Daytime Problem - Help!!!!

[agingwuss]

With the help of this website & a brilliant book, I'm just begining to get a hold on ny HA.
My loo problems are getting much better, fingers crossed [after about 3 months!] as I try to loosen & accept [no pun intended].
BUT!! I've just got a sort of very very mild ache in the lower right-hand bit of my abdomen. On a pain scale of 1 to 10 it would be a quarter, in fact I really can't call it a pain, it's more that bit of my body reminding me it's there if you can see what I mean.
My head knows that it's pretty certain it's caused by my stupid HA forever fixating on it and if I can just get really interested in something else - I forget it completely.
But I work from home on my own which is realy difficult as I don't have anybody to talk to & take my mind off myself during the day. I feel so much better but if only I could stop my brain going over & over checking my feelingsbody all the time! Has anyone any advice at all to distract the daft mind of a poor lonely homeworker? I know checking is just what we mustn't do - but I can't seem to stop!:mad:

[agingwuss]

anyone?

[lesleya]

Hi.
It sounds like you have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which can cause the pains your describing.
Have you had a word with your gp about it?
The only things i find helps me is to distract myself by doing something in the house, take the dog for a walk, go into chat or put something light-hearted on dvd/tv.
By the way i love your name..very good made me smile...agingwuss

[lauren6]

Hi agingwuss, the fact that you used the terms "loosen and accept" makes me think you're referring to the books by Claire Weeks. If that's the case, she was a pioneer in the field of anxiety but there are much better books out now. May I suggest two:

Stop Worrying About Your Health by George Zgourides

It's Not All In Your Head by Gordon Asmundson

They both use cognitive methods and are excellent. Asmundson also wrote a book called Treating Health Anxiety that is meant for the therapist but I have that too. You can get both used on Amazon cheaper than in the store.

I am not knocking Claire Weeks and it certainly helped me a good 30 years ago but the newer books are specifically about health anxiety and so much better. They helped me more than any therapist I've been to...most of whom never even read these books and know little about our problem. Let me know if you get them. I also work from home and it can be hard when we don't have the distractions of co-workers...too much time to focus inwardly. What you're describing probably speaks for everyone on this board...the slightest twinge of pain = impending doom or a condition on its way. The books will help you reframe your thoughts into something more realistic and it takes loads of practice and determination to get over this confounded condition we have! They even have scripts (which sound just like me and the folks on this board...all the "what ifs")...you'll love them! Hang in there and know that you have something to look forward to, really, you will find these books a blessing.

[agingwuss]

Thanks folks, that's certainly given me some lines to follow.
In my more sensible moments I agree that my nearly-pain is IBS - which is just what my GP said. I just need to keep working on the sensible moments!
"Loosen & accept" - yes, that's from Claire Weekes! Amazing that you recognised it straight away. I've been using one of her books plus "An Introduction to Coping with Health Anxiety" by Hogan & Young. I agree that the latter book is probably better than Claire for HA but I used Claire about 20 years ago for my general anxiety & the phrases certainly stick!
I've made a note of the books you mention & will certainly do my best to get hold of them.