new worry - why won't this end. :(

[Greenthundah6]

yes, i'm back again. i thought i was getting better but now there's this. i was watching the news, and they did a story on tanning beds and how they are now known, as seen through extensive research, to increase cancer risks by 75%. i feel scared yet i also feel so stupid for choosing looks over health. i'm 20, and i started going to tanning salons back in november. i went once during that month, and started again in february - i went once a week for about, i guess 5 or 6 weeks. this doesn't seem like that much - but i do lay out in the sun for about 20 minutes some days. i don't really burn much but i'm still worried that i'll develop skin cancer. i stopped tanning outside a few weeks ago. i don't see any strange marks or moles but what if they devep? what if it's too little too late? i have been told that going out in the sun when the UV index is low is very healthy and good for soaking up vitamin D.

i also read that tanning/tanning beds can cause eye cancer. now this is my major fear because my eyes, as i previously posted, are not right still - i am going to an eye doctor soon, though. it feels like i'm seeing patches of bluriness, and sometimes pressure in my eyes. i get this really weird feeling like when i'm looking at something from a short or even long distance, one eye is looking but the other isn't. i also still have fears that it's a brain tumor causing this vision problem; i'm also always very tired which is a bad sign....

i really need advice and some reassurance to calm me down. why can't i just be happy and know that i'm healthy.

[betty72]

You've done the right thing stopping tanning beds so that's a good thing. Most women I know have used sunbeds at some time in their lives and I know many also who worship the sun a lot more than you and they're fine. Don't worry yourself about what could happen although I can be the same and many of us on here. That's why we come to this site so you are not alone. Re your eyes - you may just need glasses and another explanation can be anxiety as this can be a symptom. Look to the left of the page about anxiety/panic attacks/health anxiety. They list the symptoms. You are probably just tired because of the anxiety so its a vicious circle. Please try not to worry you are only young and I'm sure you're perfectly healthy.

[Greenthundah6]

thank you for your reply, betty. i know i probably sound irrational or something. i wish i could just stop worrying and i know deep down that my anxiety is probably causing all of these weird symptoms... but that doesn't help me out for some reason. it truly is a vicious cycle with so many ups and downs. i just don't feel right but i want to feel right so badly. i want to feel like me again but this is so tough.

[Greenthundah6]

back again with a quick question. i have this bump on my wrist that's very small (about the size of the tip of a sharpie-type marker) and red. i've had it for years. seems to have a dot in the middle which is more red than the outside. does this sound like a broken blood vessel? trying to be rational here. just wanted to see what you guys thought and if i should be concerned. the worrying has been a lot better lately