Anxiety & Hypochondria taking over my life

[perterter]

Hi everybody, I only stumbled upon this forum today during one of my many Google searches of my symptoms (which leads me on to my next point...)

I suffer from hypochondria. I obsessively search symptoms up even when I've been to a doctor and she has convinced me that I am only suffering from a minor illness or from nothing at all. The results I find on the internet lead me to panicking, shaking and crying. I have stayed up once until 2am, searching my symptoms and almost crying myself to sleep because I thought I was seriously ill. Recently, I have been suffering from abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant which has gone on for about 3/4 months. Because I am at such a young age, my doctor is quite sure that this is most likely Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I was prescribed medication to relax my bowel muscles and I am supposed to come back in a month to check how I am doing. Even after this diagnosis, I still look up symptoms and it's taking over my life! The hypochondria has recently led to anxiety attacks (well I think that's what they are). Ever since I started to search my symptoms and find horrible, serious illnesses, it's been all I could think of. At school, I sit in lesson and worry. I over think before I go to bed and I am obsessive over my health.

For the last three days (since I began worrying so excessively) I've been experiencing random muscle twitches all over my body. I've had headaches mostly at the back of my head too, and my neck feels stiff (sort of like the pain when you sleep on it weirdly). The more I think about it, the more I feel like crying and shaking. My hands are actually trembling as I type this and my eyes have gone funny. One side of me is the logical side, the "Stop thinking about it, everything is okay silly!" side and the other is my "Oh my God, what if you are ill what if what if what if" etc etc. These sides are constantly at war in my head.

What do I do? How do I cope?
Thank you in advance

[AlyMHill]

"Here are some things that you should be doing.

-Forcing yourself to work through situations that make you uncomfortable i.e. exposure therapy. Try it with your "safe person" first and then alone.

-Take time for you. RELAX. Start with breathing exercises, then move to meditation and then move to Yoga. (yoga is helping me so much)

-Make a rough (and I mean ROUGH) plan for a better life. This will help you really work toward goals that will benefit you for life.

-DO YOUR RESEARCH! Look for info on your potential medications, therapies, and alternative medicine forms. This can make all the diffidence in you and getting a hold of your anxiety.

-EAT SMART, BE SMART! Pay attention to what kind of foods, supplements, and liquids you are putting into your body. Some of these can be really unhealthy for you. Think "What did God put here for us to have naturally?". Chances are if it comes from a garden, it's good food for you.

-Keep a journal, write about your ideal day, how your day actually was and how you WILL make it better!

That's all I have for now folks! "

That was the thread that I just posted!

[jamus75]

The worst thing for an anxious person to do is google symptoms or goto webmd. Did you know that a headache is a symptom of just about everything. Or it could be just a headache ( 99% of the time ). It would be the same as googling the word " salt ". It's in everything.

[Ivere]

Hi Perterter. I too suffer from hypochondria, sever anxiety/panic attacks. Along with this comes daily headaches, neck pain, blurry eyes. I've had every test imaginable, and I'm okay, but for some reason it doesn't make me feel better. I've seen a few different doctors under the thinking of 'maybe that one isn't very knowledgable' and ended up back at my original doctor. I feel for you! Try going on an anxiety based diet (would help your ibs too). High protein, no carbs or sugar. Avoid coffee and alcohol (I struggle with the alcohol). If you smoke weed, stop. See if your doctor can give you some Valium, Valium saved my life. It is very addictive but I find I cope okay with that side. Sometimes I can go days without some. I'm actually in the doctors waiting room to get some more! Haha. Try supplements such as magnesium and pro biotics to get your stomach working properly again. If there is something wrong with your stomach it can be producing the chemical that causes anxiety - believe it or not! Diet and Valium. That's my answer anyway and I have improved A LOT in the last two months. I still struggle and cry and have panic attacks, but I can go to work and enjoy an evening with family and friends again. See a counsellor. When your feeling anxious watch a tv show that distracts you or comforts you. Count back from ten from a number in the high 100's (567, 566, 565). I know this is long but I had no one to help me ad it made it 100% worse, people cared but had no idea what to do. I honestly hope you get better.

[perterter]

Thank you so much everybody for your advice. I feel much more reassured now and perhaps I really have been worrying over nothing.Thank you once again :)

[Lovelyhead]

Oh man... I too suffer from health anxiety, lately more than I ever have! I know that it's totally absurd most of the time, and I'm embarrassed to have this, because I find myself asking people close to me for a lot of reassurance, but that only comforts me for a short while.. because at the time I'm convinced it's something bad. I mean I'll have symptoms and it could be a number of minor things but I'll go waaay up the scale and it'll be the worst possible thing! I also have had a pain in the back of my head sor over a month now!

What I'd say to you (which I'm trying to do myself at the moment) is stay away from googling anything to do with health symptoms... if you type any two symptoms on here, you will find something! Also, sometimes I feel like having a full M.O.T on my body, but a GP told me that's no good for people like us, as that will temporarily work, until something else pops up!

[perterter]

Thank you, I've banned myself from googling things even though it is very tempting sometimes. My headache has gone but my neck, upper back and jaw still feel a bit achey and stiff. Do you think this will go within time?

[Sentinelle]

Hey there I am also a fan of Dr Google :) but I am not anymore because whenever I searched my symptoms I end up finding new illnesses I never heard of and become obsessed about it. I too am hypocondriac I just learned the word recently after a visit to the er due to severe headache, neck pain and blurry vision. They sent me home with tension headaches, anxiety and that long H word. I know it's very tempting and addictive to web search whatever you are feeling but symptoms of anxiety resemble those of other illnesses, some of which scary, so all you'd be doing is increasing your anxiety and panic. I am still trying to cope with the panic attacks and talking to someone helps a lot especially those who understand! Take Care xx