Serious health anxiety

[jessica-rn13]

Hey guys,

I have had health anxiety for over the past few months! My aunts husband was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and now it's a watch and waiting game to see if he progresses to ALS. I can't remember if I felt like I do before or after I was told about his diagnoses. Now I'm consumed. I feel like my speech is slurred, my swallowing is difficult, my tongue is wider than normal my breathing is labored and hard to catch my breath, weakness is my legs. But as soon as I am too consumed with my everyday life I forget about it. As soon as I'm alone or having quiet time it starts back but it's all I think about 90% of the day. My speech is what freaks me out the most. I feel like I slur my words and I bite my tongue. (Not hard but it could be because my jaw is misaligned and I'm developing tmj bc my jaw is so tense all the time). I'm truly freaking out on the inside bc everyone else I talk to or examine to see if their bodies are doing exactly what mine are doing to make sure my symptoms are normal. Anyone have advice or same issues?! If so how do you cope!?

[Judie]

Hey guys,

I have had health anxiety for over the past few months! My aunts husband was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and now it's a watch and waiting game to see if he progresses to ALS. I can't remember if I felt like I do before or after I was told about his diagnoses. Now I'm consumed. I feel like my speech is slurred, my swallowing is difficult, my tongue is wider than normal my breathing is labored and hard to catch my breath, weakness is my legs. But as soon as I am too consumed with my everyday life I forget about it. As soon as I'm alone or having quiet time it starts back but it's all I think about 90% of the day. My speech is what freaks me out the most. I feel like I slur my words and I bite my tongue. (Not hard but it could be because my jaw is misaligned and I'm developing tmj bc my jaw is so tense all the time). I'm truly freaking out on the inside bc everyone else I talk to or examine to see if their bodies are doing exactly what mine are doing to make sure my symptoms are normal. Anyone have advice or same issues?! If so how do you cope!?

Hi Jessica-m13, I have had the same symptoms, the slurred speech is especially troublesome, but that's all it is troublesome as is every symptom of Anxiety. I am sorry about your Uncle's horrific diagnosis and the subsequent stress of the wait and see, which goes with out saying stress at its best. The idea that when your mind is occupied in thought you don't have symptoms is the clear indicator of anxiety. You need to remember that when your symptoms begin to surface. As that impending doom, what's going on with my speech thoughts begin you need to immediately say to yourself " Enough" and simply say this is anxiety and dismiss thoughts. Your mind has become familiar with anxiety ( negative thought ) through conditioning. Fearing symptoms of Panic is what your thoughts are consumed with. Just like you were conditioned into negative thought, you need to recondition into positive thought. The most effective way to do this is to command your mind to stop " Enough" and imagine a door slamming shut on those thoughts and immediately refocus, bringing your thoughts to a more positive place. Some people imagine a very peaceful place they have visited , others think of a time when they felt really confident and in control. People who suffer from anxiety often are attempting to control things they don't have control over. This is a stressful mindset to be in, even if only briefly. In layout life there will be things you can fix and you should do that but inevitably there are going to be things you have no control over and "accept" that, many and justifiably so refer to that as " releasing to a Higher Power ". Your uncle's diagnosis is an example of one of those traumas that are uncontrollable. Anxiety however is controllable. You are already on the right path by recognizing the potential trigger of your Uncle's diagnosis and the health anxiety that has cropped up with the slurred speech. Now. You can continue to focus your thoughts on horrific ( but harmless symptoms) or you can refocus your thoughts to the fact that you been effected by your Uncles's diagnosis ( it has really scared you and why wouldn't it ? He probably went from relatively healthy and happy to a horrible depressing diagnosis, right ? ) So now that you logically can see the connection from mind ( negative thoughts) to body ( negative symptoms) let's move on to the logic of mind ( positive thoughts ) to body ( positive or no symptoms) Trust me I have lived this, I understand triggers and I understand the power of the mind. Your mind is occupied by anxiety resulting from fear, or health anxiety) You most likely have heard talk of ALS or even googled symptoms, the fear is building as you realize life holds no guarantees ( and yes it is a scary realization ) Then due to the mounting stress the Panic Attack occurs, well now the fear has taken on even greater proportions, now instead of just fearing the original issue, now you get to fear fear, and that is taking the intense emotion of fear and literally doubling it up. Wow right ? Ok we now know that it all began with simple " Thoughts" and that is where it ENDS with simple thoughts. It's a right turn from Negative to Positive. Takes some work and lots of concentration toward the Positive. Also takes trust in your Drs and perhaps even more importantly trust in the people on this Forum, the very people who have walked your path and then changed direction and walked the Path of Recovery. You are going into this is better shape then manny. You are going into this with the realization that your symptoms disappear when your mind is clear. be Well.

[jessica-rn13]

I can't thank you enough for this post. I am definitely heading in the right direct just by acknowledging that my symptoms are anxiety based but now I just need to do what you told me to do. Thought stopping and direct it to a positive thought. I have given this up to The Lord because he is the one who can help with my situation. I will surely work on more positive thoughts and am greatly appreciative of your response back.