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Hypochondria

Posted , 20 users are following.

Myrissasauras
Myrissasauras

Does anyone else suffer from hypochondria? It's really starting to affect me and my anxiety. I keep thinking something is wrong with me. Anything that seems off I will freak out about. I need reassurance or someone to tell me their experience with it. Please guys, help me out

1 like, 31 replies

31 Replies

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  • claire75245
    claire75245 Myrissasauras

    Posted

    Hi Honey

    This sounds very much like health anxiety, i can't stand any thing going wrong with my health and always fear the worst.  I think hypochonria is a bit different, do you act on any symtoms you get, for example do you visit your GP alot? smile

  • jmcg2014
    jmcg2014 Myrissasauras

    Posted

    hi, yeah this sounds like health anxiety - i am the same way when my anx is high, i fixate on my health and imagine every little ache or pain is just proving that something terrible is wrong
  • Courtney1633
    Courtney1633 Myrissasauras

    Posted

    Hi Myrissasauras, 

    you are not alone, i suffer with health anxiety too! 

    It started with double vision, dizziness

    and because i over reacted thinking the worst (ie, brain tumour or MS) it extended to tinnitus, weak heavy arms, breathlessness, chest pains, palpiltations, i wake in the night startled afraid that my limbs have gone numb.

    anxiety is a terrible thing to have as it comes with so many physical symptoms that also could be so many sinster things, but try not to worry yourself, your mind is so powerful that it can so easily create / make these symptoms worse which in turn will make your anxiety worse. it can be a vicious circle thats hard to break!

    For me at the moment, i am trying to accept that my symptoms are anxiety and that they are not real, (which is the hardest part!!!!) once i can accept that they are not real symptoms and i am not dying then hopefully they should dissappear as i know i am creating them.

    For example, if i go to the doctors with palpiltations and they keep asking me 'do you have chest pains, and i dont, to me it is obvious that chest pains would be bad, then a few days later subconciously i develop chest pains too!

    my mind hears awful life threatening symtpoms and mimicks them! i feel very silly as i am a smart person but i am letting the subconscious part of my brain control me! 

    anxiety is a mental illness with physical symptoms!

    i hope this helps you feel reassured!

    ps. since i have accepted that my symptoms arent anything sinster to do with my health, i have gotten my symptoms less, which in turn has reassured me, hopefully i can create my own vicious circle of no symptoms and reassurance :D 

    if i can do it so can you, its hard but its worth it, and its worth doing so as soon as possible smile

    have a happy healthy day xxx

    • Myrissasauras
      Myrissasauras Courtney1633

      Posted

      Thank you, Courtney! That sounds just like me. I know I create all the problems I think I have, but it is very hard to break the cycle. I usually break the cycle after awhile, but it comes back months later! Like recently my palpitations from my heart has been getting to me bad, but they only happen when I think about it. I'm glad to hear that I am not alone!(: that was very reassuring. And I'm glad to hear that you're getting better, hopefully I can do it, too! 
    • Courtney1633
      Courtney1633 Myrissasauras

      Posted

      I seem to be like that too, I will have a few days where I don't get any anxiety at all and then it's seems to come back worse than ever! 

       

    • Courtney1633
      Courtney1633 Myrissasauras

      Posted

      It kinda makes you scared to enjoy the non anxious times doesn't it! 

      I will let you know if anything I try helps! 

      Do you know what could of triggered your anxiety at all? I am going to go to cognitive behavioural therapy and hopefully they will find the root of it and get rid of it for good! 

    • jmcg2014
      jmcg2014 Courtney1633

      Posted

      it really does make u suspicious of the better times for sure - and lets be honest, we're right to feel that way lol i guess all i am for is the length of the good times is greater than the length of the bad times, id settle for that i think
    • Myrissasauras
      Myrissasauras Courtney1633

      Posted

      I really don't know but I think I should go see a therapist and such. Maybe they can help.

      thats good! I hope that works out for you. Tell me how it goes!smile

    • jmcg2014
      jmcg2014 Myrissasauras

      Posted

      therapy is a great place to start, it really can make a huge difference. its not all smooth of course, but it does bring me a lot of comfort being in therapy
    • Myrissasauras
      Myrissasauras jmcg2014

      Posted

      I'm glad to hear thatsmile I'm gonna try out therapy first and see how that goes. I do usually find myself needing to vent a lot
    • Courtney1633
      Courtney1633 jmcg2014

      Posted

      Defaintley, and then hopefully the bad times will dissapear completely.

      ive started to keep a diary of my anxiety now too, so everytime i feel anxious i will write it down and the time and what i am doing at that moment in time, or what i have eaten, and it seems to be helping, i thought it might be a good way for me to recognise patterns so that i could reassure myself its just anxiety, for example, if it happened everytime i had a coffee or the same time everyday. 

      hope your doing well

       

    • Courtney1633
      Courtney1633 Myrissasauras

      Posted

      let me know how your therapy goes if you do it, my first session is on the 1st of june, and i think i will struggle to talk about it seriously
    • Courtney1633
      Courtney1633 jmcg2014

      Posted

      please could you tell me what sort of stuff you talk about in your therapy sessions? or what they ask you, as i have my first session booked, and im not excited to talk about my feelings etc. lol
    • jmcg2014
      jmcg2014 Courtney1633

      Posted

      writing things down is a good idea, and i would say its helpful because its about control in many cases - for me certainly. the more in control of things i feel, generally the better i cope. by writing things down your in control again.  as for what is asked in therapy, that really does depend a lot on the therapist and the type of therapy. in my experience, its less about what they ask, and more about what you tell them. there is never pressure for you to say anything, but the more you can share - then the more insight you will bring, and in time the better you will feel.  it can start very slowly, sometimes all you might want to talk about is how you feel - not WHY you feel, that comes in time.  just take it slowly, be honest with the therapist always - even if its to tell them how aprehensive u feel - if your not honest, then you will end up frustrated, and therapy will end before you feel its done any good. its a long and hard road, but really it is worth it
    • Courtney1633
      Courtney1633 jmcg2014

      Posted

      thank you!!! it has made me feel better about the idea of talking to someone, to be honest this forum in itself i think has helped me alot. im quite socially aware and socially switched on, and so itcan be difficult for me to be honest with people about stuff that would potentially make you a bit socially backward, if you know what i mean. i think i like to put a 'im very normal' act on, so its nice to speak to people you cant see, and especially people who dont judge because they are the same. so thank you smile
    • jmcg2014
      jmcg2014 Courtney1633

      Posted

      Oh i do the same, to the outside world im very calm and together, people dont believe that i might have issues, even family to a large degree. Glad you feel better about therapy now :-)
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