I worry every day about something - do you?

[JennyW]

I've been suffering health anxiety for nearly 4 years now, bought on by the death of my father

And to add to that, I worry about my age and getting older. I turned 41 this year and I guess getting older and the health anxiety just merge into one big monster for me

There isnt a day go by that I don't worry about getting something horrible and think to myself that as I'm getting older then it's obvious I'm going to get something? I just cant help it or stop it and it's so draining. It's stops me functioning as a normal human being. I consider myself healthy and fit and I eat well and try to do things that are good for me thus reducing any risk (hopefully).

For example this morning whilst walking my dogs in the morning sunshine and thinking what a beautiful day, this horrible demon voice popped up inside my head and said “what if I’ve got something horrible manifesting inside me and it’s going to make me ill"

Every week I seem to have something else to worry about, last week I was scared about skin cancer and got my brother to check my moles, that's gone away now and I'm now waiting on my next worry

I had bereavement counselling after losing my father and I'm not sure if I should have some other sort of counselling to help me with these fears and anxieties?

[bexy1970]

hiya,
i could have written that myself hunni, thats exactly how i feel everyday!! been made worse since the death of my dad too. my focus is my boob lumps and bumps at mo, even tho doc said theyre fine!! im waiting still for bereavement counselling, but went to gp yesterday and explained how this fear is really ruining my quality of life!! and i asked for cbt, which he is arrangeing for me,, honest my thought are exactly like you, i can be happy with kids or dog in the sun then wammy that horrible felling of what if comes along plus the getting old fear!! im 37.. hope you feel better knowing your not alone hun
becca xxx

[jellybean43]

I also could have written that post.
Mine all really started last September when we moved house although i have always been an anxious person and I suffered post natal anxiety in the 80s which took me 7 years to get over!!
I have had 15 years of being relatively ok but since we moved things have come to a head and i have got health anxiety.
I am now going to start CBT in the next few months and I know it will be really good for me.
I do have good days when i never think about stuff but on a bad day it is on my mind from morning til night.
At nearly 44 I think the same as the you----and it is ruining my everyday life!!!My thing is a swelling on my neck and you guessed it!!!!!------despite having 3 docs check it and various tests!!!.
Take care---you are definately not alone.I was out walking my dog this morning thinking the same things as yourself!!! xx

[Mudskipper]

And another one! 42 this week and frankly it gets so bad sometimes and my quality of life is so poor that life itself feels like it's all but over. I'm starting hypnotherapy on monday, gotta be worth a try!

[miss diagnosis]

me too! been this way since my dad died 3 years ago.
Am 28. Also had bereavment counselling,general counselling,hyponotherapy u name it!

its amazing to me how many people on this forum have HA directly resulting from the death of a close relative.

I always get worse around his aniversary which was last week.
My 16 year old neice was killed 8 months before my dad died which was a double whammy to deal with. Then i had a major family bust up and moved home. now im moving again!
My shrink said once i focus on evrything but what i need to deal with but if its not the health anxiety then I usually relapse into my old bulima ways which is worse (it is trust me cos u care nothing about ur insides)

[Carla08]

Hi all
I used to be really anxious about my health but then for no reason that all stopped without me really realising until I look back and I think a big part of that was making myself be the healthiest that I could be by what I ate and lifestyle etc. I read loads on how to be as healthy as possible and cut out everything bad for me and fill myself with vitamins and everything else .However I think the being obsessed with everything healthy thing has now overtaken the what if I get something syndrome I had before!!!

[panicagain]

Count me in. I'm 36 and every day i think something is wrong. Every time i get rid of one symptom another one pops up. I always think about my age and how time just flies by and i won't live another 36 yrs so over half my life is over. Its so sad that so many others worry all the time like me. I wish there was a quick fix and we'd all be happy All The Time,,,,,,Someday There Will Be That Day

[menomum]

Hi there, yes i'm in on this one too. I'm 49 and all i keep thinking is now i'm older things are going to start going wrong health wise and the older i get the more chance there is of something happening. I think its age 50 you start getting called for mammograms so that is going to send me into one massive panic when i do get called. Wish so much i could look at things logically. Just received a new book which comes highly recommended which is about CBT and consists of timetables that you work through to hopefully alter the way you think. Anythings worths a try don't you think?

[dumpling]

My counsellor told me this was quite common in the 30 - 40 age range, I'm 38 and I have always had health anxiety, I just didn't realise it! people just said I was a hypochondriac!

I went really dizzy 3 years ago and that sent me off onto a MS fear, that ruled my every day life for 2 years and counselling was the thing that helped me get on top of it.

My counsellor said that its quite common for people whose lives are changing, children getting older and not being so dependant on you, reaching 40 cos you suddenly think I'm getting old! all sorts of thing like that can make anxiety surface!

[jellybean43]

That is sooo true dumpling!!
Both my kids have left home long ago and I am "only" 43 so my life has taken a totally different route. Maybe, this has also contributed to my anxiety rearing its ugly head again after sooo many years!
xxx