Severe health anxity

[TisdaleLondon]

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[MiST]

Hey everyone 
I am not necessarily expecting anyone to respond to this post (it has been a while!), however I just need to get a few worries, thoughts and fears off my chest.
Since a young age I have been rather prone to passing out. I started going through the process of precocious puberty at the age of 7, which I think is partly the reason for this. I developed an eating disorder at the age of 12, due to extreme pressure and trauma going on in my life at the current time, so I often fell faint and collapsed. In 2013 I was diagnosed with severe health anxiety disorder (hypochondria) and since then I have not had a day where I have not been convinced I have a serious illness (brain, heart, diabetes etc...). I recovered from the eating disorder through a long hospital admission. I unfortunately relapsed again this year (I am now 16) and was exercising excessively... I didn’t realise the toll it was taking on my body and I went very faint again, I did not pass out this time but I felt I was dying, I was so dizzy, shaking and my heart was pumping. Since then, I have been to the doctors and they have given me the all clear. I have been eating much more and doing much better (with the eating). But since the last episode of feeling faint I have not been able to kick the fear of passing out, I have developed a full blown phobia of collapsing and not coming out of it. I don’t know how to get rid of this thought... it is taking my childhood away from me... I can’t go anywhere without my mum and this is affecting my a-levels.
Nobody is giving me help, my mum is trying so hard but they will not listen. My local mental health tams say there is ‘nothing more they can do’. I feel suicidal; I feel there is no point o living my life with this constant fear. I am just wondering if anyone else has very experienced this? I think my past experiences with fainting and being in a hospital has traumatised my mind.

Please no scary comments... I know I am ok... I have seen the doctors...

Exactly, you know you are ok, it's just anxiety trying to trick you. It's the stress and worry kicking adrenaline into your system, that's all.

Just let the anxiety and worry do its thing and carry on with your day as best you can, don't fight it, accept it for what it is.

Don't give it the attention it craves.

[Nowuccas]

Hey TisdaleLondon,

For the intrusive thoughts you could try employing the Technique For ReProgramming Negative Thoughts.

Technique for Reprogramming Negative Thoughts: It's important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, or emotions, by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts: When you notice something negative, such as: "I can't do this/ am never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so useless/such a loser?" or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind.

After identifying and labelling it, visualise a large, red, flashing, "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!" You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version.

Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don't regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method. Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, like: "I am a unique individual, with my own set of skills, and good points", or "I may not be perfect, but I'm doing the best I can, right now".

Using the above, with determination and persistence, they will reduce in frequency, but will always recur from time to time, which is normal, and healthy.

Have you tried Progressive Muscle Relaxation, at http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html and EFT to combat your anxiety?

Give the Meridian Tapping Technique / EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at www.mercola.com "EFT" & "EFT therapists" or www.tapping.com (13 free videos), or www.eftuniverse.com or www.emofree.com or one of the many YouTube videos. Google: "YouTube; EFT videos".

Professionally instructed is generally preferable. - There is a version for use in public places at http://eft.mercola.com (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage / tapping on your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I suffer from anxiety, I deeply and completely accept myself)."

Symptoms of panic attacks
Palpitations, pounding heart, or fast heart rate
Sweating
Trembling and shaking
Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
Feelings of choking
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or abdominal distress
Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
Derealization (feelings of unreality - that things aren't real) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
Chills or hot flashes

Advice from a clinical psychologist about panic attacks is to breathe in to the count of 3: ( count: one thousand one; one thousand two; one thousand three) each takes around a second to say to yourself, in your mind, and out to the count of 3. Keep repeating this until the panic subsides, (up to 25 minutes) which will deal with the hyperventilation aspect. Learn to recognise the thoughts which trigger attacks; challenge and reprogram as shown.

Once you have the panic attack under control, you can use the PMR, or EFT to reduce the anxiety.

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A previous post follows;

Hypochondriasis:
Ask yourself exactly what evidence there is to support the idea that you may have such a disease, or is it just a baseless fear? What if you did have it. How would you cope? What then? Work it all out on paper. It's important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, or emotions, by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts: When you notice something negative, such as: "I can't do this/ am never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so useless/such a loser?" or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind. After identifying, and labelling it, visualise a large, red, flashing, "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!" You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version. Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don't regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method.

Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, such as repeating: "I'll be just fine". Realise that by the act of viewing material about various diseases, you are implanting a suggestion in your subconscious mind that you may have it, It recognises a potential threat, and initiates the (formerly, in times long past) appropriate response; a "fight, or flight" reaction. Stop viewing such material. Practice a relaxation method, daily, and when needed, such as: (free) http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-… or http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/mindbody… or http://www.wikihow.com/Meditate or Yoga Nidra, (no flexibility required) on page L at your-mental-health.weebly.com below, and see page Z for much more about hypochondria (panic attacks, and anxiety; see pages 1, h, & i). Qi Gong, Tai Chi, or regular yoga suits others better. Give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at http://www.mercola.com "EFT" & "EFT therapists", or www.tapping.com (13 free videos) or www.emofree.com Professional is best. - There is a version for use in public places, (you could claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage/tapping your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I have hypochondria, I deeply and completely accept myself." These will enable you to emotionally centre yourself, when practiced regularly, and can also help you become a calmer, more self controlled person, who is less susceptible to such beliefs.

Read: Treating Health Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach by Steven Taylor Phd and Gordon J. G. Asmundson PhD, & The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death. by Gene Weingarten, & It's Not All in Your Head: How Worrying about Your Health Could Be Making You Sick--and What You Can Do about It by Gordon J. G. Asmundson Ph.D and Steven Taylor Ph.d, from your bookstore, or Amazon.com and there are other media, such as CD's & Kindle material, via their searchbar: "hypochondria". Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind. 85% of people are suggestible, to some degree, so you could either seek professional hypnotherapy, or more alternatives along such lines are at http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/z.html where the above came from.

I hope the above techniques and info are helpful.