New Girl

[hannah1989]

Hiya everyone, I am just here obviously to introduce my self :)

Well I'll start with a bit of background (I'll try not ramble on for too long!)
I'm Hannah, 19, a proud Leeds lass, and have just finished my first year at Leeds university studying Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies.

To cut a long story short, I've always been a hypochondriac, my dad and Grandma both have it (but not as severe). But over the past few weeks it has worsened quite a lot, have had a few panic attacks as a result of my worrying. My health anxiety has become so intense that it seems to be clouding my day all day every day. This often leads to the worry that I'm going severely mentally ill which obviously doesn't make things any better. I also have a massive fear of death. I am guilty, unfortunately, of crawling the internet to diagnose my symptoms. I feel quite alone at the moment, like noone really understands.

I have made the first step though of visiting my doctor and he is going to refer me to a specialist. I found the article on health anxiety on here really helpful, so thought this website might be good for me :)

Hope that was coherent lol.

[ronski]

Hi Hannah

Welcome to the site, the first mistake that you have made especially if you suffer from health anxieties is to google your symptoms. I believe the media has a lot to answer for especially in winding up all of us health anxiety worriers. The Heart attack adverts and the stroke ones do not help us at all, in fact it focuses the mind to much on self vigilance of any symptoms and sensations we may feel that are entirely innocent in nature.

The only thing I can suggest is that if your doctor is happy with you and has no worries, trust his advice and live your life. Where did you get that massive fear of death at 19 years of age, that is probably the catylist for your fears. Confront it but put it into perspective, we are all going to die at some point but when the time is due do you really want the memories that all of your life you didnt live your life because you were scared of it. Live your life and then there is no regrets. Maybe your religious studies will give you some perspective and take away the fear of death. I am not frightened myself of death but I am frightened of dying but I expect everybody would admit to that. Buy Dr Claire Weeks book essential help for your nerves where she talks about the fear of death and how to overcome those thoughts.

i hope this helps
Ron

[Deepest Blue]

Hi Hannah and :welcome: to NMP, hope you find some very useful information here that will help.

Take Care:hugs:

[Southern_Belle]

Hi Hannah,

Welcome to NMP. Many here will understand how you have been feeling and will give their support. I'm glad you found us.

Take care,

Laura

[MandiMoo]

Hi Hannah,

I am new here too and like you suffer with anxiety (health and general) and I also have Bi-Polar. I completely agree about visiting Dr Google, I have health anxiety at the moment and it really should be a no no for me. There is a fine line between the media raising awareness of certain conditions, so that people have knowledge and can get checksed for things, but it tears fear into heart of us with anxiety, probably because we are more aware of our bodies we feel avery little ache and pain is something ominous. My GP agrees and I am having a HA flare at the moment and she says I panic everytime I get a physical symptom, Google it and then work it around to I must have the worse illness that the symtoms fit with. It is currently pancreatic or stomach cance (all the tests I have had so far are all normal). I am a little older than you, but I had death fears in my teens and on and off since and it does get better with a little help. My advice is, please try not to use Google or other search engines to diagnose anything (I have been Google free for 4 days now). Quite and achievement for me!. If you really feel that something is wrong, go to your GP, even with our overstretched wonderful NHS you cannot beat a trained Dr and only they can test you and alieve any fears that you might have. Talking on here has helped me already in the short time that I have been a member, so please come back and share.:)

love
MandiMoo

[Mark13]

Hi Hannah, from a Leeds lad (well, middle-aged lad). Welcome to the forum. I'm sure you'll benefit from being here, just as I have.

[stephaniejane66]

Hiya everyone, I am just here obviously to introduce my self :)

Well I'll start with a bit of background (I'll try not ramble on for too long!)
I'm Hannah, 19, a proud Leeds lass, and have just finished my first year at Leeds university studying Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies.

To cut a long story short, I've always been a hypochondriac, my dad and Grandma both have it (but not as severe). But over the past few weeks it has worsened quite a lot, have had a few panic attacks as a result of my worrying. My health anxiety has become so intense that it seems to be clouding my day all day every day. This often leads to the worry that I'm going severely mentally ill which obviously doesn't make things any better. I also have a massive fear of death. I am guilty, unfortunately, of crawling the internet to diagnose my symptoms. I feel quite alone at the moment, like noone really understands.

I have made the first step though of visiting my doctor and he is going to refer me to a specialist. I found the article on health anxiety on here really helpful, so thought this website might be good for me :)

Hope that was coherent lol.

Hi Hannah, my son has a similar problem. I am hopeful he will join this site as it seems to help so many people. Best of luck x