Health Anxiety

[bmitch]

Hi everyone!

The reason I am here seems to have started around my health. I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, which is not a big deal, but Dr. Google lead me to believe otherwise. Within 2 weeks, I was convinced I had ovarian cancer and was going to die. Numerous ER visits and Dr.'s have told me I am fine after multiple tests, but I still tend to worry about it.

Does anyone else have issues with health anxiety? I had never had anything wrong before this with my health which was probably why I never had anxiety.

How do you cope with health anxiety? I guess more importantly, how do you FORCE yourself not to research symptoms? Makes it way worse!!


Thanks!!

[gypsylee]

Hi there,

I had an ovarian cyst a few months ago and they're quite common. It went away on its own.

Dr Google is the worst for health anxiety! I find it hard to resist as well but you always end up thinking you have cancer or something awful. Now when I read something that gives me anxiety I just stop reading.

All the best..
Gypsy :)

[Emilym80]

Hi everyone!

The reason I am here seems to have started around my health. I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst, which is not a big deal, but Dr. Google lead me to believe otherwise. Within 2 weeks, I was convinced I had ovarian cancer and was going to die. Numerous ER visits and Dr.'s have told me I am fine after multiple tests, but I still tend to worry about it.

Does anyone else have issues with health anxiety? I had never had anything wrong before this with my health which was probably why I never had anxiety.

How do you cope with health anxiety? I guess more importantly, how do you FORCE yourself not to research symptoms? Makes it way worse!!


Thanks!!

Yes. Unfortunately I have a lot of experience with it, but as a result I have a few strategies that help me cope better.

Firstly, the most helpful thing is to not google symptoms. This can be really hard, but the more you do it, the more problems you'll likely convince yourself you have, etc... It becomes a cycle. If you're especially concerned about a symptom you're experiencing, see your doctor, but in the interim, refrain from looking it up. Do whatever you need to to distract yourself if necessary. I'm sorry I can't be more specific but the best distractions differ from person to person! For me, if I become especially anxious, I'll play a game on my phone and find that I'll feel better almost instantly, as concentrating on something totally different takes your mind completely off the worry, if only temporarily. I find light exercise to be helpful (usually taking a walk, for me) or doing something that relaxes you. Generally, regular exercise will help with both your physical and mental wellbeing if you don't do so already; you will hopefully worry less and be fitter physically too, so there will be less cause for concern in the first place!

Something that's also important is eliminating external pressures. My stress chiefly manifests itself in health anxiety, so if you're the same and are particularly stressed at the moment, do whatever you can to alleviate this. If your anxiety becomes a recurring problem I would definitely suggest counselling- hopefully this is not the case, but generally a counsellor will help you to rationalise your problems (at least mine does) which helps you see them objectively, removed from the emotions and fears that surround your concerns. Given that you have been tested for ovarian cancer and your results are clean, then you do not have it! Try taking this approach if your health begins to worry you again and see if that helps.

Hopefully this is helpful, sorry for the long post... Take care.

[bmitch]

Gypsy--thank you for your response :)

Emily-- Ugh, so happy to hear I am not the only one that deals with this! You are SO right. I just need to talk myself down and rationalize when these thoughts come to me...it is just hard sometimes. The mind does crazy things!!

[Xerosnake90]

Dr. Google is your worst friend. Just don't do it. Often times anxiety symptoms will work together and you'll realize they are just that. Once you come to grips with how much anxiety affects you it's easy to understand and let go. Just let go of the worries and they'll slip your mind.

[Kuma]

I have had my share of health anxiety, and a strong impulse to do research on the internet. For me, saying "just don't do it" does not work. The impulse is too strong, sometimes. So what I have done is limited myself to credible sources, such as peer-reviewed medical journals and pubmed searches. If I am going to read, at least I will read from credible sources. I'm sure there are other approaches -- but that is mine.