louise68041
23-01-11, 23:05
Hi everyone, Just joined up to this site, and i can't believe how many people there are on here going through exactly the same thing as i did up until 2 years ago. With me it started when I was around 18 yrs old (I still have no idea what may have triggered it off) and im 26 now. Dont get me wrong i wasn't in a constant state of despair for 6 years but i did have my bad months and good months and looking back i don't know how i coped. Ive read a few posts on here tonight and i can relate with all that i've read... ive had it all, cancers of many types, a few heart attacks and my personal favourite brain tumours! All of which turned out to be nothing but what i've just discovered exists, health anxiety.
i struggled on in silence just keeping it to myself (and my doctor!) for years until it reached a point where i couldn't cope anymore (about 2 1/2 years ago) and i gave up my job, moved back in with my parents and literally gave up on everything. I could hardly get up from bed in the mornings or eat or even be bothered to wash in the mornings. (writing it here makes me cringe at the state i was in) I spent every waking minute in a constant state of terror thinking I was dying of some ailment which changed almost on a daily basis.
In the end my parents, who despite not really being able to understand what i was going through, forced me into looking for help. First i tried explaining to my doctor who gave me several different types of anti-anxiety drugs. Although they took the edge off the feelings of despair i was still consumed with the worries of my non-existent ailments and so i sought out counselling (which in the u.k was a very difficult thing to find!) it helped a little talking about what i was going through and i also bought lots of books on anxiety and panic attacks which at least put my mind at rest that when i was having a panic attack i wasn't having a heart attack and it couldn't hurt me.
Finally my mother saw an advert in our local paper for a hypnotherapist. I know a lot of you may be thinking of the usual hynotist shows but it wasn't like this at all. I was in such a state at this point i would have tried anything. My mother booked me in and the actual session with the hypnotherapist was (despite my worries about it) a really relaxing experience. I wasn't actually unconcious at any time, more like in a very relaxed state. the one i saw was trained in hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy and he explained the whole process in a really simple way. I actually left the clinic feeling happy. I know it sounds hard to believe, i wouldn't have believed somebody telling me this 2 years ago. But i did. The first few days i felt a little cautious that my feeling so positive and calm was only temporary and was a little scared to think certain things! 2 years on though and i haven't had a panic attack since, i've had no worries of any terminal illnesses, i can have an unusual pain or a funny lump or whatever and really think it through rationally and calmly.
That was a bit long winded of me but i got to my point in the end! I just hope maybe someone will read this and consider it and maybe, hopefully feel better as a result...xx
i struggled on in silence just keeping it to myself (and my doctor!) for years until it reached a point where i couldn't cope anymore (about 2 1/2 years ago) and i gave up my job, moved back in with my parents and literally gave up on everything. I could hardly get up from bed in the mornings or eat or even be bothered to wash in the mornings. (writing it here makes me cringe at the state i was in) I spent every waking minute in a constant state of terror thinking I was dying of some ailment which changed almost on a daily basis.
In the end my parents, who despite not really being able to understand what i was going through, forced me into looking for help. First i tried explaining to my doctor who gave me several different types of anti-anxiety drugs. Although they took the edge off the feelings of despair i was still consumed with the worries of my non-existent ailments and so i sought out counselling (which in the u.k was a very difficult thing to find!) it helped a little talking about what i was going through and i also bought lots of books on anxiety and panic attacks which at least put my mind at rest that when i was having a panic attack i wasn't having a heart attack and it couldn't hurt me.
Finally my mother saw an advert in our local paper for a hypnotherapist. I know a lot of you may be thinking of the usual hynotist shows but it wasn't like this at all. I was in such a state at this point i would have tried anything. My mother booked me in and the actual session with the hypnotherapist was (despite my worries about it) a really relaxing experience. I wasn't actually unconcious at any time, more like in a very relaxed state. the one i saw was trained in hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy and he explained the whole process in a really simple way. I actually left the clinic feeling happy. I know it sounds hard to believe, i wouldn't have believed somebody telling me this 2 years ago. But i did. The first few days i felt a little cautious that my feeling so positive and calm was only temporary and was a little scared to think certain things! 2 years on though and i haven't had a panic attack since, i've had no worries of any terminal illnesses, i can have an unusual pain or a funny lump or whatever and really think it through rationally and calmly.
That was a bit long winded of me but i got to my point in the end! I just hope maybe someone will read this and consider it and maybe, hopefully feel better as a result...xx