Those who deal with health anxiety, how do you manage your stress levels?
Posted by smalldoughnuts@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 67 comments
A few years ago I had a sudden and traumatic health situation and it has resulted in massive anxiety around my health and germs at large.
With all the talk about meningitis, it’s brought up a lot of anxiety for me. I’m vaccinated, but not against the strain that is making death headlines.
The last few days I’ve had a sore throat and generally feeling unwell, which hasn’t helped my stress levels. I’m trying to limit symptom googling but today I’ve got a rash from my bra on my chest and that has left me in a shaking and anxious mess.
I live alone and I’m absolutely terrified of dying in my sleep and nobody finding me for weeks.
This may sound silly, but this is a reality for me and many others.
Those with health anxiety, I see you. You are not alone. How do you deal with health related stress?
angels-and-insects@reddit
Short-term: just go to the GP. It's okay. I went to A&E with a suspected heart attack and it turned out to be a massive panic attack. The A&E doctor told me I was right to do that, and she'd always rather be having this conversation, reassuring someone, than the other kind.
Medium to long term: EMDR therapy is stellar, very effective, and surprisingly swift. And it doesn't hurt.
foxandivy@reddit
How did you get EMDR? I'm guessing privately? Is it expensive/does it work with long term trauma? Thanks !
angels-and-insects@reddit
YES, it works with long-term trauma. I think that's even what it's best at / designed for. CPTSD.
And yes, I went privately. I actually kinda deliberately chose someone expensive, because I was looking for someone with high qualifications and a wide range of methodologies. It was £95 a session but only took 6, so actually cheaper in the long run than other kinds of therapy. I do NOT have that kind of money spare, but I really needed it sorted and just let it pummel my account for a month and a half. And it was worth every penny. I also live in the SE so it might be cheaper elsewhere in the country.
Here's the advice and site a psych-qualified friend gave me when I was looking:
"i usually direct people to the Psychology Today website as lots of good therapists register there and you can also search for various things (e.g. DV, anxiety etc). I would then go through and find one that the experience, price, what they say about themselves and what they look like resonate with you. I would also look at whether they are doing face to face or virtual and what suits you. Message them and ask for a trial session where you can raise what you are looking for and how they explain that they work. Then from this I would choose one that I felt gave good advice and most importantly that I would feel honest, open and able to be vulnerable with. It is such a personal thing and the relationship is the crucial thing. go on a gut feeling and take it from there. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/counselling/eng/oxfordhttps://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/counselling/eng/
I went through with the criteria * in my town * highly qualified * wide range of methodologies * woman (if I'm talking about smear tests, I want someone who knows) * my age or older * non-religious
foxandivy@reddit
Thank you so much!
Justplaythefkngnote@reddit
They will tell you that, but if everyone goes to A&E who in reality just needs reassurance, it will get swamped very quickly (already is in most places) and can delay people who are actually having heart attacks, strokes etc. Not to diminish these experiences but A&E is not the place for them. A GP is however a good first port of call.
angels-and-insects@reddit
She specifically said that they couldn't tell it wasn't a heart attack without doing the ECG so didn't expect me to be able to tell. I'll take the A&E doctor's advice over Reddit. If you think you are having a heart attack, go to A&E. If you think you are ill, go to the GP. And if you have health anxiety, get therapy.
Justplaythefkngnote@reddit
Sorry should have added A&E nurse so yh I know. Many GPs have ECG machines it takes like 3 minutes. If it's a first anxiety attack, ok understandable. If one has a history of anxiety attacks, please call 111 as you probably don't need to go A&E as this will likely be rammed
angels-and-insects@reddit
Thanks, it was 1am, I've not made a habit of it, and did seek therapy as I suggested OP do. And of course I phoned 111 first.
If you'd like to reread my original comment, I suggested that OP see their GP for their immediate concerns and also seek therapy for their health anxiety. I gave my own experience as an example to an anxious poster that it's okay to seek medical help even if it turns out things are fine.
Natural-Confusion885@reddit
Your comment was perfectly clear and totally fine. You did exactly the right thing, too.
Justplaythefkngnote@reddit
I didn't say anything you said was wrong. You sound a very sensible person. I'm just giving the view from the other side. That's all I can do. It is a harsh reality that, no matter the nice things we say in A&E like yes it's good you came etc , resources are not finite, there's only so many beds/trolley bays and someone else will be waiting longer as a consequence.That's just the logistics of it. If you really thought you were having a heart attack, that's fair enough. I would just urge people who KNOW they are prone to anxiety attacks, that someone else WILL have their care delayed as a result if they attend A&E unnecessarily. That's all.
Excali20@reddit
I don’t
Either_Reality3687@reddit
When I was just a little girl I asked my mother What will I be? Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Here's what she said to me:
Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be.
When I grew up and fell in love I asked my sweetheart What lies ahead? Will we have rainbows Day after day? Here's what my sweetheart said:
Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be.
Now I have children of my own. They ask their mother, What will I be? Will I be handsome? Will I be rich? I tell them tenderly:
Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que sera, sera. What will be, will be. Que sera, sera.
Deep_Banana_6521@reddit
beta blockers.
I had the worst hypochondria ever. Always in the doctors about throat problems that didn't exist, heart problems that didn't exist, cancer screenings etc.
Started on beta blockers to deal with anxiety and it's not been an issue for over 6 years.
CurlyWhirlyDirly@reddit
Just a note that not everyone can take these, GP is unlikely to prescribe to anyone who has asthma as they can supposedly trigger asthma attacks.
WeWereInfinite@reddit
Yep. I've been struggling with anxiety my whole life which has gotten significantly worse in the last couple of years leading to panic attacks, sleep loss, and a loss of concentration so I started making mistakes a lot and can't really enjoy my hobbies anymore.
Finally worked up the nerve to go to the doctor and I was told I can't get medication because I'm asthmatic.
I was instead prescribed a mindfulness app which was completely useless.
CurlyWhirlyDirly@reddit
I'm sorry to hear that, that's a really unhelpful response from your doctor. I'm surprised they didn't at least offer alternative medications instead.
I've had to stop propranolol due to asthma also, have been on a bunch of other meds like Prozac etc, but I'm taking a new one now Vortioxetine which doesn't have too many side effects and is helping with my anxiety and panic attacks, so maybe that's an option you could try speaking to them about?
yrubsema@reddit
Am asthmatic - can confirm. I used to get propranolol online before you had to disclose GP details, and used to confirm that I didn't have asthma. Yes it's stupid. But they helped immensely with performance anxiety. But they did mildly impact my asthma.
EverybodySayin@reddit
Note that beta blockers don't actually stop anxious thoughts, they just block the physical symptoms of anxiety that are caused by the beta-andrenergic system. Can help combat the "I think anxious thoughts, now I feel shakey and my heart is racing and that in turn makes me more anxious" loop, but it's sadly not a quick fix for all-cause health anxiety for most.
MillennialMedic@reddit
Yes and no, propranolol (which is the usual B-blocker used in this case) does cross the blood brain barrier (hence side effect of vivid dreams) and therefore does have effects in the CNS
External-Praline-451@reddit
The thing with health anxiety, is that anxiety causes physical symptoms (like breathlessness, dizziness, sweating, fast heartrate) and they feed into health anxiety like a feedback loop. It just goes round and round and exacerbates. Some people find relieving the physical symptoms rewires their brain enough to get out of the loop.
Obviously therapy to tackle the root cause is probably better, but people need immediate intervention when it's chronic and they can't afford specialised, immediate care.
Deep_Banana_6521@reddit
worked for me for like 6-7 years
Kerrypug@reddit
You're right, it doesn't stop the cause but maybe it can help you get to a headspace where you can deal with it
pied--piper@reddit
This definitely doesn’t sound silly at all, and I’m so glad to read through all of these comments offering advice and empathy. From my perspective, I’m an online hypnotherapist that specialises in helping people struggling with health and medical anxiety. Through your experiences, completely understandably, your brain has learnt that health problems = danger, so anytime you feel a bit unwell, or read something in the news, your brain goes into panic mode and blows it up. In its own strange way, your brain is trying to protect you, but of course this doesn’t help when fear itself is bringing on rashes and full blown anxiety.
Hypnotherapy works by calming down your brain, helping you understand whats happening when you’re afraid, and teaching it new pathways and responses so that in future, you no longer feel fear or anxiety around your health. I also give my clients various tools they can use (especially in public) when they feel themselves becoming worried.
I came to this because I also suffered from health anxiety related to years of trying to get help for a chronic condition. I know it works, and I work with clients with similar stories everyday.
This isn’t something you have to live with, so if it’s truly affecting your life, I’m just a private message away. I truly wish you only the best of luck with your future.
Blinkychan@reddit
I have contamination OCD which is linked to the fear of making myself sick/making other people sick.
It was triggered by a cancer scare, and then my dad getting ill made it unmanageable without Citalopram and therapy
I see a therapist once a week and I’m strict with my medication. It’s helping a lot but I’ve still got a lot of work to do before I feel ‘normal’ again. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone :(
nonibet@reddit
I had something that sounds similar. I'm not going to give details because you don't need something else to worry about? But what helped me get past it was actual in-person PTSD therapy.
Not counselling, not CBT, not bloody Better Help. Actual PTSD therapy with a PTSD specialist that just wasn't available on the NHS.
I was against it at first, because who was I to have PTSD when e.g. soldiers have been through much worse. But I'm glad I was pushed into going, it has made a world of difference. It was slow going, not a quick fix, but it worked and was worth paying privately for.
snarkmaiden5@reddit
Had it from a teenager onwards after a parent passed and at the time didnt know why it happened. It was bad...
Nothing helped except realising when your time is up, its up. Bit fatalistic but it helped. I dont ignore if something feels wrong. I go get it checked out, but in the main ive stopped catastrophising about everything because it really doesn't accomplish anything
BrutalOnTheKnees@reddit
Honestly I medicate the shit out of myself.
seshwan33@reddit
So there’s something very specific about health anxiety where sometimes general anxiety tips and tricks just don’t hit the same.
I think obviously it goes without saying but therapy alone or paired with anti-anxiety medication is going to be useful.
But outside of that I think a lot of it revolves around reassurance seeking. I used to be so so so bad btw couldn’t leave the house due to health anxiety. And the worse thing is I do have chronic health conditions that need managing so not every symptom is in my head. And my partner too very complex serious medical problems. I have to go to hospitals all the time and stuff. And I think I’ve improved a lot.
I would say 50-75% of that Is down to therapy and Duloxtine (SNRI)
But the other 25-50% would probably be from not watching news anymore. Unfollowing all health shit on socials. Even stuff you wouldn’t think of like diary of a CEO podcast or Joe rogan or whatever they always have health ‘experts’ on talking about how we are all dying. Basically hair remove all this health junk from your daily ‘feed’.
I actually find all that stuff way more triggering than actually being in a hospital where illness is actually being managed. The other noise just gets otherwise healthy people to start panicking about everything. A health anxious brain will do that on it owns. It doesn’t need a lot of extra input to help it get there.
Heal from anything you can involving past medical trauma to yourself and others. Can’t state this enough. My mum died from a brain tumour at 30 years old. I have had to do so much work to try and not think I’m just gonna die of cancer. And currently I have outlived her at 34. So far no cancer!
So also removing all those sources of health info is good in that they often crop up in places to seek reassurance too. Health forums etc.
Finally if you’re worried about dying in your sleep etc. text someone every morning when you wake up. And just tell them if you ever don’t get this morning text from me just make sure you come round or phone or check on me or send someone to etc.
Sorry that was a bit of a ramble just doing this on the fly quickly.
Oh last thing. Nocebo effect is where you think medication is going to give you side effects before you even take it just because you know what they are. And then you feel them when you take it. It’s real. The feeling is real. But it is self induced. You have to just let go and accept I’m gonna take this medication might feel a bit weird for a week or two but I’ll be ok. If you’re having major problem you would know pretty quick anyway without having to read the side effect label. Book a follow up for a week after you take them etc
I put off taking medication due to previous side effects being awful so many times. But when I finally after years took Duloxtine I got rid of so many pain physically and mentally and didn’t really get any side effects at all. (Apart from sweating - so much sweat lol).
So yea health anxiety sucks but it’s usually got some kind of trauma or OCD component to it. And it feeds of reassurance seeking.
Marshmallowmind2@reddit
OK, I feel that I've made a huge breakthrough last few days after a few weeks lot of thinking. I've always had low self esteem, low confidence, high anxiety. Yes, I could socialise and all that but suffered from bouts of very low lows and anxiety. How you experience life is based on how you feel about yourself. So this leads to the below
My self value can't be based on waiting for positive external validation from others. Who we are now is based on all our previous life experiences from birth. Neuroplasticity is when the mind changes to stimuli over time. The mind can't differentiate between imagination and real life events. I need to rebuild my thinking processes and how I see myself. Ive now started practicing visualisation. Close your eyes, imagine that your confident, happy, healthy, beaming with joy and FEEL It. Really really feel it. That FEELING is what triggers your neuroplasticity so that feeling slowly becoming who you are. I do this visualisation when sitting in the lounge and closing my eyes or meditation for 10 minutes where I FEEL it much stronger. Look at Paul McKenna YouTube. You can place yourself in an environment and you feel that you're confident and calm. Do this frequently throughout the day and you can easily tap into his feeling. Athletes also do this where they visualise themselves doing their task.
I've started doing the above coupled with weight training which will give me endorphins, lower stress, improve my diet, improve my sleep, force me to be more social. So I'm working on healthy body and mind. They go hand in hand.
ChiefRedditor852@reddit
The only way to avoid spiralling for me is to completely avoid Google and book a Drs appointment as soon as possible.
If you still can't contain the compulsion to search, I'd suggest changing the search terms to e.g. "non-serious causes rash" or something similar.
You could also try journalling exercises where you write down what's troubling you and where your mind is going, then ask yourself what the reality is (eg "I'm spiralling and thinking of worst-case scenario when the cause is far more likely to be something else" then writing out other possible explanations that are not serious).
I know how debilitating health anxiety can be and I do empathise. Mine was triggered when I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for two years following a virus. I had some unusual symptoms (related to another syndrome but also caused by the virus) and Google led me to believe I had one of two disabling/fatal neurological conditions, when in fact I had something that didn't come up in a single Google search and is annoying but completely harmless. I didn't connect that the severe health anxiety was making my symptoms worse. Hope you find a way to manage it. 🙏
padylarts989@reddit
Catch my stubborn compulsive ass then googling ‘serious causes for rash’ right after 🤣
ChiefRedditor852@reddit
Haha, discard the second paragraph then 🤣
(On a serious note, it may not work for everyone but I sometimes do this and it helps to know there are other explanations as my mind won't entertain anything except horrible conditions/death when I start spiralling 🫠)
TheEnglishNorwegian@reddit
I used to have anxiety about certain things, some of it health related. And while this is probably the worst advice I can give to anyone, it is what worked for me. I just developed a complete and utter sense of apathy. If you don't give a shit, everything is less scary and far less stressful. I sort of started each day with a mental acceptance of "if I die, I die, I've had a good life and it was fun".
Years later I am no longer apathetic, as I have wonderful kids and a beautiful wife and a job I enjoy, but the anxiety is long gone. As lived expensive shows me I am capable of much more than I originally expected of myself. The health stuff has just become a case of managing it and knowing my limits.
Original_Comparison4@reddit
I have health anxiety ocd (the constant checking). I saw a therapist and that helped. But the main things that help me day to day are: -avoid the medical news and tv programs - tell someone you trust to listen but wont heighten your anxiety - recognise your symptom and tell yourself it is is the same or worse in 2 days then you will do something about it (trickier to do with heart attack symptoms!) - don’t google, but if necessary, chatgpt/copliot instead and always start with ‘i have health anxiety OCD’ - change your physical state by exercising, tidying something, walking, concentrating on a task - the amount of sudokus i do in a day is a clear indicator on how anxious i am because i cant do that and check/research my bodily symptoms!
Unstableavo@reddit
Beta blockers and pregabalin saved my life. Unfortunately the pregabalin stopped working after long time high doses so now back to being anxious 24/7. Already on antidepressant and mood stabiliser.
Objective-Cellist409@reddit
This is slightly odd perhaps but someone close to me actually got hypnotised against health anxiety and it helped massively! They told me that during the session they kept thinking “god this is stupid” but after some weeks they realised that their stress had gone down loads. Curious in trying it myself!
Hookton@reddit
By having a Dignitas fund. I've reconciled myself with the prospect of death, but the idea of a slow death is scary. If you die overnight, what's the problem? Sure you'll rot, but you were going to do that anyway.
padylarts989@reddit
Yes I majorly fear the process of dying vs death itself.
Difficult_Egg_4350@reddit
The answer is therapy.
I was consumed by thinking I was going to die from 100 different things. It stole my every waking moment. I lost 5kg in a month because I was too stressed to eat properly. I was basically on autopilot at work, and in my private life. It was awful. But knowing that you are being irrational is a really important first step, and in many places you can self refer to NHS talking therapies, or if not your GP can refer you.
The sessions of CBT I had helped me completely change my behaviours and my thought processes, and whilst I still have moments of anxiety, I haven't had that relentless negativity spiral suck me in since. I'm also much better at dealing with intrusive thoughts (something that hit me like a train after my child was born), and being more present in the moment.
Oh and get off Google. If you must, ask someone you trust, do you think I should worry about this. Chances are they will give you a rational answer like, the rash is most likely heat rash or a harmless reaction to washing powder or sweat, and nothing to worry about unless it gets worse. Google always thinks you are dying, and you aren't.
Severe_Mastodon8072@reddit
Short term: turn some lights on, make a cup of tea, put some background noise on, distract myself.
Longer term I got some health stuff that did genuinely merit further investigation looked at. That was huge. I also started meds (beta blockers and later antidepressants) that have helped with the physical symptoms of anxiety- therefore avoiding the vicious circle of anxiety symptoms causing more anxiety causing more symptoms.
These days I’m trying to work on building a better relationship with my body. I talk out loud with the organ that gives me most grief and it feels really silly, but I think it does something.
hiraimomo5122@reddit
I really feel this. I’ve had pretty extreme health anxiety ever since a really bad mental breakdown about 7 years ago, and it can be absolutely exhausting to live with.
The biggest thing that has helped me, by far, is honestly… avoiding medical stuff as much as possible. I still go to doctor’s appointments and take care of myself properly, but outside of that, I’ve put some pretty firm boundaries in place. Medical TV shows are completely banned for me, and I actually deleted Google off my phone because I used to spiral so badly. It would always go from “let me just check this symptom” to “yep, I definitely have cancer and need to mentally prepare to tell my mum I’m dying.” It’s draining in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there.
I’ve also muted anything medical-related on social media. When all the meningitis news started popping up, I muted it straight away. For me, managing day-to-day stress means removing as many health-related triggers as I can from my environment. It’s not perfect, and it’s definitely harder because I’m chronically ill, but cutting out that constant fear input helps more than I expected.
About this time last year I fully convinced myself I had sepsis, and it got so bad that I seriously considered antidepressants. After speaking with my doctor, I decided to try them, and for me, it was the right choice because my health anxiety was taking over my entire life.
I’m not saying that’s what you should do, but I do think the small changes add up. Reducing what you expose yourself to, even a little, can make a massive difference over time. You’re definitely not alone in feeling like this 🤍
black_paperclip@reddit
God this was like reading what goes on inside my head! Yes I second social media, Reddit is great cause I only see what I want to see. Got of Facebook instagram etc to get away from “32 year old get rare cancer..” “blah blah dismissed cancer symptoms” made myself a little ‘anxiety’ box with distractions including sour sweets!
padylarts989@reddit
I’ve tried blocking certain keywords on TikTok but it never seems to work.
hiraimomo5122@reddit
Also SOUR SWEETS!!!! They stop your from panicking and slam you head first into the moment!!! I always carry a bag of sour sweets in my bag!!
Low-Suit-3125@reddit
"A few years ago I had a sudden and traumatic health situation and it has resulted in massive anxiety around my health and germs at large." There is your answer.
The thing with anxiety is that we always jump to the worst case scenario, called catastrophizing. Trying to reassure ourselves by Google searching our symptoms only reinforces our fears and makes the anxiety worse because by doing that we are telling our brain that there is something to fear.
Just because we have a symptom, it doesn't mean that the worst case scenario is going to happen. With anxiety, we feel like we need 100% certainty that the thing we fear is not going to happen. And the thing with anxiety it that we can never reach that 100% certainty, and if we get close the anxiety always makes us think "what if this other worst case scenario happens instead?". It will always find something else to catastrophize over. It's a never ending cycle. The key to feeling better is to face the anxiety, like all anxieties no matter what they are.
Live your life and focus on things you enjoy; that is facing the anxiety. Let the anxiety and fear be there and just accept it and carry on living. It will continue tapping you on your shoulder to get your attention, but you can carry on enjoying your life and refocussing on doing the things that make you happy. I know it is hard but you can do it 🙂 here are a couple useful videos on the topic.
https://youtu.be/0i1jjjVmfU8?si=e_Pkso66AdlLq2LM
https://youtu.be/GvUesPzS738?si=XPO-bP58tUCLyFC4
padylarts989@reddit
Man this thread has made me feel so much less alone. Im in a terrible bout of it atm and it makes me feel entirely disconnected from normal life. I am so over sensitive to every single pain and twinge in my body, and always assume the absolute worst. Current fear is that I have the big C in my liver or colon or something. I wish I had advice but after therapy and emdr I still suffer terribly. Hugs to you.
EvilCitrusFruit@reddit
Propanolol
WaitProtein@reddit
I'm just starting a course of CBT through the NHS to try and combat my health anxiety and spiralling thoughts.
Have a Google of Theory A and Theory B, which is usually practiced with OCD patients but it's helped me.
Maxi-Moo-Moo@reddit
85258 the number for SHOUT. Its a text service and you can talk to someone there 24/7. Do you use grounding techniques? Try a list of what's going through your mind. Then mark each one with not likely, likely, definitely. Rate each scenario appropriately then deal with the definitely ones. We can only deal with what happens unfortunately not the what ifs.
Have a look at anxiety sub too. Do make a gp appointment though and you can online refer for support. Its a long wait but better than nothing.
Fabulous-Platform-81@reddit
I made a rule for myself that if it’s a symptom worrying me enough to attend the hospital, then I can call 111 about it. Otherwise I try to let it go.
It’s so hard. I wouldn’t wish health anxiety on my worst enemy. It is so unsettling and exhausting to constantly feel unwell but never trust your own judgment.
Zharkgirl2024@reddit
This sounds like PTSD ( yes, it's common after a health scare). I had brain surgery and my Neurosurgeon suggested it to me. It's a great way to talk through the trauma that's causing this reaction and will reduce the fears that you have. I highly recommend it. A friend of mine had a massive heart attack and became very anxious after that. He did the therapy and it's changed his outlook on things.
Reasonable-Isopod736@reddit
I struggle with anxiety something awful a few years back. I still do now, but its managable.
You need to set your life to have a good level of grounding throughout it. I know I sound like a broken record, but eating well, hydrating, exercise, having a clean environment and going outside for a bit does help. It wont fix it, but it gives your body good groundwork to deal with the day. I find the breathwork from yoga very helpful for my anxiety. Even if everything is fine and not stressful to begin with, bad breathing will set your brain on edge.
Part of it is accepting it. You have health anxiety. It does not define you either, as much as I do love communities around issues we face. Some of them do hold you into an identity that can be hard to leave.
Its a random thing that made it click for me. But when I was training my dog. He would always bark at the door, I taught him to grab a toy instead and great the person at the door. You cant stop bad behaviour but you can redirect them.
Acknowledge the anxiety, write it down if you have to. I am experiencing this, I feel like this might happen. I know I am fine and I am over analyzing the situation. Once it has been written down, focus on something else. Maybe a quick game on your phone, maybe count how many things you see and what you can hear around you. Dont try to focus on not thinking about it though, thats where it gets you. If it comes up acknowledge it and say I am thinking about whatever else it is instead right now.
Sometimes, when its really bad. Ask a friend to google the symptoms for you. Find a nice friend that knows not to fear monger and use the scariest results possible though.
I know ai is the enemy at the moment. But you are also allowed to put in a prompt like 'I have health anxiety, I need reassurance that I am actually fine and I am instead just up in my anxiety over nothing. These are my symptoms'.
CurrencyIll9145@reddit
i've suffered with health anxiety terribly too. the best advice i ever heard was that aches and pains (especially as we age) are normal.
but what is YOUR baseline for a tummy ache, a headache, a sore throat?
is it worsening rapidly to a level you don't recognise/haven't felt before/persists for over a week? if not, let it pass- that's your normal. if so, speak to a professional.
i hope that helps even somewhat!
CurrencyIll9145@reddit
i've suffered with health anxiety terribly too. the best advice i ever heard was that aches and pains (especially as we age) are normal.
but what is YOUR baseline for a tummy ache, a headache, a sore throat?
is it worsening rapidly to a level you don't recognise/haven't felt before/persists for over a week? if not, let it pass- that's your normal. if so, speak to a professional.
i hope that helps even somewhat!
ETA: also.. do NOT google your symptoms. again, everyone's baselines and personal history and genetic predispositions are entirely different and you'll only ever hear the negative.
Usual-Sound-2962@reddit
I’ve suffered with generalised anxiety, OCD and health anxiety for years, since childhood.
I find my type of OCD (Pure O) much more difficult to cope with than my Health Anxiety.
The only way I found to truly get on top of HA was therapy and counselling. It really retrained my brain and gave me tools to use when I get a spike. My OCD isn’t centred around germs, rather I act on compulsions to check myself (pulse mainly) and get intrusive visions and thoughts. I can quiet that but never truly shut it up.
A quick trick I picked up was to learn the mechanics of whatever I’m worried about. How does meningitis transmit for example? How does that affect me?
There’s also a fantastic website ‘No more panic’ that I used to visit frequently. Meditation is also great, free and can be practised in various forms almost anywhere!
lilymtyson@reddit
Not well, so you’re not alone, always had it as a kid. Then it developed when my mum became very ill and passed when I was late 20s and has developed over the past few years. I won’t go into details but it really set me off. I’ve gotten to a point where I’m certain I’ve forged new brain pathways that mean I panic about the same thing over and over, especially when certain actions take place in my ordinary day.
Pleased to say I had my first therapy session last week and I have my next soon, I felt so much better after the first and I can’t wait to unpack where this has come from and what steps I can take to fix it. I think this is the way forward my friend, especially if you’ve felt like it’s made you feel insane. I wish you all the best and hope you (and I) feel better soon. 💕💕💕
imfaffingabout@reddit
I’ve had this exact same fear (dying and not being found) for months while my husband was working abroad and I was home alone. What helped me was genuinely trying to accept that if it’s your time it’s your time and you can do NOTHING to prevent it. And since it’s entirely and fully out of your hands, there’s no point living every day in fear because your day may actually be not now when you’re home alone but in 50 years surrounded by family.
boopthatsnoot17@reddit
I also get extremely anxious about getting ill and other people’s germs, which has got a bit worse since covid but started with repeated bouts of tonsillitis about 15 years ago. The way I manage is no doctor Google! And only looking at the NHS website, which is a tip I picked up from a friend. I also have a huge stash of lemsip!
Being anxious generally just makes things waaaaayyy worse but dr google will make it unbearable because it doesn’t know you and can’t see you in context.
No more googling!
Kcufasu@reddit
I do what I can in public to avoid catching shit but remind myself life is largely luck and there's nothing I can do. It barely helps but I want to live and not just fear
ComprehensiveFee8404@reddit
You need to talk to a psychologist or counsellor to help you work through your fears and put them in perspective. Also, anti-depressants and reducing stress in other areas of your life help too.
ParkingTiny6301@reddit
Do something, anything. Anxiety will just keep winning if not! Try relax
LadyPeach_ofDerriere@reddit
Try looking at pictures of puppies and kittens. It sounds silly but really helps me 😂😂
LadyPeach_ofDerriere@reddit
This is just a quick short term solution btw, when the anxiety is too much to bare overnight 😘
User131131@reddit
With great difficulty and not all that successfully. Trying to breathe and calm down in moments of panic. Remembering in the moment that I do have health anxiety so while it could be a heart attack, it also might not be. Cajoling myself into going to the doctor for things that seem to merit it after reflection. Im very lucky I have my wife to talk things over with.
bitofafixerupper@reddit
I feel you. I nearly died when having my son and it resulted in huge health anxiety in myself and also my son. Following this thread for advice, it's debilitating and I am constantly anxious because I don't want my son's quality of life to be affected by missing out on things because of my anxiety.
skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr@reddit
I realised that if I kept living with my anxiety and fear, I would never live anyways. I was so scared of health, that I wasn’t living life, my stress was so high it was causing mental health issues and if I kept being that stressed it would probably shorten my life… which made me realise it was contradictory.
I had to desensitise myself.
I had massive phobia of unhealthy construction materials (lead, silica, asbestos, everyday dirt etc).
I could not enter buildings that weren’t new, I couldn’t go near building sites, I wouldn’t drink tap water, all I talked about was that, I couldn’t easily eat out or at friend’s houses because I was worried about their cleaning processes.
I slowly pushed myself to do things that I usually wouldn’t. Spoke to doctors/specialists etc.
It took years of enjoyment away from me and I am finally living normally. I’m still a bit hygiene freak but no where near the same degree.
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