every pain concerns me to the point i feel paranoid

[jma1024]

hi i have a history of anxiety just want to see if anyone feels what i do. so everytime i get a new ache or pain somewhere i get freaked out that the worst is coming or the other day i noticed little red spots on my hand and started googling everything thats my problem i think i feel a new pain symptom and go straight to google to see what it is today i woke up with calf pain and googled it and saw thats where blood clots form a lot of times so now im thinking i have a clot im 110lbs good BP and all that i just cant shake the thought that every new pain is terrible and life threatening

[whatif]

Hi Jason, you're not alone...I do that same stupid stuff! I can't just have a headache, I talk myself into having a brain tumor (knowing good and well that my brain is fine), I can't just have gas pains in my chest, I talk myself into thinking I'm having a heart attack...I can't just have anxiety, I talk myself into knowing that this time I'm going to die from something. IT SUCKS, but you're not alone, you're not crazy...it's just life with this ridiculous illness. I'm sorry you have it...

[jma1024]

Hi im sorry ur that way to it sucks this past week both my calfs are hurting i went to google and saw blood clots so ive been thinking ii have a blood clot even tho the article said clots form usually in ppl 40+ im 19 and keep looking at my veins i too get those gas pains in the chest or ill get a weird feeling and think im dying of a stroke/heart attack

[Paranoid_Obsession]

STOP GOOGLING! Seriously, I have put a GLOBAL BAN on ALL SYMPTOM GOOGLING for myself and I can already tell it was a wise decision. It's a never ending cycle if you go down that road. One day when I felt a panic attack coming instead of having a cup of tea and laying down I GOOGLED my symptoms and worked myself up to the point where I went to the ER and hysterically cried because I 'just knew' my life was about to end at any moment. Since I stopped my googling I have not had another attack of that intensity. It's a hard urge to fight and the thoughts of 'what if' are still there but I'm thinking that the less I 'feed' the thoughts and urges the less they will appear and may even disappear entirely some day.

There is only one website I am allowed to look at when I am feeling that way. I have it bookmarked and I have seen it referenced elsewhere on this website. It's anxietycentre DOT com SLASH anxiety-symptoms DOT shtml

I just tell myself that it's not worth worrying about everything because the worry adds NOTHING and more than likely it's nothing and if I stop worrying and I don't even notice it then it's likely not anything important.

[JeffB]

I agree with Paranoid Obsession - stop Googling as a good first step. It's only making things worse.

[lostsoul]

I feel exactly the same way, because things have been happening to me one after another after another. Every new thing/symptom that happens i end up thinking of the worst and start panicking. Headaches, earaches, chest tightness, abdomen discomfort etc makes me jump straight to a life threatening illnesses rather than anxiety. Whereas before i had anxiety, a very bad headache would be like yeh whatever it's just a headache. And i'm trying my best not to google anymore, as that makes me paranoid even more.

I'm glad to come here and read the thoughts and experiences of others, because some of them are feeling exactly what i'm feeling and no need to convince them about anything, they way you have to do when talking to non sufferers.

[jma1024]

same here im very aware of how fast or hard my heart is beating thats the worst thing for me but yea when something new hurts for whatever reason i get worried easily no matter how hard i try to relax

[ThePhoenix]

Agree with whats been said, DO NOT GOOGLE. Not ever!

I did the first time I was having anxiety symptoms and convinced myself all kinds of terrible things were happening and sent myself into some massive panic because I didnt realise I was just being anxious.

That said I do still worry about many aches and pains for days incase they are something life threatening or the start of something, its hard to do but you have to try blank them and not focus on them, once you focus on them they become bigger, worse and more scary. To fear something gives it power over us!