WildChinchilla
09-01-22, 17:47
I've had health anxiety for about 9 years now. It is mainly centred around my heart, but I also often worry about brain haemorrhages, or any kind of condition that can cause sudden death. Having said that, I've also been known to worry about almost any other deadly illness.
I am 28 years old, a healthy weight, and get a decent amount of exercise.
My partner is generally very supportive and we have an excellent relationship, but I sometimes feel as though they unconsciously contribute to the sense I have of my health being vulnerable. For example, they have spoken before about the fact that I usually get two or three colds every year as if this is a sign of me being someone who is prone to sickness (they almost never get colds). They once also told me that their mother thinks that I "always seem to be ill", from which I can only conclude that they've unconsciously led their mother to think of me in this way.
This idea that I am a sickly person only contributes to my image of myself being physically fragile.
They are now urging me to book three separate doctors appointments. One because I have a new mole on my chest and they're worried it's cancer. A second because I sometimes unconsciously tap my finger and they're worried it might be parkinsons. And a third because I often get boils and spots on my face, and they're worried it could be a sign of diabetes (I already went to the docs about this last year and my GP just gave me a course of antibiotics, and some cream which helps a lot, but my partner wants me to go back to my GP to tell then that I still get boils).
I totally understand that you should see your GP if you have any concerns, and I am usually good with doing this. But my partner's concern is not helping my mental state. I'm trying to move away from being a hypochondriac, and I don't need them to be one for me.
The problem is that when I try to express how I feel about this, they get upset, and act as if I'm not appreciating their concern. I do appreciate it, but I think it's too much.
How do I deal with this?
I am 28 years old, a healthy weight, and get a decent amount of exercise.
My partner is generally very supportive and we have an excellent relationship, but I sometimes feel as though they unconsciously contribute to the sense I have of my health being vulnerable. For example, they have spoken before about the fact that I usually get two or three colds every year as if this is a sign of me being someone who is prone to sickness (they almost never get colds). They once also told me that their mother thinks that I "always seem to be ill", from which I can only conclude that they've unconsciously led their mother to think of me in this way.
This idea that I am a sickly person only contributes to my image of myself being physically fragile.
They are now urging me to book three separate doctors appointments. One because I have a new mole on my chest and they're worried it's cancer. A second because I sometimes unconsciously tap my finger and they're worried it might be parkinsons. And a third because I often get boils and spots on my face, and they're worried it could be a sign of diabetes (I already went to the docs about this last year and my GP just gave me a course of antibiotics, and some cream which helps a lot, but my partner wants me to go back to my GP to tell then that I still get boils).
I totally understand that you should see your GP if you have any concerns, and I am usually good with doing this. But my partner's concern is not helping my mental state. I'm trying to move away from being a hypochondriac, and I don't need them to be one for me.
The problem is that when I try to express how I feel about this, they get upset, and act as if I'm not appreciating their concern. I do appreciate it, but I think it's too much.
How do I deal with this?