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How To Survive Health Anxiety!
How To Survive Health Anxiety.
I suffered with terrible Health Anxiety which led to agoraphobia for the best part of two years. I know two years will sound like hardly anything to some of you on this site but we all know how bad and long an hour can feel with any form of anxiety let alone years.
I used to visit this site a lot, spending a large majority of the time I had on the Health Anxiety boards. This site was one of the largest contributors to my recovery so I decided to write something that might help other people in the grips of Health Anxiety because it is a terrible feeling.
Tackling the Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can be text book for some people and feel like the end of the world for others. Your panic attacks may even feel different every time. You may get dizzy, have the fast beating heart or you may start to feel your chest tense up and feel like you can't breathe. You could feel the panic rising for hours or it could literally come out of nowhere. The important thing is to learn to trust yourself and your body. I know panic attacks feel like you're dying at the time but you ALWAYS come out the other side of a panic attack alive.
Rather than focusing on it and questiong everything about it try to take it as a learning exeperience. Use every panic attack to practise techniques on how to calm yourself so you can end up preventing them escalating in the future. I havn't had a bad panic attack for over a year because of this! I know all of this is easier said than done when in the throws of a panic attack but it's better to try then to have your life consumed by them for any second longer.
As I said, everybody experiences panic attacks in different ways so don't panic if yours is different to other peoples on here. It does not mean something is seriously wrong, it's just your body reacts differently.
It's hard to differentiate between a real physical problem and anxeity when it's rising through you like that, even I have trouble sometimes still. I always know deep down that in 2 days when I'm still walking around alive and well I'll look back and see it for what it was though, that's what get's me through it
Trusting Your Doctor
Wether you're worried about a heart attack, cancer or any other of the countless afflictions and diseases I've read about in the Health Anxiety forums, everybody is as equally scared as you. Your first step is to go to your doctor. Don't be scared of what he/she might find because they really are there to help. Say you really do have something wrong (I'm not saying you do), it's better to get it diagnoised and fixed by a real doctor than to create posts asking people what they think it might be. I'm not preaching to you because you only have to click on my profile to realise I created post after post about my heart (+ various other subjects) for a long time, every post made me feel better for a while but it was not a long term fix.
People on No More Panic are not qualified Doctors, just other people with experience with panic and anxiety so we can only speculate on your symptoms and fears. We cannot diagnose you, only your GP can.
Don't be scared your doctor won't take you seriously, they HAVE to. If they diagnose you with Health Anxiety, ask if you can have help to tackle it. There's no shame in medication or counselling, it can turn your life around. If your doctor has diagnosed you with anxiety, don't be afraid to go back if you come across a new symptom incase he/she just dismisses it because they won't. Doctors cannot afford to not take people seriously. They know what they are doing! :)
Dr. Google Is Not Your Friend
I know I shouldn't, you all know you shouldn't, but somehow we end up doing it anyway and feeling worse for it, right? Well it's completely in your power to stop this. Anybody can write whatever they like on the internet and every symptom you type in, Dr. Google will end up diagnosing you with some terrible incureable disease that will make you panic like mad for weeks/months/years.
I watched a show months ago where 3 people went to a person infront of a computer and a real doctor. The person infront of the computer incorrectly diagnosed the people who had told him his symptoms with stuff like cancer, asthma, diabetes, while the real doctor diagnoised them correctly with mild allergies, indigestion and something else I can't quite remember but it was very common and non life threatening.
It's easy to go to your computer in the desperation you might find something reasurring, but you hardly ever do. So why do this to ourselves? It gets us nowhere and only makes us worse.
Accept Your Anxiety
You can't get better unless you accept it for what it is. You have an anxiety disorder than makes you continuously worry about your health.
Panic is the body and minds reaction to danger. You see danger everywhere because it's your own body. You can't step out of it and keep it safe no matter how much you wish you could. You might even have the extreme feelings of feeling trapped in your own body, at a total loss, scared and unhappy. It can change, with the right attitude and help you can overcome this and get yourself back.
Change Your Lifestyle
Eat healthier, go out more, exercise! Exercise is a wonderful way to help anxiety in most forms. It releases endorphins which make you feel good and happy. I know it's hard to do it, especially if you have heart worries (something I'm far too familiar with). If exercise feels like too much for you, start gently. Go for walks, it's exercise and it gets you out the house so you're not sat infront of your PC desperatley trying to find peace of mind.
Learn how to relax yourself. Buy yourself something you enjoy or makes you happy, take an hour out every night to soak in a bath with lavender bubbles, anything that relaxes you, do it. Just empty your mind and enjoy.
Family And Friends Don't Understand You
We've all been there. They get mad at us, tell us to get over it and in extreme cases they just want to stop talking to us altogether. It's upsetting and lonely but this is what No More Panic is truly for. To help you overcome your anxiety and to be there for you when people in your life just don't understand.
Nine times out of ten, people who have never experienced anxiety just won't get it. It frustrates them which frustrates us which can make us even worse. Try not to let it get you down, make a thread, vent your problems, go in the chatroom and make friends. There's always someone here who understands and will have a chat with you.
The road to recovery can be a lonely one, so use all the help you can on here. You are NEVER alone.
So! Sorry for the long read if you took the time to read it. Feel free to add your own two cents in here whenever you want. Your own personal little gems that get you through a bad time, or your own tips to overcoming this. No one deserves to live a life full of anxiety and unhappiness. I wish you ALL a speedy and full recovery. It's not easy, it's not quick and it's not a straight road to recovery. No More Panic will be here to help you on your way if you ever feel like giving up or it's too much. I know you ALL can do this. You're strong willed and intelligent people so take back your life! Today is a good a day as any, don't waste one more second on the monster that's anxiety. :) x
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Re: How To Survive Health Anxiety!
Best post ever. Mainly because its so TRUE. All of it. I'm sitting in the doctors waiting room now. I am going to listen to him and not google ANY more etc. I am wasting my life over this terrible health anxiety issue. I have bookmarked this page as it makes me look a bit more logically which is not easy. But thank you.
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Great post. I have been greatly helped by the Dr Claire Weekes books, so I would add the following:
Don't fight your anxiety and feelings. You just produce more adrenaline and feel worse. Accept the feelings of anxiety and how your body feels - it's temporary. Let the feelings wash over you, but carry on - Claire weekes calls it 'floating'.
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Helpful words, thank you for posting this today, it's helped me. I have GAD but anxiety is anxiety and what you wrote makes good sense to me.
Hope the doctors appointment has helped, Willous
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Great Post...Thank you :)
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Fantastic insight - thankyou! Maybe this should be made a sticky?
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Thank you all for reading it and your kind words! :)
Wllious, I hope the doctor helped you and I'm glad you're taking the steps to rid yourself of anxiety! Wish you all the best.
Saab, thanks for adding that in here, really good advice.
Lilac, that's fantastic that you can relate to this too! Glad you found it interesting.
turnthelighton, melvin and Darwin, thanks for taking the time to read this. :)
Thought I might add when first starting to combat your anxiety it's best to definatley stay away from alcohol and maybe caffine too if it affects you badly. Doesn't have to be forever, I'm sitting here quite comfertably drinking a cup of tea now, but if your anxiety levels are high it can affect you quite horribly in my experience! x
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I needed to read this today, Thank you :hugs:
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great post and thanks - have made it a sticky now
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Aw! Thank you guys :hugs: I'm glad you all like it and find it a good read! Hope it's been helpful to you x
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Hi pokerface....i loved reading your post as it hits the nail right on the head,..i just would like to know if medication helped you tackle your anxiety and panic attacks or if its possible to overcome it better without. ive tried citalopram that didnt help, fluoxetine that helped abit but didnt get rid of the fog in my head and now im on venlafaxine and seroquel, im 5 days in and had two of my worst ever panic attacks last night, i was so scared i was dying. i went super hot and sweaty which has never happened before along with dizzyness, legs about to collapse beneath me, nearly sick, needing toilet, shaking uncontrollably and a horrible hot surge running through my body. also had palpitations and feeling like i cant get enough air. Can anyone relate to this? i ended up being so scared i took a diazepam. this all came about because i felt sick....i know its normal to sometimes feel abit sick and i tell myself over and over that im fine but my brain wont listen and goes into meltdown. my attacks started 5 months ago after having my little boy and i hemorrhaged after labor and nearly died. now i cant convince myself im well.
everytime i have an attack its a little bit different like you said and therefore leads me to believe this is it im going to die....im really scared its never going to stop and side effects may make me worse. i just want to be normal, i have 4 gorgeous boys who dont detect a thing i hope and an amazing husband who tries to always help bring me out of an attack...i hate that word attack...i just hate it all. any help would be great....and i love the caption.."when i am asleep i am free" as i can never wait to get to bed its the only time i feel "normal". Sorry for my punctuation but im holding my little boy while he sleeps. xx
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Hi babydutch. I'm so sorry for the late reply, I hope you're feeling better :)
Everyone is different in how they tackle and manage their anxiety, personally, medication wasn't for me. I was prescribed Propranolol (a beta blocker) to help with some of the symptoms of anxiety but I was only on them for a month. My GP never offered me any other medication or counselling so unfortunately I have little to no experience of medication for anxiety.
I have read on here sometimes medication can make your anxiety worse before it gets better and a lot of people suggest taking a course of medication whilst seeking counselling.
I can definitely relate to the panic attack you described. One of my worst panic attacks I ever had was exactly like that, I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe, got up to go splash cold water on my face and both my legs buckled underneath me and I fell into the wall, needed the toilet couldn't breathe, was so dizzy my chest hurt and was tight. I was so scared I was crying and begging my boyfriend to call me an ambulance because I was so convinced I was dying and this couldn't be a panic attack. Luckily, my boyfriend saw it for what it was and refused to call me an ambulance and helped calm me down after a few terrifying hours.
5 months is such a short time. This is all so new and terrifying for you I can completely understand how agonising and terrifying this all is for you. The first year and a half was the worst time in my life and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I thought there was no way out, convinced I was going to experience anxiety on such a high level for the rest of my life, but trust me, with hard work it can get better.
I used to count the hours until bed time too, it was the only time I had any relief. A lot of people with extreme anxiety and panic attacks feel the same. You're definitely not alone in any of these thoughts and feelings.
What you have is extreme anxiety, the doctor has checked you over and found no underlying cause for it I presume so it really is your brain doing all this to you. Everybody in the whole entire world experiences anxiety in there lives, ours is just so confused and out of whack, our brain perceives danger absoloutely everywhere with various diseases and ailments so we get panic attacks. A panic attack is your bodys first defense against danger, it tells you something is wrong so you either get ready to fight, or get ready to get the hell out of this "dangerous" situation your mind has created.
I always wondered why my body would choose to do this to me if it was a reaction against danger, like, if I was faced with a man eating tiger...why would my brain make me not able to breathe and my legs stop working? Surely I'd get eaten? But if I think about it, I assume if there was a tiger my brain would be so focused on the tiger I wouldn't notice the effects the extra adrenaline had on my body, I'd be focused on getting away so the extra adrenaline would help me sprint faster than ever before. But because there is no tiger and no danger, just me, myself and my body, I get scared of what the adrenaline is doing to me and why it's come which is bloody awful which leads to panic attacks of epic proportions if you like!
Sorry if you found the tiger theory hard to follow, to try and explain myself better, Health Anxiety sufferers are scared of their own bodies. What could be unseen inside of them, that's the danger. But of course we can't run from ourselves so the panic attack doesn't help us at all. It just leaves us feeling horrible and even more convinced we're dying when in reality, we're perfectly fine.
I hope the meds start to work for you, don't be scared to go back to your GP if they don't agree with you or get too much. Ask for counselling or if there's any other options and try to learn as much about anxiety and how your mind works as you can. Once you start to learn about what your body and mind is doing, it becomes a bit more manageable.
Feel better soon xx
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Read it for the 1st time today. Really good post and makes sense. The bit about trusting your doctor is the important one for me.
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Try to start conquering your fears, and to let go of your "safety behaviors"
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Thank you. What a helpful, sensible, reassuring post! Some fab wisdom here! Much better than dr google ;)
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thanks for this helpful reading....
1st step for me docs on friday- 3rd time lucky i hope xx
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You're all welcome! Thanks for reading this, I'm really glad so many of you have found it helpful!
stressedmamof3 - I hope your doctors appointment went well! Well done for plucking up the courage to go again, I know it's hard. x
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Gosh everything you said is so true. Logic appears out the window though.
I do now accept I will not be free, but learn to live with it and in the main feel in control. Great post
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Thanks so much for this post. I am going through a bout of Health anxiety right now and it really helps to see people have made it through.
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Thank you poker face xxxxx
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You're both welcome, glad you found it helpful, thanks for reading :) xx
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I have just read your post - thank you for that, it is so true and helpful.
I have spent all day today thinking I am on the verge of a heart attack. mainly because my left arm is a bit achey, and my chest feels full (but I do have a bit of a cold). No real pain but it's like I'm expecting something to happen - I don't seem to be able to deal with negative thoughts.
I have made a decision to eat better and try to exercise (I have high BP so it might help that as well).
My demons are the thoughts that constantly go round in my head about my heart, I constantly check my pulse, but I have no idea what I'm doing so it doesn't mean a thing, just my heart is beating steadily. I cannot rid myself of these obsessive thoughts. I also suffer with a bit of OCD as well.
I am really going to try and rid myself of this horrible thing hanging over me.
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Sorry to hear that Pansy. I was an obsessive pulse checker too, still do it occasionally when I feel panicky! It does get better though.
I know the feeling of being on the verge of a "heart attack" , I was always on the verge of a panic attack though! The negative thoughts are extremely hard to shake and feed the panic, it requires a lot of will power and concentration to move on from them! I still find it hard sometimes now!
Good luck with the exercise and eating right, really hope you feel better soon xx
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I've read all of them and I think it is a helping text for HAs indeed, Thank you :)
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Yea that's a good tip sally. Alcohol will always increase your anxiety the next day, some of the worst panic attacks I've ever had have been while hungover!
Although alcohol might make you feel happy and relaxed at the time in my experience the next day is always awful! x
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hello everyone i joined the site today and found it most interesting ,infact upon reading some of the threads my eyes filled up and i actually sat in the chair with tears rolling down my face !! my tears werent throgh upset they were happy tears as i could finally see that i wasnt on my own and other people actually felt like i do !!! and i wasnt a weirdo or nutter !!! as my partner of 20 years labelled me ....in february 2012 for some unknown reason i was driving down the motorway and just burst into tears for nothing ....this carried on and my ass was on the floor big time i became very upset at the slightest thing ,im 46 yrs old and neither drink or smoke .(so drinking myself to oblivion wasnt an option) so i started going straight to bed after work ,and crying my heart out on my own whilst my partner stayed downstairs and watch tv !! this went on and on and each time i had a panic attack it got worse until i convinced myself that i must be having a heart attack ,and even drove to hospital and had an ecg again to find nothing!!!!of course this made me feel better but still my head was all over the place , so much so i cried myself to sleep often, and decided to tell my doctor ....mertazerpine and diazipam were his answer although i try not to take the latter , but being told im a "nutter" really doesnt help and has distanced me massively from my partner ....she really doesnt understand at all !!i wouldnt wish these feelings on anyone !!the guys at work have been brilliant with me and given me a big hug etc when ive broken down infront of them , im trying so hard to come out of this and stop reacting to these horrendous panic attacks , im sometimes scared to go to the cinema as i check out the exits all the time ( god i know that sounds stupid) and trains i avoid at all costs as i couldnt get off them , which i know deep down is totally irrational but it makes me feel awful.......as do lifts im frightened that i might get stuck in them , recently i went to manchester united fc , in an exec box for lunch but the only way was by lift , and i nearly freaked out as it was so small, and seemed like 10 mins in there , in normallity land im the life and soul of the party making everyone laugh and living life to the full , but since february 2012 it seems ive fallen apart i cry at sad films anyway (yes its not only girls who do this !!!) but now even more ...and reading the threads on here makes me feel so much happier !!! and like i said even made me cry !!!! doctor says i should go on quetiapine ? with mertazerpine as well so can someone please give me some of yr wisdom many thanks pete !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yesyes:
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thank you so much for all this common sense
I have started meditating for the past six months this has helped enormously too xx
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Your fears are exactly like mine! No lie the whole lift thing! I would rather climb 100 floors of stairs then ever step foot in one! Trains havnt been on one in years neither would I any time soon! Constantly looking for the nearest escape route, I can't go anywhere unless I drive (easy escape that way)! I hope this site helps you! Have u tried talking to your partner? My bf completely doesn't get me he thinks I'm 'daft' although he has learnt to be more comforting and accepting of it, I'm 24 and have had this since I was 15. So a long time! I have never taken meds not because I think there bad just personal opinion. I hope you can overcome this and we are all here with you should you need us :) you are most definitely not alone....p.s sorry for any spelling errors I'm using my phone and I'm sure its the worlds smallest keyboard! Liz x
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This sticky has given me a lot of reassurance. Although ironically I am waiting for my 4th phone consultation with another G.P. today and will be asking for citalopram and CBT. I've had this about 4 years ago and I can only hope that this will help me with my cycle.
For months I've convinced myself that I had PMDD, last week the G.P. suspected that it's classic P.M.T. (whereas I'm now sure it's perimenopause) and suggested that I try the propranolol if things get bad.
I've havent been myself for over 2-3 months. Last night was the worst as I was convinced that I was dying, my diaphragm was tight, sure that my heart was gonna give me a nasty shock and I was shuddering with fear that I would die leaving my lovely young family.
After my husband got upset with me, he said if you die in your sleep you won't know anyway, but tomorrow demand that the Doctor sees you and do something about it.
So I reluctantly took the propranolol and distracted myself with the t.v. until exhaustion.
I'm too frightened to go to sleep.
I've done the classic Dr. Google assessment, and the result there is that it would be a nightmare to get specialists tests done if I had suspected condition. It's hard to shake off that feeling I have some underlying condition waiting to present itself.
Today I am better, I know what changes I have to make, but the main thing is to convince myself to feel upbeat even over the most silly thing. Not to dwell or brood, least of all worry. I know that distraction is the key, to seek out some simple pleasure and indulge yourself.
I feel for all the sufferers, especially those with different experiences to mine. Thankfully, there is a wealth of helpful information on this site, though nothing replaces the comfort and assurances we need in person certainly just as the anxiety is occurring.
As is often said, "mind over matter" - we can choose to beat it, or let it beat us.
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Should'a read this first. I know it's right about everything, now to convince my BRAIN of it.
I feel honestly kind of relieved that this website exists. I'm tired of arguing with my family about this, and getting myself all worked up. Of course since I'm dealing with a physical symptom right NOW the relief perhaps isn't as palpable as it might be... I'll be better when everything comes back clear.
And it's hard to ignore google. I just googled myself AGAIN after I SAW a doctor today :doh: (and got an appointment for a blood test and a scan out of it - MUCH more useful than google even if it DID set me googling again because I was being given the test and scan for something different to what I went in for and got scared all over again!) ...Is it just me, or are lumps one of the most persistent of all the medical problems people bring here? Alongside things like heart problems? Nothing scares us like the 'C' word!
Goes anyone have any advice for physically keeping yourself OFF the search engines re: health issues? I mean, is there some way you can block those websites or something? I lack self restraint with these things v.v
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This is so beautiful and all so true - I've been through it all.
The bad days are paralyzing- all day balled up on the couch with TV
The good - distraction and happy thoughts - being busy
We need to get away from ourselves...
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great post wise words ! i am hoping to get over my anxiety and when i have a anxious state i feel it coming on slowly getting worse and worse and i lay down and take deep breaths slowly my body is telling me to jump up and move around and panic more but i ignor and accept it all the time i am watching family guy mostly in the background whilst panicking or feeling anxious the thoughts come into my head your going to die bla bla bla and i ignore them and say iam strong this will be over and when it is i will be happy it eventually goes its not easy but it goes when it dose go its proof that you are feeling better this was all caused by worrying so each time i aim to get stronger and stronger thats how i try and deal with it thanks for the post
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Glad this has been of some help to your guys :)
Dreamer, Propanolol (in my experience) will help relieve the physical symptoms to a point, but not the mental. They're a beta blocker and stop the adrenaline reacting with the blood so much. Keep that in mind when taking, it might help you feel a bit more relaxed with them mentally if you know. :)
Glyph, there is a way to block certain websites from your preferred internet browser, I forget how? But I'm sure if you search how to you'll come across something that tells you. With me, I just thought "is this really worth it?" Sometimes we can find the reassurance, most times we can't. It just takes self restraint really, next time you feel like you want/need to Google just ask yourself how you'll end up feeling? Realistically? There's a 9/10 chance (made up just trying to get my point across that Dr. Google sucks) that we'll get the result we most feared and 1/10 we'll get the reassurance we need. Even if we find some semi reassuring information, they'll be another website telling us the complete opposite and for some reason we'll believe that one as absolute fact! Just seriously, next time you want to Google, I know it's easier said than done, but please, please, PLEASE, think twice :)
Hope you all feel better soon! xxx
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Brilliant guide :) here's to better thinking and a fresher mind state,I'd recommend this for definite, thank you for a good read and better understanding! :yesyes:
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I'm new to this site and this was the first thread I read and it has made me feel a lot better.
I hate the fact that no one understands how I feel and it is very lonely.
And I certainly won't be googling symptoms anymore!
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Best thing ive read on this whole site. Just came onto this site as ive started getting anxious and now im away off it just because of this post, Its brilliant and opens my mind straight away!!
FAB!!