Having a bad time of it

[Rhys1879SAFC]

Its around 8 months since my anxiety became too much for me to handle and 5 months since I started suffering from depersonalization/derealization.

I just don't seem to be making any progress, or if I do have a couple of good days and think maybe I'm starting to improve, I'll then have two terrible days and just relapse completely. I thought I was making good progress last month but its just all gone downhill again.

I can't stop worrying and I just feel depressed most of the time.

Its all health anxiety though, cancer is my big worry, I constantly check myself for strange lumps or if I have a sore leg I'll immediately blow everything out of proportion.

I also can't seem to stop the "what if" thoughts... I'm terrified of developing Bipolar or Schizophrenia and having to be locked away as a mental patient for the rest of my life, I just can't seem to beat it, I think if the dp/dr went away a little bit I would start to make a little progress, it just seems to be one thing after another. :weep:

[diddler]

hiya rhys, i know i have the same problem, i am agrophobic, i seem to make progress of getting somewhere then a new health anxiety comes which makes you feel so unwell and you just cant seem to focus on anything else, ive been worrying about a retinal tear because of new floaters and cant seem to function at all, you will be ok and you wont have anything wrong its just us telling ourselves that its not easy, i hope you feel better soon, sometimes a good film makes me feel a tiny bit better a cheer me up film xxx

[lynn1960]

this isa the road to recovery the good days get longer and you will get less bad days but it takes time two steps forward one back but you will get there
#

[jessicalittler79]

sorry your haven hard time ....i feel same way as i suffer from health anx bad myself i hope u get better soon ...if u ever need a friend ill always be here :)

[fishman65]

Hi Rhys,I totally empathise with you.I've had a good spell lately but was in the local co-op this morning and had a sudden,unexpected surge of anxiety.It sucks big time doesn't it.Can I ask,are you on any meds?I'm taking seroxat and have found it takes the edge off the worst of it.I'm not a doctor but I think I can confidently say that you are pretty unlikely to develop a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia.People who are seriously mentally ill don't actually realise they are ill at all.Not that these thoughts don't cause you distress,of course they do.Please take good care of yourself and know that you're not alone,feel free to pm me if you want to.

Andy

[Rhys1879SAFC]

Thanks for the replies.

Andy I was offered meds mate but I got so scared of the side-effects that I didn't take them, I'm just going to have to try and beat this myself, just so sick of it.

[fishman65]

The thing about meds Rhys,especially the SSRIs,is that once you get past any side effects (that's if there are any),is that they deal with anxiety/OCD thoughts as well as depression.I'm sure they would help you with your health phobias.Having said that,I totally understand your reluctance to take them.

Best of luck mate, Andy