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Health Anxiety Running Wild

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joanne71205
joanne71205

Hi I suffer from severe health anxiety and have recently started CBT. I realise anxiety can cause many physical anxiety symptoms but do you think it is possible to create psychsamatic symptoms of the illness you are terrified you have? 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • joanne71205
    joanne71205

    Posted

    That all depends on which illness I am currently obsessing about. My big fear at the moment is MND. So now I am constantly checking my voice for signs and symptoms I have read about, for example voice sounding hoarse or raspy. I constantly look for signs of weakness in my limbs etc.... and of course the more I obsess, the more I am convinced I feel weakness! I know how rare MND is particularly under 40 but the facts and figures mean nothing once anxiety gets a grip. My godmother has had MND for 4 years now and has movement only of her eyes, it is such a cruel cruel illness. 
    • amy75782
      amy75782 joanne71205

      Posted

      Hi Joanne, I also have a fear of MND. The thing is you would know if you had something like that. I get numbness down one side, headache, eye problems. The GP says it's a migraine/anxiety thing, but I convince myself it's something like MS. I have a neurology referral so hopefully that will put my mind at rest. I know exactly how you feel I live in fear, but it's just life! Anxiety does strange things to your body!x
    • maisiemarie123
      maisiemarie123 joanne71205

      Posted

      Hi joanne i had a big fear of MND a few months back its awful to think you have such a dreadful disease, i too suffer from terrible health anxiety im only 20, to answer your question yes u can create your own physical symptomd just by being scared you have an illness i do it to myself all the tike, about a week ago i had a fear something was wrong with my heart i experienced chest tightness anf chestpain i was so sure i was going to have a heart artack, ive since calmed down and those symptoms have gone for now, it really is a debilitating condiotion and i would wish it on anyone, hope you soon get better x
    • Louisaluvsrio
      Louisaluvsrio maisiemarie123

      Posted

      You are so right. It is scary when you know a person or if you see a person on tv who has it and wants to die. We take it to heart because we are sensitive people.

      About your chest pain, I have spoken to people who have been to A+E convinced they were having a heart attack. One guy told me that the doctor was not nice and said "go home. There is nothing wrong with you".

      Like yourself, I wouldn't wish it on anyone either and you used the word I describe panic attacks with, debillitating.

  • Hans15
    Hans15 joanne71205

    Posted

    Hi Joanne- I also suffer from health anxiety. Recently I am feeling a bit better as I've gotten better at taking my mind off it. But I Google symptoms and as soon as I see a life threatening explaination im convinced I have it & I obsess over it constantly checking my symptoms! It's horrible as it makes me terrified even if doctors reassure me I still find some sort of reason to not believe them. But recently I've tried not to google every little symptom I have and to just leave it a couple or hours or days and I usually forget about it (as its probably caused by anxiety) and I move on with life- otherwise if I had googled I would probably be sitting worrying myself to death! I know it's easier said than done but try take your mind off it & get out and do activities as I would find that when I did all my symptoms would disappear reassuring me it was all down to my anxiety! Hope this helps x
  • carol34824
    carol34824 joanne71205

    Posted

    Hi Joanne,..I also have anxiety issues...my throat actually tightens up and that seems to affect my sinuses which then become blocked,...which i cant understand...once an anxiety about something takes hold, it seems to be very hard to undo...Is CBT working for you
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