Hello! Has anyone suffered from HA since they were very little?

[indigo]

Hi my name is Julie and I have suffered with health anxiety since the age of about 5 or 6. Well thats when I can remember it, it might have been before that. How is it a child can have HA at this age? I am going through therapy at the moment, can't see the end in sight yet though

[Gem Can't Switch Off]

hi Julie,

I know from as early as I can remember that I've always been a worrier but my panic and anxiety really kicked in in my teens- I was convinced I was dying, it all kicked in for me after a traumatic year. Did something happen to a member of your family or friend at that time to trigger it??

[kitty_boom]

Hi ya,

I can relate to this as I have also been very stressed since a young age, when I was very small (about 4 or 5) I used to cry and cry about wars and stuff I heard on the news, then a little later the HA kicked in, I think it all started with a complete irrational fear that I had a tapeworm (my first real HA memory), then a brain tumours, then bone cancer and today I am 26 and now I obsess over my heart. My panic attacks started when I was about 14, although at that time I had no idea what they were.

I think some people are just more sensitive to things around them, stuff we have heard and that happened around us, but as kids it was much harder for us to communicate our distress or understand it, so hopefully now we have better tools to try and fight it! So don't worry I am sure a lot of anxiety sufferers also had heightened sensitivity in childhood.

Take care

x

[kitty_boom]

Oh I also forgot to say that since these thought processes are so ingrained in us, from such a young age, is why therapy is not a speedy process it takes time, so please don't give up on getting treatment. You'll find that what you think isn't helping you in terms of therapy actually does eventually! (if that makes any sense!)

[weeble40]

Hi and a big welcome to NMP its great to have you here, hope to see you in chat sometime,

Take care

Emma xxx

[gummybits]

I have sever health anxiety, and i have had since about 8 years old, i used to get night terrors when very young and ega spells of fear about almost everything, i used to close my eyes and just see grotesque images and monsters, they have changed into like preminision like visions of terrible things happening to me, i had quite a bad childhood tho, your more likely to suffer if you did not recieve comfort as a child, did you?

[crunchie01]

hi

i always worried about being sick when i was really little and i still do now it used to absolutely petrify me and i went through a stage where if i didnt do things in a certain way i would be sick, so i suppose i have always had a tendancy to be anxious with my health

[indigo]

Hi and thank you to everyone who has replied xxx
My sister who is 10 years older than me (i'm 32) was gravely ill from the time i was born and had a thyriodectomy at the age of 16 so i was 6 and saw my mum taking her to and from the doctors constantly. She was mis diagnosed countless times and my mum was told that she was starving her and there was nothing wrong with her!!!! No wonder i don't have faith in doctors!!!! I am one of 7 children and i'm the one in the middle. My brother is a year younger than me and then i have two younger sisters 4 and 5 years younger. So my mum with all of these children and my sister being ill didn't really have much time for me, no cuddles , no comfort, just told not to be so stupid and of course your all right what do you think is wrong with you? Or why do you think your so special? Theses comments didn't help! Thanks to everyone xxx

[lorac]

Hi

Welcome to the site I am sure you will find lots of good advice and support on here.

Take care

Carol

[pooh]

HI there and welcome along to NMP

Pooh x