worryguy9
04-05-08, 15:00
Now I know this may seem somewhat bizarre but bear with me. I have been plagued with health anxiety for the past two months and know like all of you how utterly debilitating it can be.
Fortunately, particularly this past week my anxiety has lifted and allowed me to view health anxiety from a different perspective. While anxiety is for the most part a terrible ordeal, I believe there are some benefits too.
Primariliy:
1. Heightened state of awareness of your own health - We are all knowledgeable on the signs and symptoms of serious illness through our own research and doctors. While we may misread these signs it still helps if god forbid, something serious would actually happen - many of us would spot it early. I know for me I used to never check for testicular cancer and didn't have a clue about the symptoms - now I think I could good give my own doctor a run for his money!
2. Greater appreciation of life - Now I know many are plagued with anxiety of one illness to the next, and never seems to life - but for some whose health anxiety is triggered by one event, I find once you manage to get over it you learn to appreciate life and your own welfare much more than you previously did. This in turn triggers important healthy lifestyle changes.
Anyway those are just my thoughts, but id be really interested in hearing everyones views on this,and if they think there are any benefits to this illness.
Fortunately, particularly this past week my anxiety has lifted and allowed me to view health anxiety from a different perspective. While anxiety is for the most part a terrible ordeal, I believe there are some benefits too.
Primariliy:
1. Heightened state of awareness of your own health - We are all knowledgeable on the signs and symptoms of serious illness through our own research and doctors. While we may misread these signs it still helps if god forbid, something serious would actually happen - many of us would spot it early. I know for me I used to never check for testicular cancer and didn't have a clue about the symptoms - now I think I could good give my own doctor a run for his money!
2. Greater appreciation of life - Now I know many are plagued with anxiety of one illness to the next, and never seems to life - but for some whose health anxiety is triggered by one event, I find once you manage to get over it you learn to appreciate life and your own welfare much more than you previously did. This in turn triggers important healthy lifestyle changes.
Anyway those are just my thoughts, but id be really interested in hearing everyones views on this,and if they think there are any benefits to this illness.