I was diagnosed with health anxiety 2 years ago

Hi, I have this, I had a breakdown two years ago, which triggered severe health anxiety it's just horrific isn't it. I watched my tummy grow every morning because I thought I had a tumour. It completely took over my life. To the point why I just kept thinking why am I so scared of getting all these illness, when living with health anxiety I just want to die anyway...... if that makes sense. After the breakdown I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. I have social anxiety to so don't have any friends because of this. I have constant pains from the anxiety that triggers the health anxiety. Are you on anti depressants. They honestly saved my life as I was at a point where I was just ready to die I couldn't take it anymore. They make health anxiety more manageable, they will not fix you but give you a head start, so to speak. You have to try and take control and believe me I no how hard it is, I still have dark days and new illness I diagnose myself with but I take control rather than that controlling me. I have had very poor help from the nhs for this, this was why I had to do it myself. The best advice I can give is, you need to keep your mind busy with positive things, your mind starts to wonder to bad thoughts recognise it and say stop and keep continuing to do so every time. Write down every day what you would like to achieve the next day as you need to brake the cycle of bad thoughts. Swimming really helps me I have never really enjoyed exercise untill I went swimming I now go four times a week as soon as I swim it's like all my troubles get washed away. Be kind to yourself say you will come through this it just takes time look after your self and treat yourself. Deep breaths and meditation. Hope this helps 😁

I have experienced health anxiety and have  overcome it now. I was going to the doctor every week trying to get a diagnosis of something and would spend hours online researching symptoms. I was hyper aware of every physical sensation in my body and thought everything I felt was a symptom of an illness or disease. I also suffered major depression, social and generalised anxiety, agoraphobia. I was on antidepressants for 4 years but they didn’t do much.

For the past two years I have been in psychoanalytic therapy and it has completely changed my life. Although there are times when I do feel depressed or I feel anxious, I now lead a completely normal life. I have a job and can leave the house without worrying. I rarely have health anxiety (only when I’m really stressed). It is a horrible, terrifying thing to experience and very few people understand what it’s like. I thought I had undiagnosed diabetes for two years. I thought I had narcolepsy, meningitis, nerve disorders etc etc...

Unfortunately psychoanalytic  therapy is expensive. It ranges from £30-£50 a session and you have to go weekly. Not everyone finds a therapist they like straight away (luckily I did). It’s also a lot of work and many people are not willing to face their real emotions and will quit going to therapy because they are scared of their true thoughts, memories, feelings... For me it did get worse before it got better, there were many times I’d leave therapy sessions feeling worse than I did before I went in. I had to deal with a lot of difficult feelings and painful memories, and  But through all the difficulty you LEARN how to process, articulate and understand your emotions so that you don’t focus them all into the wrong places. 

Not only am I now mentally healthy and happy, I have learnt how to better understand other people, have better relationships with others and I appreciate life in a new way. I can’t recommend therapy more- but ONLY if you are willing to do the work that comes with it!! 

Hi I have just posted something saying pretty much the same thing my life has been taken over by this hideous illness  mine started after my mum was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer then two friends died of cancer then my Dad was diagnosed and died within a week of lung cancer.  I am now convinced I have to be super vigilant for any small symptom and then I always think It will be the worst outcome possible.  I have been seeing a counsellor but am not convinced it’s helping me I have just been prescribed fluoxetine after holding off taking them but things have got so bad I think cant see any other way hope this helps and you realise you are not alone because it’s amazing when you talk to people how many have the same problem