The benefits of health anxiety

[worryguy9]

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.

[jellybean43]

Hi
Some good points.
My anxiety is lifting slightly and I am starting to think that i need to take better care of myself.
Considering I am 5ft 7 and nearly 14stones!!!!! my first aim is to lose a stone in 6 weeks.
I starting yesterday and so far i have managed to stick to the diet and walk 6.5 miles!!!
So yes it has made me more aware of my body and the need to look after myself!!
I aim to get down to about 11.5 stone----though this may take some time!!!
xx

[Janieb]

indeed I agree, you are more aware of your body and as a result you tend to pick things up a lot quicker which yes annoys some doctors but hey it's out lives we just looking out for :) and I have started a better diet!!

[bluebell68]

Hi Worryguy...... i have not thought about it that way before but i suppose that HA can have an upside...but for the most part i must admit i just find it a big negative in my life....the old saying "live each day as if it were your last" is so ingrained in me... i might even get it tattooed on my forehead LOL :) ... Take care guys :yesyes:
Rachel

[Meewah]

Hi

I live in fear of finding something wrong with me. Everything that I find is lifethreatning and causes me to feel dizzy, sick and unable to sleep which makes me feel even worse.

I am careful when showering not to touch any part of me that I may find a lump. This type of symptom avoidance has become my way of life now. I worry equally about having the anxiety symptoms as I worry about the symptom I have found. It has gone on so long that I just dont want to find any symptoms of illness just to allow me to feel what it was like without that anxiety feeling.

This drive within me has caused me to avoid looking for problems and in my eyes this is bad as I could be missing a possible life threatning symptom. What do I do. Both ways I turn I lose.

Meewah