Overcoming health anxiety

[rainbow]

I bought the book " overcoming health anxiety" and have been reading through it over the last couple of days. It seems very helpful but I was flicking through the chapters and came to a chapter about facing your fears, it's kinda freaked me out. It says things about reading stories of terminally ill people, and to imagine being told by your gp that you are dying. Also to visit a hospital and really scary things like that. I really don't see how I can do these things.

Any thoughts on this or has anyone ever read the book?

[ServerError]

I'm sure many of us have found books that have helped us over time and played an important role in our recovery. I know I have. But that doesn't mean we need to do everything a book tells us in order to recover.

Facing our fears is indeed important, but this can mean whatever you decide it means. I'm not sure why a book would suggest you subject yourself to a ward full of dying cancer patients - except maybe as some kind of volunteer.

The best thing to do is to take from the book what works for you and discard the stuff that doesn't. Some exposure to your fears is a good idea, but there's no need to overdo it. You're far better with a CBT approach that gets you thinking about your fears and learning to counter them and challenge them as they arise.

Just my opinion, anyway. When I had a worry that I was developing a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, I don't feel that a visit to a psychiatric ward would have done me any good.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Who is the author? An ex sufferer by any chance?

[swajj]

I guess it depends on the individual. Reading about serious illnesses can be a trigger for my own anxiety so I would never read a book like that.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm sure many of us have found books that have helped us over time and played an important role in our recovery. I know I have. But that doesn't mean we need to do everything a book tells us in order to recover.

Facing our fears is indeed important, but this can mean whatever you decide it means. I'm not sure why a book would suggest you subject yourself to a ward full of dying cancer patients - except maybe as some kind of volunteer.

The best thing to do is to take from the book what works for you and discard the stuff that doesn't. Some exposure to your fears is a good idea, but there's no need to overdo it. Your far better with a CBT approach that gets you thinking about your fears and learning to counter them and challenge them as they arise.

Just my opinion, anyway. When I had a worry that I was developing a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, I don't feel that a visit to a psychiatric ward would have done me any good.

It's talking about exposure therapy, part of CBT. ERP is the one used these days, the old "flooding" method doesn't work as well but there are other exposure methods used in therapy too.

Rainbow - does it talk about creating a hierarchy from lowest anxiety provoking to highest?

[rainbow]

It's written by a Dr David Veale and Dr Rob Willson. It is cbt based.

MyNameIsTerry - yes it does talk about creating a hierarchy of lowest to highest provoking a anxiety. The suggestions terrify me and I don't see how doing these things could possibly help my anxiety.

[brucealmighty]

theres a good book called `staring at the sun` which is about death and health fears, doesn`t sound much fun but it really helped me look at things from a different viewpoint.
any hierarchy of fears is based on gradual exposure, I`ve known doormen use it believe it or not, where their first night on a big event is literally giving them the sh*ts so they were coached to drive to the venue before the night, spend some time outside etc and it worked. so its not just us faint hearted types who need these tools, it works for all manner of people who are facing fears.

all I`d say is go steady, the success comes from gradually realising you can do more than you initially thought, don`t dive in and shatter your existing confidence

best of luck with it all, but be brave and see what you can do

[Mummytofour]

Hi, I find that exposing myself to my fears in some way helps. I have recently watched a few films for example about someone with a terminal illness and although obviously it's a movie and not a real life documentary or anything I find it helps. Also I have read a blog online about someone currently living with terminal cancer and things like that. I do actually find it helps me because I am confronting these things. It really does make me think about the people out there who have and are dealing with my worst fear. I am lucky that mine is just that right now 'a fear and not something I am living with or dying of. I am not sure why it helps but I find it does. That's not to say it would for everyone x

[ServerError]

It's talking about exposure therapy, part of CBT. ERP is the one used these days, the old "flooding" method doesn't work as well but there are other exposure methods used in therapy too.

I'm sure you understand that my main point was that whatever works for someone works and that they're not obliged to follow everything a book says just because some of it resonates with them. I didn't do everything my therapist says, but the stuff I found helpful was great.

I just think you need to be careful with ideas of exposure. I think a degree of exposure is useful and I definitely had to expose myself to aspects of my own fear, but I'm sceptical of people surrounding themselves with "techniques" and "methods" and basically making their whole life about anxiety and recovery.

[Fishmanpa]

As has been mentioned, it's exposure therapy and part of CBT. How you are exposed to your fears and the amount you are exposed to should be decided on by a professional after an evaluation of one's mental state.

That being said, I used exposure therapy methods to desensitize myself to certain sounds that caused me to be irritated (I deal with some misophonia). It's not easy but when practiced it works.

Positive thoughts