I’ve been suffering from health anxiety since December last year and it really did come to its peak earlier on this year. Now I appreciate and understand it falls under the mental health umbrella but we really do need awareness of this anxiety I didn’t even know it could exist until I was diagnosed with it. I’ve heard of hypochondria but it’s used a such a random word it can mean anything and most of the time people laugh about it. I appreciate and understand raising awareness for illness that are life threatening and of course it needs to be done but unfortunately there’s health anxiety and others also deal with the other side of awareness campaign when people like us read too much init to it and self diagnosing our symptoms with it. I sometimes feel so shameful to think that I keep thinking I have a certain life threatening illnesses when Others are actually going through it. My doctors say you’re ill as well so it doesn’t matter these are the symptoms of your illness but doesn’t help you feeling bad and other people
Don’t really have an understanding of it as health anxiety is something that’s not talked about or not enough awareness is raised about it. When I talk to people now I go out of my way to explain my thoughts and feelings and make them aware that such things do exist. Wether they believe me
Or not is another thing 🤷🏽*♀️. I just feel as fellow sufferers we should be making people aware
Of health anxiety and not to make it an office laugh calling someone hypochondriac or dr Google as for some this is serious and it’s effecting Their way of life.