Feel out of control

[ccake79]

My health anxiety has been really awful the past couple of days. On Thursday evening my 7 year old son said his back hurt and had been hurting since Tuesday. I tried to keep calm and gave him some ibuprofen before bed. Friday he mentioned it morning and evening. Nothing yesterday so I assumed all better and felt relieved. This morning he complained of it again so we took him to minor injuries to get him checked out (I was worried because I stupidly Googled and that told me a whole load of really scary stuff). Paramedic practitioner checked him over and said probably just muscular as movement fine and ok in himself. Felt relieved but only until this evening when he called out from bed to say his back hurt and wanted some medication. I've just got so upset (obviously not in front of him). But I get shaky and panicky. I just don't know what to do. If I get other meds for my anxiety will that help with this?? I take propranolol for migraine and anxiety but it doesn't help with my brain thinking all of this stuff. I love my kids so much but worry ridiculously about their health.

[Fishmanpa]

Seems like they're learning. Kids pick up on a lot more then you realize.

FMP

[ccake79]

Yes I suppose they do. I try so hard to keep all my emotions in check around them and let them all out once they've gone to bed. I guess they'd still be able to see my concern even if they don't witness the crazy.

[NoraB]

If I get other meds for my anxiety will that help with this?? I take propranolol for migraine and anxiety but it doesn't help with my brain thinking all of this stuff. I love my kids so much but worry ridiculously about their health.

You need therapy.

You need to learn how to challenge those HA thoughts and think rationally. Meds only mask the physical symptoms. They don't change how we think..

[ccake79]

Thanks Nora. I've been having counselling but wasn't finding it helped. Also I thought I was a bit better then realised that's only because the kids haven't felt in any way unwell for the past few months. I'll look into therapy again. I'm not keen to take more meds anyway (take a few for migraine). I'm currently waiting for my kids to come out of school and dreading my son will still be complaining of backache. I know I have to do something.

[NoraB]

Thanks Nora. I've been having counselling but wasn't finding it helped.

Counselling or CBT? They're not quite the same things..


I'm currently waiting for my kids to come out of school and dreading my son will still be complaining of backache. I know I have to do something.

Does your son spend a lot of time hunched over gaming electronics or laptops? Kids are complaining of all kinds of muscular aches & pains these days and the docs reckon it's because they're hunched over so much of the time?

[ccake79]

Not so much over a device but he plays a lot of lego which he's often hunched over.

Counselling. I would talk about all my worries and she'd offer advice. I'm in the process of self-referring for CBT.

[NoraB]

Not so much over a device but he plays a lot of lego which he's often hunched over.

This could be the cause?


Counselling. I would talk about all my worries and she'd offer advice. I'm in the process of self-referring for CBT.

It's CBT you need for this. You need a therapist who will give you the 'tools' to help you challenge those thoughts..

[ccake79]

It definitely could be the cause. Minor injuries unit reckoned muscular. Of course my brain jumped right over the most likely explanation and started thinking all sorts of awful things.

[ScaredCaz]

Hi

I can totally relate to this thread

My kids are all grown up 1 has a child of her own but I worry about them constantly especially since 2 of them don’t live at home

I have them text me everyday to say they got work ok I am constantly checking on their whereabouts

I’m on the waiting list for cbt hope it helps

Best wishes x

[ccake79]

I hope you don't have to wait too long. It's good to know other people have the same feelings about things. My son needed ibuprofen last night but was ok this morning (I didn't ask how his back was, I guess that is avoidance right there, but he didn't mention it). Then I thought that as he seems to experience it more in the evening after he's used his back all day, that suggests a muscular cause. I've tried to distract myself by trying to find a local therapist who offers CBT.

[glassgirlw]

It’s not a bad thing to not question him about how his back is feeling. I don’t think that’s avoidance at all, I think that’s normal. If it was hurting bad enough, you can bet he would say something. Let him go on as normal and allow him to come to you if something doesn’t feel right.

I have to assume those without HA disorders aren’t constantly scanning their bodies looking for what may or may not be wrong with them. You constantly asking him how he’s doing might reinforce some of the HA behaviors that you don’t want him to develop. Just my opinion though.