Health Anxiety

[Tom.]

I dont quite know where to start with this ive had Health anxieties for a while now and started getting treatment int he form of citalopramstarted at 20mg a day im now up to 40mg a day and still find that i am getting ridiculous thoughts about every minor ailment i get, the symptoms i get are real, such as Headache, pains in my abdomen, dizziness, fatigue ( iget this a lot) it seems like a cloud over me 24/7, ive found that i have been drinking each night aswell proably about 4 cans of lager or half a bottle of wine i know that alcohol can and does triggger anxiety but it does seem to help me in the short term, until i wake up at 3am gripped by the fear of mouth cancer due to the alcohol, failed kidney, incresed weight problems etc

My partner doesnt fully undertsand what im going through and finds it hard herself to understand or even empathise with me

I just started fitness training a month or so ago which seemed to help but got a really bad cold for a couple of weeks and just as that went caught laryngitis which is still have now and as such the impact of not being able to excercise has allowed me to start letting "bad thoughts" come back in to my head such as my health and the fragility of it,

i would love to hear from people who have the same problems and more importantly any tips to help me with my train of thought going off the rails and my poor fiance who has to put up with my mood swings

Thanks

[fightingmyself]

Hi Tom,
The things that feed the problem are googling, checking yourself, seeking reassurance, avoidance and behaving as though you are ill. Everytime you manage to switch from doing any of the above, it's a step in the right direction, and strengthens your resolve to control your situation
There are some things in life you cannot control. If you worry every moment of every day, it does not work as a preventative for any disease - it does prevent happiness though, and causes stress related symptoms to add to the joys of health anxiety.

[blueangel]

Hi Tom

A lot of here us here find that alcohol makes anxiety worse, particularly a few hours afterwards. Unfortunately, it can give a temporary fix to the problem which comes back to bite you on the backside a few hours later or the following day. I now only ever have a maximum of about 3 units, as more than that will play hell with the anxiety and I hate it.

[westofengland]

Booze is so not the answer - it's going to make it worse. The only answer is to get the therapy and stick with it. It's really hard and I am struggling at the moment but it's the best option

Half a bottle of wine is about 5-6 units a night and 4 cans could be up to 10 units a night = that could be 70 units a week

That isn't good for your liver, heart, etc and increases your risk of mouth cancer

I not judging, buddy, I have been here too.

Once the cold has worn off, get back down the gym, and get some CBT therapy and buy some books - Cognitive Behavourial Therapy for Dummies and Overcoming Health Anxiety are great

Nobody can be 100% sure we are in perfect health and will never get ill. Get comfortable with uncertainty and try to move your focus away from your health. Use it as an opportunity to improve your relationships with those around you, make the most from every day, and do what you can do to stay in good health - but don't obsess about it

Good luck and stay strong send me a private message any time you want a chat

[Tom.]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply i really appreciate it and its nice to know that there are people who can empathise with you its reasuring and all of it is really helpful

I made a commitent to not drink in the week now at home as it was so easy to come home after a long day and sit on the couch and have a beer but i have realised that it is only a short term fix and that it does actually cause me sleeping problems as i wake up convinced i have got mouth cancer or liver damage from drinking i think lay awake sweating and worrying.

Ive heard of CBT and have actually tried to use NLP in the past to help me so that may be my next call is this something that can be done through your DR or do you have to go private?

Once again thank you all