Trying to stop myself....

[Amanda3266]

...from plunging headlong into another full blown health anxiety session.
I can feel the anxieties building up but so far logic is winning through and I am dealing with the feelings quite well.

Am a bit low at present as I have quite severe Rosacea (am seeing my GP tomorrow). I've also had one cold after another this year - all which have left me with a dreadful cough for weeks afterwards (and this time is no exception). I was diagnosed with asthma last year (mild) and have two inhalers - am stressing because I've had to use both more regularly I tell myself "of course you are using the inhalers alot - your cold has made the asthma temporarily worse" but then I read that lung disease is on the rise and low grade panic begins to surface. Thje fact that I swam 40 lengths of the local swimming pool two days ago with no problems doesn't register although in calmer moments I can say -"hey, if I can do that there cannot be too much wrong with my lungs"

Have to get a grip - I am not yet in the middle of a full blown health panic and I don't want to be.

Any suggestions? Am I doing well not to have succumbed so far to the irrational stuff?

[anxious]

Hi Amanda,

blimey wish i could swim 40 lengths, on holiday i nearly needed oxygen after 2
I know what you mean about 'trying to stop yourself'. Some days i feel like im constantly fighting with my mind, trying to push bad thoughts away. I just try to keep busy and be with people. When you are off colour its always worse, but a colds a cold and with this horrible weather this year we've been plagued with them as well. Strangely enough all ours have ended up with a bad cough as well which has gone on for weeks.
Well done for staying positive,

love anx xx

[Blackstar]

Hi Amanda,

Don't forget that even though you're staring into that hideous chasm of anxiety again, you overcame it once! You can do it again, even if you teeter a bit. You now know that you can have good times and that counts for so much.

I think perhaps continually building on the positives could help. Indulge in more activities that give you a mental as well as physical boost (as you said, you swam 40 lengths! That's brilliant! Your body must be in good shape). Keep your mind as busy as possible so it doesn't get too much chance to stray into the pool of negativity. This is something I find hard, but if you can manage it you then look back and think, "hey, I didn't think about my health/anxiety/bodily sensations for x amount of time".

Sometimes, when I'm alone and feeling anxious or low or panicky, I try this. I go round the room, grinning as widely as possible at every inanimate object. I'm usually laughing by the second object and it helps to lighten the mood!

Be kind to yourself, steer your thoughts to the positives but don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day.

Good luck sweetie

Anna. x

[Blackstar]

PS. As a fellow Rosacean I empathise with you completely. Feel free to pm me if you want to moan/chat! I have some good books and tips I've gathered over the years too.

x

[Panic1971]

I have rosacea as well - on my cheeks, chin, nose and forehead. It really gets me down as makes me self conscientious and I lack confidence as I feel like thats what everyone notices about me. I found it gets worse when I am stressed.

[Amanda3266]

Thank you all so much for replying. It's also really good to hear from some fellow Rosaceans (the term has quite a ring to it ).

Saw my GP this evening who freaked me out by talking about Lupus (due to severity of facial redness and acne type infection). However, he based that also upon my very wheezy and tickly cough as well. I pointed out that it wasn't just any old wheezy and tickly cough but one which produced green gunk courtesy of the cold I had three weeks ago. Told him I suffer from health anxiety and that I "don't want Lupus thank you very much doctor". He didn't suggest testing for it though so cannot really suspect it. This didn't stop me from coming home and sobbing in my husband's arms. Told him what the doc said and he just said "you haven't got bloody Lupus - a friend I had years ago suffered from it and you have none of the symptoms he had".
Calmed down and did some positive thought stuff.

On a more positive note my GP has put me on a long term course of antibiotics plus an antibiotic facial gel. In addition he discussed EFT with me and suggested that I use it for my anxiety - gave me the address of a good website (NZ based) which has access to a journal which he described as "much more reader friendly than the American one". So will take a look at this too.

[Panic1971]

Hi Amanda,

Do you have the link for the EFT site?

[Amanda3266]

Will post it later - not sure of the exact address off the top of my head but will check when I get home and post it then.

[Amanda3266]

Right then - the website he gave me was www.eft-therapy.com

Have looked and it seems pretty good - I haven't tried it before but have heard about it as I think it's the thing that Paul Mckenna suggests doing in his "I can make you thin" book.