. I guess that's the life with OCD.