1. Community
  2. Chest and lungs
  3. Respiratory Symptoms and Disorders

Non-stop fear of getting a cold/sore throat before important events

Posted , 3 users are following.

gideeup123
gideeup123

Hello!

This only happens before important/exciting events, when I keep obsessively thinking to myself "if I get a cold this event will be ruined" and as a result of this anxiety I would start swallowing often, resulting in an actual sore throat, that on some occasions seem to turn into an actual cold (with the sore throat - then cough for a week cycle), (I know, this doesn't make scientific sense!). I've searched all over the place and couldn't find a medical term for this. (when googling "hypochondriac" it seems like everyone is worried about heart problems and breathing, no one has my issue!) How do I avoid obsessively fearing a sore throat - that actually leads to a sore throat.

And can you actually catch a cold without any contact with people?

Please help,

Thanks!

0 likes, 1 reply

1 Reply

  • moon53540
    moon53540 gideeup123

    Posted

    You have a type of OCD, you should speak to a psychologist about this. You need to tell yourself even if you get a cold and a sore throat, what is the point of worrying about it? It is a bad habit you have got into and you may need something like CBT to deal with it. Don't leave it though, the sooner you get help the easier it will be to stop. If you try and deal with it on your own, it can get worse and you can start developing other harmful routines.

    You can get a cold from touching something someone with a cold has touched recently even if you don't come in contact with them. So if someone sneezed on something or wiped their nose and touched something and you touch that surface then touch your face, you can catch it even if you never came in contact with that person.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.