What if?

[Horse]

How many of us refuse to believe anxiety is responsible for the symptoms we suffer?

Regardless of blood tests, endoscopies, ultrasounds, CTs and MRIs all proving negative etc., we are still incline to think....'Surely the doctors have missed something.'

I find it hard to believe that my stomach pain and discomfort is just IBS and anxiety even though they can find nothing else wrong.

I know that the mind is very powerful in producing symptoms that are very real but totally harmless.

[Vanilla Sky]

This is the hardest thing about anxiety and the most common symptom..... What If ..
We all go through that, you get the results back and theyr fine and so are you .... for a few days... then the what ifs creep in.
Please be assured, the doctors do know what they are doing. Isn't it amazing the power of the mind though :) Paige x

[EmmaJane]

Totally, im going through the what ifs at the moment. Had a urine test done on monday - nothing was found apart from raised white cells. Doc said will send off to the lab to see what infection it is so she can give me correct anti biotics.

Im at the what if its cancer, what if its kidney problems, what if the lab finds more problems, than the doctors dip stick.

The outcome of my what ifs is I cant eat, sleep or focus on anything. Consequently I want to go to toilet more, which to me means I have a serious illness.

AND... I have lost 5 pounds in weight.

Still waiting for my results aswell.

WHAT IF hmm very good post

x

[RosieXXX]

If Only we could ignore of the 'What if' thoughts we would all be so much better. I don't know what it is about anxiety, but it seems we put ourselves through mental torture, and it is almost impossible to control. We are all capable of seeing things rationally though, because we are able to give reassurance to others; the problem is we can't apply it to our own situation.

[Horse]

I am forced to remember a quote by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, who once commented on 'What if' syndrome by saying....'Just turn the What ifs into So whats!'

[nomorepanic]

I agree with horse.

There is no point dwelling on what ifs.

Think about how much energy and life you spend wasting time on what if's.

Say to yourself "so what" and move on.

[Lou 1]

Rosie i totally agree with what u said, we are rational ppl i seem to be able to think about less serious problems when offering people advice- my friend a few days ago had headache and dizziness i said to her it was probably because she'd not drank or ate very much that day so she ate and had a drink and started to feel better, however when i have those symptoms i can't think of anything other than impending doom and really get myself worked up - same with the doctors they'll tell me everything is ok which i beleive for a few days then start thinking what if and that sets off my anxiety again

[UFC_fan]

Good post, can totally relate to it - even in the face of overwhelming evidence I try and do the gap analysis. F*cks me off no end that I'm like that, started CBT this week though and so am determined to change my thought processes.

[Starscream]

I always think negative.

I think I am in the 0.03% range instead of the 99.9% range.

Like, if I hear of an illness, and look at the stats for it, I'll never think of the millions who don't get it, I'll think I am in the tiny tiny minority who do have it. :weep:

[mikhail1028]

What IF??? WTF,,,:shades:

[eva82]

Yup, this is me too! I have has CT scans, MRI, nero exams, bloodwork, EKGs...the list goes on! Only to be told that I am a healthy 27 year-old. Unfortuntley,it is very hard to accept my head pains (that I have had for the past 8 months) and just being axious or depressed. Recently, my dentist told me I have TMJ (a jaw joint problem) which can cause many of the symptoms I have. That helped me out a bit, since I knew (at least I thought very strongly) that anxiety alone couldn't be causing all these physical symptoms for so long now.