Need advice on a friend with health anxiety

[Alicat]

Hi everyone,

I have a friend who was diagnosed with a Paranoid Schizoid disorder (I think) Her moods change very quickly and she gets very anxious and paranoid.

She had a spinal surgery which she needed about 9 years ago but since I've known her she's been to see many specialists about lots of different problems. If she doesn't get the answer she wants from a dr she seems to go private and get treatment that way. The symptoms she lists aren't consistent and even contradict each other and her diagnosis.

She's telling us about something different a every day when we can't see anything wrong.

Has anyone got any advice on what to do or how I can help? Obviously I don't want to upset them.

Thanks!

[Davinci817]

I think just offering your support, compassion and understanding. Even if you think it is not consistent, to her it is real. In all honesty I am one that really did have something wrong with me, actually several things, which in turn built my health anxiety up to where it is sometimes difficult to not worry about the slightest twinge in my chest or arm. In my mind it seems ridiculous and that I should know better but it doesn't stop those states of anxiety and panic. All I think is how they missed so much before and now I am still sick and are they going to miss something else like heart disease or cancer. Just be a friend!

[anthrokid]

Hey Alicat,

Like Davinci mentioned, just being there for someone can do wonders. As a past anxiety and paranoia sufferer, what I can tell you iss that t is so helpful when people say they are there for you, and when they offer to help out. It took me a while to realise that the things I saw, weren't things that other people saw. For example, I would thing my throat was closing, and I would look down my throat and it would look to me like it was losing over, but I'd get a friend or family member to have a look and they would say that it was fine and as open as ever. Just having someone to reassure you is really helpful. If you can't see something wrong, maybe mention it in a nice and gentle way. I found it helpful to em when people did that so I could distinguish between what was real and what I was imaginging to be real. You sound like you are being very helpful as it is. I really commend you for being such a great friend.

[Alicat]

Thanks guys,

I'm trying to be a friend and reassure her because she really is a nice girl. It's getting a little tiresome and frustrating when I have other friends who do have things wrong and aren't getting treatment but I'm trying not to let that show because the last thing she needs is for her friends to abandon her. She's been referred to a health psychologist but that's not for another couple of months. She stopped seeing her CPN and won't see the crisis team, but keeps going to different specialists.

I'll just try and be patient.