Cyberchondriac
12-01-09, 13:32
Hello guys and girls,
Let me introduce myself. My name's Stephen and I'm a near-recovered hypochondriac and general anxiety sufferer. I've been a worrier all my life but my anxiety hit me hard in 2002, while I was at University.
My ex-girlfriend's mother passed away in the Summer of 2002. While she wasn't in the best shape, she was very young (only just 50, I believe.) To my mind, this was the trigger. From this moment on, I simply wasn't the same.
My first panic attack happened a few weeks later. I was walking back from my campus one Winter evening, when I came over strange. Then my heart started racing. At first I thought I was having a heart attack. This made me panic even more. I could barely breathe. I felt dizzy. I wanted to sit down on a nearby bench but at the same time I wanted to run, as fast and as far away as my legs could take me.
That was the first out of many to come.
As I mentioned, hypochondria was my anxiety of choice. Over the years, I 'had' a brain tumour, a multitude of other cancers, vCJD, MS, appendicitis, heart disease, epilepsy, TB... and when I say I 'had' these things, I don't mean I was thinking 'oh god, what if I have this...?' There were no 'ifs' about it. It felt like I had been DIAGNOSED with these things by the crazy little doctor in my head.
I learnt the hard way. After lots of tests and meetings with doctors and long, lonely nights on the internet learning that there were, indeed, others like me, I was pretty much forced to comes to terms with the fact that....... wait for it...
...I'M NOT ILL! :ohmy:
I'd say my anxiety was really bad until a couple of years ago. I've been getting better ever since. I attribute my recovery to a number of things, ranging from seemingly minimal (comedy shows, movies) to great support (from friends, including online.)
I think the biggest key is knowing that you're not alone, no matter how isolated you feel. That's why places like this are great. They bring us together.
So, I guess that was just my long-winded way of saying 'hey' :)
Let me introduce myself. My name's Stephen and I'm a near-recovered hypochondriac and general anxiety sufferer. I've been a worrier all my life but my anxiety hit me hard in 2002, while I was at University.
My ex-girlfriend's mother passed away in the Summer of 2002. While she wasn't in the best shape, she was very young (only just 50, I believe.) To my mind, this was the trigger. From this moment on, I simply wasn't the same.
My first panic attack happened a few weeks later. I was walking back from my campus one Winter evening, when I came over strange. Then my heart started racing. At first I thought I was having a heart attack. This made me panic even more. I could barely breathe. I felt dizzy. I wanted to sit down on a nearby bench but at the same time I wanted to run, as fast and as far away as my legs could take me.
That was the first out of many to come.
As I mentioned, hypochondria was my anxiety of choice. Over the years, I 'had' a brain tumour, a multitude of other cancers, vCJD, MS, appendicitis, heart disease, epilepsy, TB... and when I say I 'had' these things, I don't mean I was thinking 'oh god, what if I have this...?' There were no 'ifs' about it. It felt like I had been DIAGNOSED with these things by the crazy little doctor in my head.
I learnt the hard way. After lots of tests and meetings with doctors and long, lonely nights on the internet learning that there were, indeed, others like me, I was pretty much forced to comes to terms with the fact that....... wait for it...
...I'M NOT ILL! :ohmy:
I'd say my anxiety was really bad until a couple of years ago. I've been getting better ever since. I attribute my recovery to a number of things, ranging from seemingly minimal (comedy shows, movies) to great support (from friends, including online.)
I think the biggest key is knowing that you're not alone, no matter how isolated you feel. That's why places like this are great. They bring us together.
So, I guess that was just my long-winded way of saying 'hey' :)