Is a " normal life" even possible for HA sufferers?

[Jadex9]

Hi guys,

First I have to say this is probably the best forum I've ever belonged to, we all suffer from a beast of an anxiety disease and I feel like we're all in this crappy boat together.

With that said, I'm currently in the throws of a rabies panic, really bad one in fact, but let's say I don't have the disease.. Then what?

It will just be another one down the road and il start this entire worrying and sadness all over again.

I've suffered from everything you can think of, from ALS to SFI to Lockjaw, it's always real to me, the symptoms are always real.

This is no way to live life, I refuse to accept that it's " only anxiety" it has to be more, right?

How will I ever even lead a normal life?

No doctor is right to me, i don't trust them.

No reassurance is enough.

It almost seems hopeless.

[Allochka]

Hi,
sad to hear you are suffering. I'm also having sort of relapse at the moment. But I must admit that my relapse is "peanuts" compared to what my HA used to be 3-4 years ago.
I have a HA concern now, but am able to be relatively rational about it and still enjoy life. It doesn't preoccupy me 24/7 anymore. I am on medication and it helps greatly.

Yes, normal life is possible. Please see sticky posts from people who have recovered from HA. Not sure that I'll recover fully, but at least it is manageable thing now and it doesn't rob me from happiness anymore. So that's enough for me.

Have you tried meds or therapy? It takes time and effort, but it is possible to enjoy life again! You should not give up and doubt the possibility of improvement. Fight HA, and you'll win!

[nomorepanic]

I agree - read the sticky threads as they will be a big help.

[elincia]

It's hard to feel normal when you're having an anxious episode. I've gone for months convinced I was going to die. I've had social anxiety and generalised anxiety too and the health anxiety is way more horrible.

But there are good periods for me where I am less frightened and I feel normal for most of the day. I've been working hard not to feed my anxiety lately and I'm doing better. I just distract myself when I feel like focusing on the symptoms to teach my brain that it's not worth worrying about. I heard from a doctor who I trust, so that makes it easier for me. It's really hard at first, but it gets easier and it's absolutely worth it. I feel mostly normal, with some short blips now.

I do believe that people get better and that one day I will get better too. I hope you will too. I know people who have overcome it, it just takes time.

[NoraB]

I don't know about a 'normal life' - I don't know what that feels like? But you can certainly recover from health anxiety because I have, and that's from nervous breakdown due to HA. I will always have anxiety, and still have GAD with nocturnal panic attacks, but whatever is flaring things up at the moment, it's not health anxiety. I got a fibro diagnosis last year - which explains what anxiety never could. I know what's going on in my body and I am well acquainted with the symptoms of anxiety (my symptoms especially) I put a LOT of work into recovering from HA so I'm going to ask you: what are you doing to get better?

[Jamie123]

Hi Jade, I am with you. Currently in a rabies panic knowing after that it will be the next thing and the one after that which at one point made me think that even if I don't get any of these diseases I will waste my life away worrying I will so what is the point, which becomes quite depressing. I do however think we have to try and stay positive, I am currently trying to get some therapy to see if it can help me so maybe that may be an option for you if you have not tried. Let's hope we will eventually find a way!

[carriewriting]

Some people seem to get past it and have shared stories of normal life. Check the success stories section of the forum for some inspiration. Personally, after 15 years I've come to the point where I've literally worried about and researched (several times over) every disease that exists. Lately when I get a HA thought I just tell myself that I'm bound to get something eventually and I've already done the freaking out about it so I might as well get on with life while I can. I think I have health anxiety fatigue. Acceptance seems the only way forward. All the best x