Health Anxiety Exposed ....Thread? - Opinions please

[Fourteen14]

I have been trying to come up with something useful as a kind of "self help" tool to help those with health anxiety, by using low level exposure.

Whilst it's more or less impossible to offer any kind of significant therapeutic tool online (obviously this is ordinarily done on a one to one, face to face basis). But google seems to throw out so many random bits of wild information I thought it may be useful to say do a "Hard Facts" on popular misconceptions. Possibly throw in some positive statistics about good health on top.

I am contemplating putting a regular thread up detailing the main factual differences between the most popular health issues (blood clots, heart attacks, etc) and simulated symptoms felt in anxiety.

It can also act as a dumping ground for anyone with questions/worries over their health.

This thread initially is to gain feedback.

1. Do you think this would be useful?

2. Is this going trigger too many people?

3. Will this potentially increase your anxiety?

Any feedback would be useful, particularly from those suffering from severe health anxiety. I do not wish to start something that will cause calm in some and distress in others.

Many thanks in advance :)

[NixonRulz]

Great idea on an ongoing thread

Seems so many have the health anxiety

I would have benefited from such a thread

[Enduronman]

I think it's a great idea and for the one main reason is that so many of our members/friends here on the forums with these types of health anxieties and issues, are very open and honest about them too. They know that they're there, they know how it makes them feel, they wish to share those experiences with others, and they all are just searching for the same thing and that is some relief, in some way, shape, or form...be it therapy, meds, this forum, just talking, typing, sharing, speaking to others about how they overcame this,...
From my perspective, and in my honest opinion, a good idea for a thread.
An invitation to those that suffer in this way and there are many here too.. with many of the same fears as others.

I like it.

I don't see how it could be a trigger, because they can simply ignore it if it bothers them anyway...

Enduronman.. :)

[ashly1221]

Sounds like a fantastic idea!

[Fourteen14]

Sounds like a positive thing. It's likely to provide evidence based facts and answers to FAQ. This way it may help someone to avoid googling and getting that whole world of horror which is most often irrelevant yet far more triggering? Keep this going for opinions for 2/3 days and you will know soon enough. I wish you good luck and your knowledge in this area is potentially going to be very effective. I presume it will start with the recommendation of a GP visit always in the first instance and a reminder that it's not a diagnostic tool due to the online nature. If so then no harm can be done. Just helpful material for the betterment of the community. :)

Yes there will definitely be a disclaimer :)

It will be the main facts (info) from an NHS approved source .

Mainly pointing out differences, myths and misconceptions, statistics and why ECG/test results etc don't always sink in (through doubting).

I will make sure it's not engineered as any kind of diagnostic based information, more mild exposure of the most common health conditions people worry about (in a fun way if that's possible) ha ha

I'm just trying to adopt a mini/very loosely CBT based thread, but as generic as possible.

Thanks for the feedback so far peeps :)

[Enduronman]

I think that we have your first person that needs help, CubFlyyn in the Welcome section...Are you going to start a new thread??? He just left the ER...

[Fourteen14]

I think that we have your first person that needs help, CubFlyyn in the Welcome section...Are you going to start a new thread??? He just left the ER...

Hi Eman yes it will be a new thread I'm just leaving it a few days to give people a chance to respond before I place my awkward size 9 on the forum :)

[Enduronman]

Ok bruh!!....Got it... LOL!