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strawberrie
24-08-05, 12:22
hi, has anyone tried to educate themselves about illnesses they are afraid of? I don't mean just googling symptoms, but actually learning the facts.

At the moment, I avoid reading or watching anything about illness. If i look at a magazine i always check the contents and the health pages in the shop because if there is anything even mentioned about cancer i can't bear to have it in the house. My family even switch channels if a cancer research advert comes on the telly because it upsets me so much. [V][Sigh...]

Bearing this in mind, i know that learning about illness would be incredibly stressful for me, however i wonder if in the long run it would make me feel less fearful because if i knew the facts i could think about my symptoms in a more rational way.

I don't know if anyone has tried this and found it has been beneficial. I'm scared to do it as it might make me feel worse and once i have the information in my head it's there and i won't ever be able to get rid of it.

Any advice would be much appreciated. :D

Mag xx

Meg
24-08-05, 13:15
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/healthanxiety.htm

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

jude
24-08-05, 16:35
Hi Mag,

Personally I dont think it would help at all for the following reasons:

1. Your imagination can be clever enough to convince you of anything. Finding out more information will only feed your imagination.

2. Unless you take a doctors degree or similar, you will never be able to fully understand that certain symptoms can be part of many hundreds of different illnesses. For example, headaches can be caused by many many things. You will never be able to research enough information about illnesses to know all the facts.

3. Lastly, despite what you find in research, you mind can always convince you that it is the worst case senario. What may be just a pimple on your nose can turn into full blown melanoma in your imagination, no matter how many books tell you that it is just a pimple!

Believe me...in this case, ignorance is probably bliss.

Jude x

Be gentle with yourself....you just need some time to heal.

sadie
24-08-05, 22:21
Hi Mag,

I would have to agree with Jude here and say NO it wouldnt be beneficial to find out about a disease in an attempt to cure your fear of it.... In my experience with anxiety, your brain feeds on as much information it can get about health issues and disease and it can convince you that you have any disease you want to beleive or fear you have....

Leave this inforamtion with your GP and if for any reason the time comes you do need to know such information then you can deal with it then.

I have done a 'google' search many times in an attempt to find out what is wrong with me and have found myself having all sorts of things..... this has caused many a sleepless night....

I hope this helps you a little to make up your mind on what is the best thing to do.... we are all different though so maybe it would help you, only you will know!

sadie