HEALTH ANXIETY EXPOSED - Living With Risk

[Fourteen14]

This is my thread to attempt to assist those with health anxiety.

I will post as regularly as time allows to try and address some of the issues, myths and misconceptions about both health in general, but also how we tackle living with risk in our lives.

We all take risks daily whether it's driving a car, plugging in a kettle or diving off a cliff edge tied to a bungee rope.

Many of us do not consciously associate day to day tasks with risk, mainly because the risks are low and the benefits of taking them are high.

This thread will explore the same principle in relation to health, and question why we have a tendency to not apply the same "low risk/high benefit" thought process.

There will be soft exposure to the main illnesses commonly worried about (so anyone who is excessively triggered perhaps may want to view tentatively :)

Please feel free to join in.

The first post coming up in a few moments focuses on Cancer (for those trigger happy folk) :)

[Fourteen14]

CANCER. The big C?



In terms of health anxiety, Cancer is up there right near the top of list of the most worried about illnesses.

Ok, so there are SO many types of it, most people will of heard of/know someone who has suffered with it, and of course it is a horrendous illness!


Is there any wonder that SO many people worry relentlessly about potentially having it?


Like any major cause of death, there is always going to be an element of anxiety about it in most people (even those mentally well).

One of the major differences between the average Joe and those with health anxiety is not simply the doubting (WHAT IF) thinking, but a firmly anchored subconscious choice in perspective.

YES I said "choice", I am not insinuating that someone consciously chooses to live in constant fear of disease and illness, but somewhere back there in your deepest thoughts lies the decision to either say YES to the positive or YES to the negative.


To give an example, let's take a look at some of the media, drip fed to the public on a regular basis.......before anyone starts reaching for the Benzo's keep reading first!





" 1 in 4 Americans will experience CANCER at some point in their life".

- American Cancer Society (2013)




Ok....ok.....ok....ok calm down.....c'mon......breath.....whoo...whoo...whoo. ..whoo..whoo........aaaaannnndddd relaaaaxxxxxx!

NOW! This sounds HUGE ....Terrible.....Seriously worrying......OR IS IT?


If we look at those two choices we addressed earlier, (positive or negative) and observe these figures with a little perspective.

How do the SAME statistics appear if we flip the data?



"3 in 4 Americans will NEVER experience CANCER at ANY point in their life".



The same information? Different message? Not really!

The only real difference is that the information is subconsciously interpreted more positively.



I know...I know, those saying YES to the NEGATIVE are now screaming "what if I am in the 25%"?

Ask yourself the following questions

What if you are? - What will worrying do about it other than ruin the time you are healthy?

2. What if you are not? - what will worrying do about it other than ruin the time you are healthy?

3. What if I am at higher risk of developing it.

WHAT WILL WORRYING DO ABOUT IT OTHER THAN RUIN THE TIME YOU ARE HEALTHY!!!!

[Dahila]

I like the thread very much. Cancer is a trigger for many people, I just accept my benign, so far, what can I do? Nothing..
Cancer runs in my family I probably will get more than the one I have...... but ....I will deal with it when it comes. I am not going to summon it:)) I am as scared as everyone else...

[Fourteen14]

Great idea , i have moved you up the mountain . :)

Many thanks Forwells! :)

[Enduronman]

Yes!!!! Thank you 14!!!!! many many thanks.......

Enduronman... :)

[needtogetwell]

14

Outstanding thread! Brilliant, genius perspective!!!

Thanks for starting it!
~Pam

[AliasEQ]

Great thread 14

This is how everyone should look at their problems. You choose whether you want to look at it from a positive perspective or from a negative perspectiv, this is very true. This will help lots of people, including me. Thanks!

Elias

[Dahila]

Please, 14 keep posting :))

[Michael p]

Maybe you could try to shed some light on anxiety itself and what the disorder does to our health. I am very sensitive to all meds that I have tried, and quite frankly have a hard time trusting any of the potential side affects. I am getting ready to go back on 5 mg of Lexapro, (half the average dose). I stopped last time because I was increased to 10 mg and went haywire, but up until this point it worked better than any other, and within 3-4 days I noticed a considerable difference. I catch myself worrying about my heart to the point of a panic attack-you know, all the shaking, nervousness and waking up like I just got done working out, etc. My counselor told me the other day that it is worse for my heart not to be on a baseline med because "bad" anxiety itself is not good for the body and/or the heart. This has almost become a game with me, as I'm sure many of you can relate to. It sure would be nice to find that common ground again, but it seems futile at this point-I'm a new man, and think the old one is gone forever. And, not to mention the health of relationships. My wife and kids have been affected by this, noticeably, and there is such a disconnect between my wife and I that everything just feels dead. I am at a total loss with this, because it is really no one's fault. Any input? Sorry if I hijacked this, as it is not my intention. (Now my 14 year old, beautiful little girl is starting to deal with this same stuff, and it makes me feel so darn guilty-she had her first panic attack in school the other day and we were called by the guidance counselor! This just robs you of everything, and it is a constant battle to not let that happen, along with fighting through everything else!) Thanks all!!

[Fourteen14]

Maybe you could try to shed some light on anxiety itself and what the disorder does to our health. I am very sensitive to all meds that I have tried, and quite frankly have a hard time trusting any of the potential side affects. I am getting ready to go back on 5 mg of Lexapro, (half the average dose). I stopped last time because I was increased to 10 mg and went haywire, but up until this point it worked better than any other, and within 3-4 days I noticed a considerable difference. I catch myself worrying about my heart to the point of a panic attack-you know, all the shaking, nervousness and waking up like I just got done working out, etc. My counselor told me the other day that it is worse for my heart not to be on a baseline med because "bad" anxiety itself is not good for the body and/or the heart. This has almost become a game with me, as I'm sure many of you can relate to. It sure would be nice to find that common ground again, but it seems futile at this point-I'm a new man, and think the old one is gone forever. And, not to mention the health of relationships. My wife and kids have been affected by this, noticeably, and there is such a disconnect between my wife and I that everything just feels dead. I am at a total loss with this, because it is really no one's fault. Any input? Sorry if I hijacked this, as it is not my intention. (Now my 14 year old, beautiful little girl is starting to deal with this same stuff, and it makes me feel so darn guilty-she had her first panic attack in school the other day and we were called by the guidance counselor! This just robs you of everything, and it is a constant battle to not let that happen, along with fighting through everything else!) Thanks all!!

Hi Michael

Certainly sounds like you have an eclectic mix of issues going on at the moment.

If you have a scan around the many threads on the forum you will absolutely find many people going through very similar situations that you are facing right now.

In regards to this particular thread, I am focusing primarily on the thought processes surrounding health anxiety in particular.

Interesting point that you raise regarding medication side effects!

Many people do suffer quite severe and genuinely horrible side effects (see the multiple posts documenting Forwells' struggles over the years).

In contrast though, there are many people who are very much "pro medication" (See the many posts from Enduroman)

Fear or more realistically put, "suspicion" of medication and the "potential" side effects are often a greater battle than any genuine effect on the body.

What I mean by this is, there are so many medications and often it's a case of finding the ones that suit. But there can also be a tendency where "suggestion" also plays a role. For example, I am currently dealing with a woman in her mid 30's, has been on and off meds for the last 8 years, she doesn't have the chance to see if the meds actually work (take around 6 weeks to stabilise in the system), as she develops every side effect that is detailed on the packet booklet.

She then heads to the GP to begin withdrawing (which gives more side effects) and the cycle continues. She has been on Seroquel now for 9 weeks, and has exhausted the full list of common and not so common side effects and is now begging the rare (1 in 10,000) list. She sits for a session wearing full UV block sunglasses (full coverage similar to what blind people wear), because she has developed "photosensitivity".

My point being (and I'm not saying that your suspicion of medication goes quite as far), but there comes a point where you have to balance out whether you prefer the way you feel with meds or without, rather than overly concerning yourself with what symptoms they are producing. (Unless they are seriously effecting your mood or physical body for the worse).

Regards the issue about worry over your heart (the next instalment of the thread will deal with just that)! :)

I am sure you will find both relevance and relief from being a part of this forum.

Best wishes

[Fourteen14]

Heartache over the heart

The heart or more "problems" with it, are THE most frequently questioned bodily sensations experienced by health anxiety sufferers.

Of course this is the 2nd leading cause of death in the USA and the UK topped only by "old age".

So we would be correct in our obsession over everything heart related then?

Maybe not!


There are major factors at play here,

Firstly anxiety throws up a whole heap of physical symptoms that make the heart react (omitting the long winded biochemical explanation) basically the same process in the body that athletes use in a positive way, to run faster and harder, also happens in anxiety, the negative element in anxiety is that we don't use that extra energy to move, instead a toxic mix of fear and futile containment takes place. As with the athlete, the heart rate increases along with blood pressure, sweating, breathlessness and body shaking, yet this is all happening whilst we are stood still, gripping the edge of the kitchen countertop.

Some of the most common misinterpreted symptoms are:

Palpitations - very common sensations ranging from mild flutters/being "aware"of your heartbeat right up to feeling as if it's bursting out of your chest.

Ectopic Beats - occasional "skipped/missed" Beats - often misinterpreted as atrial fibrillation (a condition causing irregular heart rate)

Chest & Arm pains
Any health anxiety sufferer worth their 10 cents is heightened to any sensations or pains in the chest and arm.

One useful tip when it comes to any kind of pain particularly chest and arms.

Anxiety causes the muscle tissues in the body to become tense and highly susceptible to pulls/strains and tears.

If you start with a twinge/tightness/mild pain in the chest/arm area, (that DOESN'T feel like a 170lb human sat on your sternum), try and isolate the area that the pain is coming from for example, if you feel a sensation on the left side of your chest, can you press on the area, gently massaging around it? If you can and the pain eases with massage then this highly likely to be muscular (heart pain will NOT go away by rubbing your chest). Pains/numbness in the arm and hands is often caused by muscles/nerve compression in the neck and shoulders (so make sure you massage chest/shoulders/rotator cuff and neck). Oh ...and YES on the neck you will encounter lots of little lumps and bumps (WE ALL HAVE THEM) so don't add Lymphoma to the list of diagnosis ;)


Now......the responsible bit!

If you are worried and experiencing chest pains, rather than stressing go get it checked out . Any doctor worth their pay grade would prefer to see you for indigestion than take any risks when it comes to heart health. In most cases they will have a chat, listen to your heart and take your BP. Some may do an ECG, if it is offered take it! If not ASK! Once you have been given the all clear, put the ECG report in a FRAME above your bed! This is your constant reminder that your HEART is HEALTHY.

If for some reason they find something wrong, this is still good news, as they have caught it and can medicate for it, and prevent it!

So taking into account the original information given at the beginning of the post.

"Heart disease is the 2nd leading cause of death in the US and the UK aside from old age"

In fact between the US and the UK around 650,000 people died of heart disease last year (they did not drop dead on the spot many were long term cases).

So.... The math! ;)

650,000 died last year of heart disease. The combined population of the 2 countries is approx 377 million. Therefore the percentage of people who died of heart disease last year was...................drumroll.............wait ....for.........it............



0.17%


And that is the no1 killer aside from old age...............????


I'm not sure I will sleep tonight........will you ? ;)



The next update will cover "The Brain" ......... How very exciting!!!!

[jjh333]

perspective is everything! I have been teaching about negative and positive connotations this week... this fits right into that!

[Fourteen14]

Hi Jillian. You can always count on 14 to serve us up statistics for dinner and perspective for pudding! :) love it. Another great post. :) I'd be interested in your info on the 2nd brain too.

I may mix it up a little Frankie ;)

And Jillian I love that you are teaching about perspective, what age group?

[jjh333]

I teach high school (ages 14-18)... not so much about anxiety but we are studying poetry right now with my freshman and we have been looking at connotations in general.

I asked them to come up with some negative connotations today and they came up with "if you told someone they smell we automatically think of it as a negative thing rather than smelling like flowers".... and if someone is "lazy" ... not always a bad thing! (like having a lazy day).

Not sure if this is going to make sense I just woke up from a needed nap, but I was proud of them for thinking creatively!

[Fourteen14]

I teach high school (ages 14-18)... not so much about anxiety but we are studying poetry right now with my freshman and we have been looking at connotations in general. I asked them to come up with some negative connotations today and they came up with "if you told someone they smell we automatically think of it as a negative thing rather than smelling like flowers".... and if someone is "lazy" ... not always a bad thing! (like having a lazy day). Not sure if this is going to make sense I just woke up from a needed nap, but I was proud of them for thinking creatively!

Sounds like you are doing a great job!

Don't envy the age group though.......way too many hormones!! :D

[Fourteen14]

This TED-X talk doesn't specifically deal with health anxiety as such.

But it DOES deal with fatalistic thinking (always worry about the worst case) it's 20 mins long but really interesting and humorous. I think it will help to recognise your own thought process.

It also ties in with the thread by Gene Allen on the importance of daily gratitude. :)


http://youtu.be/_UoMXF73j0c

[Fourteen14]

The next few posts will be focusing on the brain

This isn't covering obvious health anxiety obsessions (stroke, tumours etc)

The main reason for this is IN THE MAJORITY of cases YOU WOULD NOT BE IN ANY DOUBT over whether or not you were ill.

YES there are the RARE folk that have few or very minor indicators, BUT health anxiety sufferers are SO in tune to ANY changes in the body, the likely hood is you would have already been in the doctors office about it.

What I aim to achieve over the next 4 sections (I will post each a few days apart to allow everyone to read them) is exploring the very thing that controls our entire body, our thought process, mood, vital organs, breathing and so on.

More importantly the brain is the no1 culprit when it comes to health anxiety.

The power of suggestion on the brain can have catastrophic effects for people suffering with anxiety, imagine if someone said to you "I think I saw something crawling in your hair", what's the first thing you feel? Itching? Crawling sensation? Even when there is nothing there?

The point is, that a simple suggestion can cause a physical reaction, on a more intense scale those suffering with anxiety not only have a hyper sensitive nervous system, but also highly susceptible to suggestion.

How many of us have obsessed over our heart? - ok a lot of us. So how many of us WERE obsessing over the heart, until we hear about someone dying of a brain tumour? Then every headache, dizzy spell, becomes potentially life threatening?

Interestingly a large number of medical doctors suffer a mild form of health anxiety when they train, and often develop psychosomatic symptoms of pain in the areas of the body they are studying.

So the next series of thread posts will tackle different areas of the brains processes involved in health anxiety (and anxiety in general) in an attempt to point you in the right direction towards recovery.

The following video is a basic insight into brain chemistry and how it effects mood and mental health, it also addresses the effects of exercise and diet. Which all health anxiety sufferers SHOULD be particularly interested in, given that both a good diet and regular exercise are the BEST ways to substantially reduce any risks of becoming unwell!


http://youtu.be/8bnniNxqB4w

[Fourteen14]

14. They were great videos and serious things to consider. Very helpful indeed. :)

Thanks Frankie :). Just a shame they don't embed from iPad :(

[Fourteen14]

I don't know what that means. Which is kind of funny. And well timed . Given what i just read. What is embed from iPad lol?

It just means (I am technology illiterate so in my own words), the video appears as a little movie on the main site. But is only a blue link on the iPad app. (I prefer the main site layout for affect and continuity)

:D

[Fourteen14]

Apologies for the lack of updates this week, I will update more over the weekend.

In the meantime here is an interesting 10 minute talk about living in the present moment and helping to control those racing thoughts we get with anxiety.


http://youtu.be/qzR62JJCMBQ

[Dahila]

Fantastic , thank you :)

[Fourteen14]

Deathly Obsessions


For several years now I have successfully managed my (genetically predisposed and early years learned) anxiety. I specifically used the word "managed" as opposed to "controlled" for the simple fact that "control" or more so, a lack of it, can often be the catalyst in developing health anxiety.

Lack of control, in the context of health anxiety is not a case of being "out of control" in the sense of bodily function, psychiatric disorder or ability to maintain a stable mood. But the sense throughout a particular point/points in life where we actually attempt to control what simply cannot be controlled, for example we cannot control when or where we will eventually die, in the vast majority of cases this will not be until old age, and will likely result from circumstances we never thought of in our earlier and healthy years (currently being wasted trying to control a future that is yet to exist).

Like any attempt to take the reins on your life we apply a high volume of unnecessary responsibility and pressure, whether this is finding the "perfect" job, raising the "perfect" child, or finding the "perfect" partner.

As there is no such thing as perfection, in that everything in life whether work, relationships or our health are in some way flawed. We are therefore already preparing the foundations of disappointment, frustration and ultimately the highly toxic negative thought processes that will eventually replace each happy thought we begin clinging on to.

Like an ongoing emotional game of ping pong between the brains memory filing cabinet (Hippocampus) and the alarm system (Amygdala), with each in turn fuelling the other leading to negative habits more addictive than alcohol and harder to break than heroin.

This last week has been an emotional roller coaster for me on a personal level, stress, work wise, stress at home, and stress in personal relationships. Like anyone feeling mentally drained, physically frustrated and emotionally vulnerable, my immune system has lowered and my susceptibility to infection raised.

The sinuses

Blocked, swollen, pain and numbness in my right cheekbone, pain in the right upper teeth, pain and pressure above the bridge of my nose and my right eye.

Inner ear

Blocked due to the above sinus pressure, causing vertigo (room spinning, feeling of sudden dropping and nausea.

Sounds reasonable? Even to the point where I used a saline rinse and menthol vapour, which eased all of the symptoms each time I did it.

So even more confirmation that the symptoms relate to sinusitis as a result of being run down?

Instead, after several years of well managed anxiety, I collectively diagnosed (facial numbness, eye pressure and dizziness) as either a brain hemorrhage or tumour. To the point where I have been lifting both arms up to ensure I have full motor function on both sides of my body, and obsessively check my pupils (to ensure they are the same size) and so the heart palpitations, uncontrollable shaking, breathlessness......and so on.

All this from sinusitis, and a blocked ear! The rest was then a stress related ping pong match inside my limbic system.


Once obsessive thoughts take hold, rationality doesn't just simply appear out of nowhere and magically make you feel better, it has to be worked on regularly, the same way that if you are overweight, achieving defined abs doesn't simply happen from sitting on the couch. Despite giving advise on mental wellbeing on a daily basis in my real life, I often forget this must apply to myself also? I am merely a vulnerable human with imperfect health and an imperfect life, with imperfect relationships and an imperfect career.

I cannot predict the future and I definitely cannot control it.

So I decided to breathe, take an evening off from worrying and throw myself back into the lottery that is life.


If you recognise any part of my personal story, I have attached a link to a (free) PDF Health Anxiety workbook (from the NHS in the UK).

I hope someone finds it of good use :)

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypochondria/Documents/Health%20Anxiety%20A4%20%202010.pdf

[Fourteen14]

This short 10 minute talk highlights and condenses many of the points made within this thread so far.

If we interpret the negative (loss) thinking within the 3 studies explained in the video, into the context of health anxiety, we basically have an insight into how having a constantly perceived negative view about our health makes it much harder to "flip" the thinking from negative (loss) to a positive (gain).

And more importantly it takes effort and a lot of work.

Daily gratitude in regards to health anxiety could potentially look something like this;

Instead of "I fear I will become unwell" - we replace it with "I am grateful to be well today"

Instead of "I fear I am going to die" - we replace it with "I am grateful to be alive today"

Think back to the "Big C" post earlier in the thread where we looked at "flipping data"

Each time we read a headline "1 in 4 will experience Cancer". This is replaced by "3 in 4 will NOT" (3 times more people will never experience Cancer than those who will).

I hope you enjoy the video :)


http://youtu.be/7XFLTDQ4JMk

[snowberry]

Deathly Obsessions


For several years now I have successfully managed my (genetically predisposed and early years learned) anxiety. I specifically used the word "managed" as opposed to "controlled" for the simple fact that "control" or more so, a lack of it, can often be the catalyst in developing health anxiety.

Lack of control, in the context of health anxiety is not a case of being "out of control" in the sense of bodily function, psychiatric disorder or ability to maintain a stable mood. But the sense throughout a particular point/points in life where we actually attempt to control what simply cannot be controlled, for example we cannot control when or where we will eventually die, in the vast majority of cases this will not be until old age, and will likely result from circumstances we never thought of in our earlier and healthy years (currently being wasted trying to control a future that is yet to exist).

Like any attempt to take the reins on your life we apply a high volume of unnecessary responsibility and pressure, whether this is finding the "perfect" job, raising the "perfect" child, or finding the "perfect" partner.

As there is no such thing as perfection, in that everything in life whether work, relationships or our health are in some way flawed. We are therefore already preparing the foundations of disappointment, frustration and ultimately the highly toxic negative thought processes that will eventually replace each happy thought we begin clinging on to.

Like an ongoing emotional game of ping pong between the brains memory filing cabinet (Hippocampus) and the alarm system (Amygdala), with each in turn fuelling the other leading to negative habits more addictive than alcohol and harder to break than heroin.

This last week has been an emotional roller coaster for me on a personal level, stress, work wise, stress at home, and stress in personal relationships. Like anyone feeling mentally drained, physically frustrated and emotionally vulnerable, my immune system has lowered and my susceptibility to infection raised.

The sinuses

Blocked, swollen, pain and numbness in my right cheekbone, pain in the right upper teeth, pain and pressure above the bridge of my nose and my right eye.

Inner ear

Blocked due to the above sinus pressure, causing vertigo (room spinning, feeling of sudden dropping and nausea.

Sounds reasonable? Even to the point where I used a saline rinse and menthol vapour, which eased all of the symptoms each time I did it.

So even more confirmation that the symptoms relate to sinusitis as a result of being run down?

Instead, after several years of well managed anxiety, I collectively diagnosed (facial numbness, eye pressure and dizziness) as either a brain hemorrhage or tumour. To the point where I have been lifting both arms up to ensure I have full motor function on both sides of my body, and obsessively check my pupils (to ensure they are the same size) and so the heart palpitations, uncontrollable shaking, breathlessness......and so on.

All this from sinusitis, and a blocked ear! The rest was then a stress related ping pong match inside my limbic system.


Once obsessive thoughts take hold, rationality doesn't just simply appear out of nowhere and magically make you feel better, it has to be worked on regularly, the same way that if you are overweight, achieving defined abs doesn't simply happen from sitting on the couch. Despite giving advise on mental wellbeing on a daily basis in my real life, I often forget this must apply to myself also? I am merely a vulnerable human with imperfect health and an imperfect life, with imperfect relationships and an imperfect career.

I cannot predict the future and I definitely cannot control it.

So I decided to breathe, take an evening off from worrying and throw myself back into the lottery that is life.


If you recognise any part of my personal story, I have attached a link to a (free) PDF Health Anxiety workbook (from the NHS in the UK).

I hope someone finds it of good use :)


Dude, I am going through the exact same thing - I have in the past few days suffered from vertigo, spinning, dizzyness. I assume it's my inner ear but I can't help worrying all the same. It's so frustrating, can't go to work like this...I've been to the doctors recently for a chest infection, though, I don't want to go again. :(

[cml]

Dude, I am going through the exact same thing - I have in the past few days suffered from vertigo, spinning, dizzyness. I assume it's my inner ear but I can't help worrying all the same. It's so frustrating, can't go to work like this...I've been to the doctors recently for a chest infection, though, I don't want to go again. :(

hey dude, seems like youre in a lot of worry today. were those your new symptoms? how long have you been with anxiety. if i were you i would stop thinking or adding fear to my symptoms. many people is having the same sensation like that but they do not react the same as you do, the same that i used to do, or maybe sometimes haha. if you keep on worrying, your body will just stay in an alert status for a while and then, whoala! new symptoms, new fear. its been a year since my first panic attack. but, i dont know, i seemed to experience a lot already for a year! name it.. but i endured it, i dont know, maybe because i gave up since it was so strong. im just happy im still breathing. relax dude.. we cant control our lives, if we will die, we will.. like everybody.. everyone will at some point. i believe the bottom line of anxiety is that we humans were naturally afraid of dying. maybe, if we will remove that thinking, anxiety will be no more, uhm most types of anxiety. we're afraid and kept thinking of it, let it go, thinking that way would not lengthen our lives, it would not even touch it in fact we are falling deeper.

its ok to be dizzy, very dizzy, for hours, the whole day... who cares. im alive.. i will live it. if i'll die, how will i know... im dead..

[Fourteen14]

MAKING MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLARS!

A quick update on my previous post.

Following a stressful couple of weeks, I experienced a mini flare up of health anxiety, sinus pain, tooth ache, vertigo and sore gums and a metallic taste in my mouth.

I managed to narrow this down to three OBVIOUS potential outcomes.

1. Maxi facial tumour
2. Brain hemorrhage
3. At the very least, multiple abscesses requiring the removal of all my upper teeth.

Following the dental appointment this morning and 2 full sets of x-rays (I insisted on).

I have lost 2 fillings! .......and well .....everything else is pretty healthy!


What top tips could YOU give someone to prevent a wasted week worrying over this type of catastrophic thinking?

Please feel free to post :)

[Fourteen14]

I have to ask and i hope you don't mind . But why do you think like this ? Might help me understand . I must admit i am a little like this but it would be fleeting . Like with all my problems i have looked at different things . Lets take MS but then i see that it happens in flare ups , i don't get that so i move on to something else . Is it a habit , something you have always done ? Is there something else behind it like a feeling of needing to feel safe ?

It's been a combination of a lot of things building up Exams, Papers, Clinical post/training applications, trying to sell my house, work, my best friend hit the skids, and (my own theory) is it's back to trying to take control of the uncontrollable , the odd occasion I am spinning more plates than I can handle, I manifest the hypochondria (it's not really bad, as in it doesn't affect work etc).

I'm hoping people can add to the thread (there are over 700 views in 2 weeks, and only 30+ posts! I'm hoping the people reading and not posting will get something from the discussion.

Me included :)

[Fourteen14]

So what your saying is stress is increasing what is already there . Would you say on a level that it is your mind looking for why it feels bad but is missing that there is stress there ?? Its a interesting thread :)

Actually that's kind of true.

I have always had underlying anxiety, just "managed" a consistent "keeping in check".

Do you think perhaps stress kicked the door open on it?

[Fourteen14]

100% My symptoms increase ten fold when i am stressed . You should have seen me after that doctors last night when i got thinking about it . When i was at my worse and the kids would get on my goat it would start them . I personally think that there is two problems . The anxiety which needs addressing but then the stress underlying it . There is no doubt stress increases the chemicals . I often think it is the cortisol as mine is worse in the morning and this is when this is the highest in everyone .

Absolutely!

I've always had what I call a "black half hour" first thing on a morning where every thought or "to do" list rushes through my mind. I learned to switch off from it and know I would feel ok by the time I had a drink and got out of the shower.

You make me chuckle with the bio chemical answers, you remind me a lot of me, it's what originally interested me enough to switch career paths (and then they corrupted my biology focused mind with philosophy and theories) :D

[Fourteen14]

Yes they did it for me for so long . But if we take every thing back to basic all will really are is a pile of chemicals . Here is another one to get you thinking . In the human body every cell is rebuild every 7 years then were do memories from years ago come from? I really do think too much :)

That I cannot answer other than the possibility of transferring the memory from existing cells to new cells (like cell replication)

There was a study done on fiat worms, they were "trained" (if you can) to follow a route in a small maze to find food. They then cut the worm in half, after one half grew back the top half , and the other the bottom half, both followed the same trail.

They were trying to prove that memory exists in cells other than the brain .

In some way trying to add the nerve memory theory, I.e people feeling limbs after amputations (itchy legs that aren't there).

I clearly don't get out enough do I? :D

[Fourteen14]

The stress has got to play a big part. My morning was pretty calm and as i got thinking about the recent stresses both mentally and physically of late, i awoke a lot of the symptoms that have been easing the past few days. Grrrr. If the memory exists from cell replication i wonder can that account for our diminished faith in the truth of the memory? Does its potency lessen through this process over years? Weird!

Mmmmmmm ?? You could be onto something there Frankie!

[samanthaistired]

I'm really loving and appreciating this particular thread. I read through the PDF booklet,super helpful! I love all of the information. It makes me giggle about the heart and brain worries because I do it all of the time! This is a great thread. Keep it up!!! (Please.) :)

[Fourteen14]

I'm really loving and appreciating this particular thread. I read through the PDF booklet,super helpful! I love all of the information. It makes me giggle about the heart and brain worries because I do it all of the time! This is a great thread. Keep it up!!! (Please.) :)

I'm really pleased you are getting something from it.

Thank you for the feedback it's very much appreciated :)

[Fourteen14]

Excuse the random interruption of the thread here, but I wanted to share this video (even if it distracts your thoughts temporarily).

Firstly I'm not a fan of animal captivity, but I was so amazed at watching elephants painting pictures of elephants.

So a lot of training has likely taken place, but the focus and delicate way these animals use their paint brushes just blew me away!


http://youtu.be/SiQDPoudftE

[GeneAllen]

yes i think we both need to get out more :)

The flat worm is interesting .

I spoke with my mental health nurse and we come up with this .

Memories are made and stored in our cells . But the more re remember something the more re restore it .

So we forget what is needed and say something from childhood we remember and it gets restored in newer cells.

So its in fact the memory of the memory and not the first one .

This would make sence when you think about it and i think they are working on something with PTSD with this .

It really is a very interesting field that is just coming into its own .

I read a while back that all that is know about the brain 90% has been learned in the last 20 years .

It's cellular memory. If you want a good dude to help you with it I would suggest Matt Kahn. He will do it over the phone. http://truedivinenature.fullslate.com/

I cannot say I have personally used Matt for this. So do your homework first. Healthy skepticism is always a good thing of course.

Peace kevin

[AliasEQ]

Excuse the random interruption of the thread here, but I wanted to share this video (even if it distracts your thoughts temporarily).

Firstly I'm not a fan of animal captivity, but I was so amazed at watching elephants painting pictures of elephants.

So a lot of training has likely taken place, but the focus and delicate way these animals use their paint brushes just blew me away!


http://youtu.be/SiQDPoudftE

What the actual flying f*ck?! :O I'm in shock right now... that's like...indescribable?

[Fourteen14]

What the actual flying f*ck?! :O I'm in shock right now... that's like...indescribable?

I know, right?

Apparently elephants share 3 traits in common with human consciousnesses (one being able to recognise their own reflection rather than thinking it to be another elephant), the conscious perception of emotion and other higher levels of intelligence.

(Which will lead onto the next update on the thread in a couple of days) :)

[AliasEQ]

I know, right?

Apparently elephants share 3 traits in common with human consciousnesses (one being able to recognise their own reflection rather than thinking it to be another elephant), the conscious perception of emotion and other higher levels of intelligence.

(Which will lead onto the next update on the thread in a couple of days) :)

Damn, that's amazing. Never knew elephants was so intelligent. You learn something new everyday I guess.

[SmokeyYogi]

well, 14, I read the entire thread -more than once. And now reading it again. It feels like I know exactly what to think in order to put this terrible health anixety behind me, and I often discuss it with people that have the same tendencies. But I just can't.
I partly think it's because my body and my mind is SO sensitive. I have always been able to feel every emotion so deeply in my body and I always have had really strange sensations -even before I started having severe anxiety (which I can point to the day of my first panic attack).
So; I really appreciate what you have written and I try to rewire my brain. But at the same time I don't want to lose this connection to my body -because I appreciate it and because I'm scared that I will overlook something. It's quite an ambivalent and twosided mental state.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for especially the video-links.
Have a good night everyone!

[Fourteen14]

well, 14, I read the entire thread -more than once. And now reading it again. It feels like I know exactly what to think in order to put this terrible health anixety behind me, and I often discuss it with people that have the same tendencies. But I just can't. I partly think it's because my body and my mind is SO sensitive. I have always been able to feel every emotion so deeply in my body and I always have had really strange sensations -even before I started having severe anxiety (which I can point to the day of my first panic attack). So; I really appreciate what you have written and I try to rewire my brain. But at the same time I don't want to lose this connection to my body -because I appreciate it and because I'm scared that I will overlook something. It's quite an ambivalent and twosided mental state. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for especially the video-links. Have a good night everyone!

It's great that you feel you are benefiting from the thread.

I will be updating it shortly, the next few updates will be exploring coping with and moving forward from catastrophic thoughts.

[Fourteen14]

The Brain Part 3 Happiness – Fake it to make it.

Following on from what would at first appear to be a random video clip of elephants painting pictures with their trunks, how could this possibly coincide with a thread about health anxiety?

We often forget, or certainly many of us do not consciously think in our day to day lives about the similarities between humans and say a dog, cat or artistically trained elephants. I am not about to go into some enormous rant about the evolution of species, or the relative DNA sequencing we share with many other mammals. But what I do want to explore are the similarities and differences in our cognitive function.

As Ruby Wax once quite rightly said “The bad news is folks, your pets are happier than you are”

My question is WHY?

Do our pets constantly fear the future, potentially becoming ill, dying of a terrible disease or scanning their bodies for changes in sensations?

Ok without actually being able to have the conversation with them, we don’t know for absolute certainty. But I am putting my neck out and saying they really do not.
We do see anxiety and low mood in animals at a basic level, either through biological traits or learned behaviour, many of us will have witnessed fear in a dog on the many TV shows documenting the rehabilitation process in turning around the behaviour.

The basic process of conditioning the behaviour is often based on the very simple model of rewarding new desirable behaviour through something pleasurable (for example food), and consistently reinforcing it until new habits are formed.

So how come we do not apply this same technique to anxiety in humans? For example when we have rational thought, we get to go shopping, eat ice cream etc. Surely once the rewarded behaviour becomes habitual, our anxieties will fade to extinction over time?

This sounds pretty plausible until we add the ridiculously high level of cognitive function (thought processing) that we humans possess. How do we literally trick our brains into believing that the 3 tubs of Ben&Jerrys we just got through is telling us that we are undergoing behaviour modification? More likely that following the 3 tubs of ice cream would increase insulin production, cause heart palpitations and throw is into an anxious state that we have now finally closed off that artery we have been worrying about for the last 3 years and may now die in our sleep!

The point I am attempting to make here is, that when we are trying to adopt our own coping mechanisms, we end up in a debate with our own selves, in that we adopt the identities of both the “trainer” and the “trainee”. More commonly referred to as “the blind leading the blind”.

So, in walks the psychologist/therapist and explains what you should/shouldn’t be doing, this is how you SHOULD think, this is what you SHOULD NOT do. And then what? You go away feeling armed with all the right ammunition and skills to tackle this at home on your own, once again as “trainer and trainee”.

I am not trying to say that therapy is pointless, far from it! But without an underlying confidence and belief that change will or can take place, often many fall at the first hurdle, give up and repeat back into old habits (back to square one).

Think of someone who has put on weight over the Christmas holidays, and self elects to join a diet/weight loss group (we have more of these in the UK than hospitals).
But imagine trying really hard in those first weeks, you follow the diet exactly and increase exercise, do all the right things and you lose 5lbs in the first week (mostly due to water), but you are fired up, the following week you work even harder, and eat even less, you lose another 4lbs, slightly disappointed you persist into week 3 and you only lose 2lbs this time (a healthy weight loss) but you feel disappointed, all that hard work for a small result (totally forgetting the 11lb loss in total over just 3 weeks). But feeling deflated you don’t try quite as hard in week 4 and you only lose 1lb, by week 5 you have now given up altogether, returned to old habits and gain the 12lbs back again within the next 3 weeks. So in a similar way we are open to reward based behavioural change, provided the rewards are high and the results are immediate, the moment the results (reward) lessens or is removed, old behaviours return.

In many with health anxiety (and anxiety in general), it is as though the will to worry is greater than the will to be happy. For example those who opt for medication to ease the physical symptoms and settle the mind. Even being rational about the initial side effects, once the medication stabilises and they begin to feel the benefits, the thoughts then become “Is this the medication or is this actually me”? “I need to stop the medication to see if I am still unhappy and worrying”? In this instance each time the attempt to retake control in actual fact reignites old behaviour.

There are also those that insist the medication is “band aiding” the problem and insist on finding the initial cause of their anxieties. It is fair that someone wants to find the cause of their problem, and I agree that medication alone without adopting changes in habits and behaviour will only create a temporary state of change. However there is also something to be said for allowing the relief that medication can bring to motivate and take action in dealing with habits in a rational and reasoned way. And often trying to find the cause of the initial anxiety attacks can in the majority of cases be the equivalent of trying to find a penny on the streets of New York City.

My own personal approach to finding answers (unless these are blatantly smacking you in the face) is “Does it really matter”? Would it be a more productive use of time to deal with the present thoughts and feelings relating to anxiety and move forward rather than backwards? If you were to suddenly discover the exact date, time, and reason it all started, is this going to magically stop you believing your headache is a tumour, and your heart is about to stop any moment?

I have attached a link to a TED talk by the Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy, who explains about research into body postures and how after 2 minutes of posture change, there is also a corresponding change in the levels of testosterone and cortisol (stress hormone). Although the talk is aimed primarily at the workplace and job interviews, she suggests a period of “faking it” until you “believe it” this could also be of benefit in making small adjustments and changes each day for anxiety sufferers, there is a good amount of research to back up the claims (detailed in the video), but her own personal story (near the end of the video) is certainly inspirational. I really enjoyed watching it I hope you do to.

The next update will focus entirely on coping mechanisms and techniques.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc

[Fourteen14]

Hi Forwells

I get where you are coming from to a degree. Health anxiety itself is thought to stem more from the OCD end of the spectrum in that it's compulsive obsessive thinking as a result of anxiety, rather than a specific disorder, I'm kind of thinking that what you were meaning?

As for animals, many do simply mate and eat, but if we were to take for example wolves, the only ones who mate within a pack are the breeding pair (old term alpha male & female).

The male wolf is only sexually active once a year (in line with the once yearly female cycle).

Their family structure is broken down into task orientated roles (nurse/nanny for the young), guards and peacemakers. They also hunt by working as a team and feeding is done generally in rank order.

The behaviour is far more complex and serves far more purpose than simple reproduction, there are also ecological implications such as the changes seen in North America and Canada since their re introduction in the 1990's.

At the basic level humans serve no greater purpose on the planet other than to serve our own species if we really think about it. We just have the ability to form the concept that we do.

[Matt192]

I just want to let you guys know, this can go away. For 3 years straight I suffered from constant panic attacks, I could only get roughly 3 hours of sleep a day, usually in one hour naps throughout the day wherever I could manage to rest, I couldn't leave my house, was in a constant state of dread and torment. I honestly believed i would never be back to normal. But that was 5 years ago, And today I'm glad to say. I have fully recovered. I'm calm, happy, am meeting new people. I honestly am just so relieved that I got back to normal and am experiencing life on a normal level again.

Some people don't understand what a panic attack is and how it can make you feel, it feels like a heart attack and you can feel nothing but torment. If you've never been through one, you simply just can not understand it. To let you guys know how I recovered. I essentially started by drinking an excessive amount of water. I'm talking 2 liters every single day, It releases oxygen into your lungs calming you down. I also started taking large amounts of Vitamin C and D which help your immune system which in then help your brain function in a more healthy manor and the D helps your serotonin levels which are the key ingredient in feeling yourself again.

I also started doing breathing exercises which increase your lung capacity and again, the worst part of a panic attack is feeling like you can't breath. If you learn to use your lungs more efficiently your brain and lungs will get more oxygen again, relaxing you. To anyone having trouble, don't be afraid to PM me for more info, just remember. You're not alone and so many people go through this but I'm standing here today because I got out of it and am glad to say that was 4 years ago and I feel myself again now.
If you work to correct the imbalance often are successful, such as myself. Keep fighting guys, anxiety and panic attacks often enhance who we are without as knowing. Before I experienced them I was very quiet and to myself but nowadays I just can't help but talk. :p I'm in sales and I love every day, meeting new people, talking and laughing about odd experiences with their home theater stuff. :p I prefer how talkative I am now compared to how I was before. I think it forced me to grow.

[Fourteen14]

Hi everyone

Just wishing you a stress free weekend after what has been a really busy week for me personally.

I will be updating the thread this weekend purely focusing on stress reduction and coping tools for those worrying thoughts (I hope they will be useful for ALL )

Just to say also, that there will NOT be any health triggers in the next post, so everyone should be free to use the information freely.

Wishing everyone the very best as always :)

[needtogetwell]

Hi everyone Just wishing you a stress free weekend after what has been a really busy week for me personally. I will be updating the thread this weekend purely focusing on stress reduction and coping tools for those worrying thoughts (I hope they will be useful for ALL ) Just to say also, that there will NOT be any health triggers in the next post, so everyone should be free to use the information freely. Wishing everyone the very best as always :)

Looking forward the next instalment!

[JohnC]

I am not sure if I am doing this corectly or not but I started reading this thread and WOW is this good and it actually helped me. This is a awsome thread. Funny, yesterday I really was not sure what a thread was! Glad I found this forum.

[Fourteen14]

I am not sure if I am doing this corectly or not but I started reading this thread and WOW is this good and it actually helped me. This is a awsome thread. Funny, yesterday I really was not sure what a thread was! Glad I found this forum.

I'm glad you are finding it of some use John.

I will be updating it later this evening with coping tools/technique guides.

[Fourteen14]

The following Anxiety app (SAM), Self help workbooks and CBT Audio apps, are ALL FREE, created by, for or recommended by a variety of NHS trusts. I am really hoping (as they are UK web apps that everyone outside of the UK are able to access them also).

I will briefly explain each one followed by the link, (again they are all free of charge, with no advertisements (not from the UK anyway). I really hope some of you benefit from them.


S.A.M. (Self-help for Anxiety Management)

(iPhone/iPad) and google play apps.

This app was developed by the University of West England for the NHS.

It has several very useful features including an "Anxiety Tracker", if you tap on the "how's my anxiety right now" button you can use a sliding scale to detail on a scale of low to high how your thoughts, fears etc are. If updated regularly it will give you a basic analysis and patterns of your anxiety levels throughout the day/week. This will allow you to gain a better idea of tackling peak periods before they happen.

Other features include a photo gallery where you can slowly make pictures clear by slowing rubbing the screen (to distract and calm). There are also areas where you can write down thoughts and fears. (I haven't tried the social features) but certainly there is plenty already on the app many may find useful (including a toolkit feature).

The link to download the app is here

http://apps.nhs.uk/app/sam-self-help-for-anxiety-management/


Self Help Guides/workbooks. (Downloadable as either iPhone/iPad app) or PDF/Audio book.

Here you have the choice of 24 NHS approved workbooks covering a range of topics including;

* HEALTH ANXIETY
* GENERALISED ANXIETY
* SOCIAL ANXIETY, SHYNESS AND PHOBIA
* DEPRESSION
* ADDICTION
* SELF HARM

Plus many more, all are FREE

The link is here (just double click/tap on the PDF you want or download the app.

http://www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp/


NHS - DON'T PANIC - CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) Audio iTunes App

This app (iTunes only) has 6 free short CBT audios covering the following topics.

* DEALING WITH WORRY
* DEALING WITH PANIC
* DEALING WITH STRESS
* SOCIAL ANXIETY
* NEGATIVE THINKING (this is a key one for health anxiety)
* DEALING WITH ANGER

The direct link is here.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dont-panic-self-help/id844034297?mt=8



There is a lot of information to get through, all of them working together (CBT Audio, workbook and tracking and analysing Anxiety). Perhaps take it a bit at a time and keep coming back to pieces of information you feel are relevant to you.

I truly hope you find it of some use.


Please feel free to use the thread to get things off your chest if you wish.

Best Wishes

Fourteen14 :)

[indiana]

I have not been on this forum for a long time but by chance I fell over this threat which seems to be sent from heaven. I have had anxiety and particularly health anxiety for a long time and have not really come across some useful answers.
My constant "friends" are dizziness, facial and jaw tension which never leave me, day or night and which add a lot to my stress, tooth ache and neck and shoulder pain and IBS. Recently I woke up one morning with bad indigestions problems and could hardly swallow. Since I have stopped googling my symptoms (some progress) I went on another health board (which I guess is just as bad but at least you meet some people there with the same symptoms but they are still alive even though they have had it for halv a year....) and reading the stories and what people thought what they might have (about 10 different illnesses) made me realize that I was just the same and this had to stop. I have not been to the GP for a year but my anxiety has not become less. Have been on
the TMS Forum a lot. There is a theory there that it is all about repressed emotions which give you these symptoms. As far as health anxiety is concerned I think I have to stop wanting reassurance because there is no certainity and dealing with that is probably one of my problems. Anyway, Thank you Fourteen14 for this threat. It is much appreciated.

[Fourteen14]

I have not been on this forum for a long time but by chance I fell over this threat which seems to be sent from heaven. I have had anxiety and particularly health anxiety for a long time and have not really come across some useful answers. My constant "friends" are dizziness, facial and jaw tension which never leave me, day or night and which add a lot to my stress, tooth ache and neck and shoulder pain and IBS. Recently I woke up one morning with bad indigestions problems and could hardly swallow. Since I have stopped googling my symptoms (some progress) I went on another health board (which I guess is just as bad but at least you meet some people there with the same symptoms but they are still alive even though they have had it for halv a year....) and reading the stories and what people thought what they might have (about 10 different illnesses) made me realize that I was just the same and this had to stop. I have not been to the GP for a year but my anxiety has not become less. Have been on the TMS Forum a lot. There is a theory there that it is all about repressed emotions which give you these symptoms. As far as health anxiety is concerned I think I have to stop wanting reassurance because there is no certainity and dealing with that is probably one of my problems. Anyway, Thank you Fourteen14 for this threat. It is much appreciated.

You are very welcome Indiana.

If anyone wishes to post their health worries in the thread from here on please feel free, sometimes it helps to gain a little perspective :)

[Fourteen14]

If anyone is struggling to open the links on the workbooks could you please post here, I will see if there is anyway around it (I'm not sure if it's only viewable in the UK)

Many Thanks :)

[Fourteen14]

The following documentary doesn't deal specifically with health anxiety, but does focus on obsessive/compulsive thinking (responsible for it). It's in 2 parts (an hour each episode), but is a fantastic watch for anyone wanting an inspirational distraction.

Part 1


http://youtu.be/zAXjq28Wpyk

[Fourteen14]

Part 2


http://youtu.be/ywMsMjGF_nw

[petrified]

Thanks so much for this thread 14.
My health anxiety is brought on by many things.
It could be a little stress in my life that brings it on or something I hear, like a few month back my neighbours son had a stroke at age 30 something. I ended up in a&e that night convinced it was happening to me.
Most recently the death of peaches geldof has me frightened to go to sleep in case I die through the night.
Thank you for the app links I am going to have a look and download them.
I love the way you look at things turning the negatives into a positive this is definitely something I need to try to do more.
Thanks for the cbt information I often forget and struggle to remember everything I was taught from my course.

[Fourteen14]

Thanks so much for this thread 14. My health anxiety is brought on by many things. It could be a little stress in my life that brings it on or something I hear, like a few month back my neighbours son had a stroke at age 30 something. I ended up in a&e that night convinced it was happening to me. Most recently the death of peaches geldof has me frightened to go to sleep in case I die through the night. Thank you for the app links I am going to have a look and download them. I love the way you look at things turning the negatives into a positive this is definitely something I need to try to do more. Thanks for the cbt information I often forget and struggle to remember everything I was taught from my course.

You are very welcome Petrified!

Yes, the whole Peaches Geldof media has spooked a lot of people (even the ones I work with), and sorry to hear about your friends son, I hope they will make a good recovery.

The problem (in my opinion obviously) isn't that people around us or people on TV having bad things happening, this goes off all of the time, it's a mix of recognition (often the biggest triggers are when it's people close to your own age group or the age group of a loved one).

For example child leukaemia upsets me from the point of view that it's incredibly sad that children suffer, but this doesn't resonate any higher than the children of Ethiopia living in really bad conditions and starving to death.

Equally 85 year old men having heart attacks, sad but doesn't strike a chord.

Anyone mid 30's , my anxiety spikes, it's like someone screaming "it could be you"!

Then we have catastrophe, I read on the news about a massive Ebola outbreak in west Africa recently (like something out of the thriller movies). I have never nor ever intend to visit the village in west Africa where the outbreak happened, but my mind skipped the rational, and conjured an image of an infected west African boarding the direct flight to Heathrow!

Death and illness will always be a part of life (we are lucky we are not in west Africa for example) it's been going on for thousands of years, and yet the average life expectancy in the western world is currently 80+ years.

If you get a spare couple of hours, watch the documentary links (in two parts) that follow OCD camp. It's very insightful to the ways of approaching obsessive and compulsive thinking (health worry is simply the OCD end of anxiety).

The therapy is based around a really simple exposure "MAYBE".

It gives level ground to thoughts.

As some would argue, the obsession with illness is an attempt to control or not accept that things CAN but DONT happen. And if they do, worry is a totally wasted, unnecessary and completely unhelpful emotion. (Unless you are being chased by someone with a steak knife) :)

All the best, and thank you again for your kind comments :)

[GeneAllen]

You're doing a great service here 14. I thank you.

Peace

[Fourteen14]

You're doing a great service here 14. I thank you. Peace

That's very of kind of you Gene.

If my manic rambling helps at least a few people It's worthwhile.

[snowberry]

Right now finding it hard to breath properly. I feel like I can't take a full breath, and I have to yawn constantly just to get the air in. So frustrated by this, please someone help :(

[Fourteen14]

Right now finding it hard to breath properly. I feel like I can't take a full breath, and I have to yawn constantly just to get the air in. So frustrated by this, please someone help :(

This was and (still occasionally) is the most distressing symptom personally.

In view of the yawning, I would suggest it's what some refer to as "air hunger" i.e. The only time you feel a satisfying breath is when you yawn.

It often results through over breathing (consciously trying to control the air intake) and without realising it, your oxygen levels in your blood are higher than normal. (Perfectly harmless but uncomfortable feeling).

It's difficult at first, but you need to rebalance the blood gases. And ultimately allow your automatic system to re take control of your breathing. (If you imagine this same system controls breathing whilst you sleep, and needs to do the same when you are awake) otherwise things go askew.

The following technique is often helpful.

Take a short breath in through the nose for 3-4 seconds and breath out through pursed lips for 7-8 seconds, continue until your breathing relaxes.

If you find it too difficult to breath out for any length of time shorten the timing at first. Provided the breath out is longer than the breath in.

(You are trying to rebalance oxygen and carbon dioxide ) - if it gets really bad, try breathing through cupped hands (think of the old paper bad method used in severe hyperventilating )

Best wishes

[Fourteen14]

Ps. Breath from your stomach (not your chest).

[snowberry]

This was and (still occasionally) is the most distressing symptom personally.

In view of the yawning, I would suggest it's what some refer to as "air hunger" i.e. The only time you feel a satisfying breath is when you yawn.

Omg yes, this is exactly it. I have a constant yawn in my throat, like it's blocking my airway or something, and in the seconds after I yawn I feel so satiated.


It often results through over breathing (consciously trying to control the air intake) and without realising it, your oxygen levels in your blood are higher than normal. (Perfectly harmless but uncomfortable feeling).

It's difficult at first, but you need to rebalance the blood gases. And ultimately allow your automatic system to re take control of your breathing. (If you imagine this same system controls breathing whilst you sleep, and needs to do the same when you are awake) otherwise things go askew.

The following technique is often helpful.

Take a short breath in through the nose for 3-4 seconds and breath out through pursed lips for 7-8 seconds, continue until your breathing relaxes.

If you find it too difficult to breath out for any length of time shorten the timing at first. Provided the breath out is longer than the breath in.

(You are trying to rebalance oxygen and carbon dioxide ) - if it gets really bad, try breathing through cupped hands (think of the old paper bad method used in severe hyperventilating )

Best wishes

14 you are an angel :) I gave it a try and am feeling lots better. I still have the yawns stuck at the back of my throat but my breathing is much more normal and I feel calmer. I have made myself some camomile tea and hopefully I can now do some much-needed studying before bed. I am guessing this is another anxiety thing I will just have to live with. Oh well. :(

[Fourteen14]

It will go away eventually.


1. You have to allow your body to do what it naturally should be doing (stop thinking about it)

2. It's distressing but perfectly harmless

3. You need to practice the breathing techniques several times.

4. The feelings of a lump in the throat or suffocating feelings are really common (distressing but perfectly harmless).

It DOES go away (it just takes time).

I also find stretching the arms (like a morning stretch) loosens the chest, back and shoulder muscles that tighten as a result of anxiety and can also make breathing feel strange.

[kgzbv]

I worry about my wife's health - specifically her mammograms because I am petrified she will have breast cancer. Her mammogram is in May and I have a really hard time thinking about anything else or even planning past that month.

[Fourteen14]

I worry about my wife's health - specifically her mammograms because I am petrified she will have breast cancer. Her mammogram is in May and I have a really hard time thinking about anything else or even planning past that month.

Does your wife have genuine health issues? Or is this simply worry about potential health?

[kgzbv]

Fear of potential. She has some small calcifications in her leg but otherwise no known issues.

[Fourteen14]

Fear of potential. She has some small calcifications in her leg but otherwise no known issues.

It's really hard when worry takes over the times we and those around us are well. And it is completely natural to be anxious about medical testing.

The problems arise when thoughts become unbalanced. In that, negative thinking dominates. Ironically of the people I know who actually have been unfortunate to have a serious medical diagnosis, their focus often changes to pure positives and optimism.

Perhaps we forget the advantages of medical testing, firstly there are no current health concerns (this is certainly a positive), and the fact that your wife has the opportunity to have regular screening is also a positive.

The whole point of breast screening and health checks are to ensure that any "potential" health concerns are picked up early and treated early to ensure a better prognosis in the event that anything is wrong. This surely is something truly positive.

We could concern ourselves with all aspects of risk to ourselves or partners, for example we could be overly anxious about them driving a car, eating shellfish, walking down the street, turning on a gas tap or light switch, that can all "potentially" result in harm or death.

If we were to overly concern ourselves about all the risks of living, we would have no quality of life at all, certainly not enjoying the times when we least have to worry (when we and our loved ones are well).

In the scheme of things, mammograms should be encouraged as a confirmation that things are well, not that things "could" go wrong.

In the event of bad news "what benefit or change to the situation does anxiety and worry bring"?

[kgzbv]

14 - what you say makes sense. I have some success thinking in those terms but slide into a fear pit. I speak often about this in therapy but have not made much progress. I feel I can't discuss the fear with my wife. In other areas I can and do accept unknown with little or no thought to it. I just can't seem to apply the same logic and reasoning to this particular area. Some days are better than others but the fear comes back.

[SmokeyYogi]

Thx again 14, so Nice to read your thoughts etc on health anxiety. I am a mess right now. I found a sort of lump on my jaw and I am swollen on the muscle connecting my ear to my jaw bone. That freaks me out . I also have a mole that has developed a 'halo' , a white ring around it. Which (****google!!) can be a sign of melanoma . Oh , and on Wednesday I'm having a gastroscopi to find out if I gave celiac , but now I'm sure I have cancer because I've been so tired and dizzy lately and have a bad vision .. Sometimes I can't take myself seriously , because there's this "meta " voice telling me I'm being ridiculous and at the sane time I'm scared out of my wits . phew.

[Fourteen14]

Thx again 14, so Nice to read your thoughts etc on health anxiety. I am a mess right now. I found a sort of lump on my jaw and I am swollen on the muscle connecting my ear to my jaw bone. That freaks me out . I also have a mole that has developed a 'halo' , a white ring around it. Which (****google!!) can be a sign of melanoma . Oh , and on Wednesday I'm having a gastroscopi to find out if I gave celiac , but now I'm sure I have cancer because I've been so tired and dizzy lately and have a bad vision .. Sometimes I can't take myself seriously , because there's this "meta " voice telling me I'm being ridiculous and at the sane time I'm scared out of my wits . phew.

Sometimes you need to sit back, breathe and consider each of your issues in turn (otherwise it just becomes a blurred assault of thoughts).

Severe or serious illness isn't as common as we would imagine, as in, far more people under the age of 65 do NOT develop life threatening illness than those that do (there are also a great deal of healthy older people I might add).

So what are the chances of having 3 or 4 serious illness (all at once)?

The swelling of the ear to the jaw bone is likely as simple as allergy/infection. The ear, nose & throat are all connected the sinuses and tissues surrounding the temporal styloid are also involved and can affect the jaw. The majority of causes are infection and allergy (or simply the amount of rubbing and poking we do when we are convinced there has to be a deadly disease involved).

Stomach cancer again is something that generally presents in older people, the chances are it's likely IBS, at the worst Coeliac (this is not fatal BTW)

The mole however DOES need looking at by your GP, any changes to moles or skin do need attention.

However, again this does not mean that it automatically warrants your anxiety going through the ceiling, it could be something completely benign, or at the worst it may need removing (and the end to your worry over it).

Good luck with the gastro. :)

[HockeyRules]

Excellent thread fourteen. Your sinus issues really rang a bell with me, it was almost like I was you in that story. Thanks for making this a very productive and informative thread.

Cheers

David

[HockeyRules]

I have a question. Why is it I can reason with myself and calm down only to have the next day be like the previous one in which I need to do it all over again. It kind of reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Lol.

Short reason on my issues.... I ran a 10k race 4/13/14 and did pretty well. That same day heard 2 people in a half marathon died in their 30's. Ever since then.... My anxiety had spiked again. I have no real physical reason to feel the way I do..... But I do anyway. I still run.... And afterwards I tell myself see your fine. Then the next day I start the battle all over again in my mind. I am so pissed off at myself for doing this.

Thanks for listening.

David

[petrified]

David what you written really sounds like me.

Each night I go to sleep terrified I won't wake up!
I tell myself I have felt like this time and time again and I'm still here, yet every night I have the same fears.

Triggers in the media and such make me worse too. I just have to hear of someone my age dying suddenly and then I have all their symptoms which is confirmation I will die too.

It is indeed a viscous circle

[HockeyRules]

My first episode back last summer was like that too. A friend of the family had a heart attack.... About my age range. I went a bit off the wagon and then my dad had one and needed triple bypass surgery. Both are still alive and my dad is well. The other guy needs bypass surgery now but not back then. So yes..... It's a vicious cycle. I tell myself to knock it the F off... And I refocus and get a little better only to have to face it again the next day. It's worse at work as it's a fast pace environment ..... But I slow myself down ..... Breath breath breath and things get better. The Belly Breathing is paramount to endure. The thing is ... I don't want to endure.. I want to kill it forever so enduring won't be an issue. But that hasn't happened. I had a good run of months and now have hit a bump. Trying to do this through what I had learned CBT and med less. I do have lorazepam it necessary. So far they remain where I last put them back in November.

David.

[Fourteen14]

Hi Dave/Petrified

You've hit the nail on the head with the fact we are often triggered by things we see as similar to us (age etc.)

We often don't rationalise this in the same way we do other events, for example a 30 something guy dies of a heart attack (this is often related to underlying and undiagnosed heart conditions and less common in this age group), yet we can read about a similar aged guy being killed in a car accident, but yet we can speed along the highway without any major thought about it).

We could suggest that when we drive a car we feel in control of what we are doing, whereas undiagnosed heart conditions we are not.

Yet, technically speaking we are far more in control of our healthcare by way of tests, lifestyle and so on, and have little to no control over the actions of other drivers. So in context we should worry less over our health than driving our cars?

Regards the "ground hog" day scenario, it comes with the obsessive nature of thinking with anxiety unfortunately, it becomes both repetitive/habit formed behaviour but also the more you try to not think about it the more you do.

There is a famous line that says "do NOT think about pink elephants" (all you can do is think of a pink elephant).

The only way to rid yourself of the thoughts are to replace them with other thoughts, i.e. If you cannot get rid of the stress, CHANGE the stress.

Something more productive such as applying for promotion at work/starting a business, making the mind busy with other things (that will actually have a positive impact on your life), leaves less time for the negative.

[snowberry]

Hi everyone, I am feeling okay right now but want to ask here because googling health stuff is a bad idea.

I've been getting nausea on and off for about a month now. I can feel it behind my ears, like with carsickness, and sometimes I get vertigo or my balance goes off. Therefore I assume there is something wrong with my inner ear(s). I had some balance troubles yesterday, and I put ear drops into my ears (hydrogen peroxide). Once the liquid had drained out my left ear, I sat up I felt normal straight away.

However, there's no pain. Just nausea and balance crap. I had a really bad ear infection when I was about 7, and I remember there being terrible pain. Can you get ear infections without pain, or is this something else entirely? Nothing seems to make the nausea go away, it just comes and goes on its own. If I knew what it was I could do something about it. My ears feel kinda sensitive, but not in a painful way. Totally hating this right now. I need to study but even reading is agony!

[Fourteen14]

Hi Snowberry

You can have an ear infection without pain (it depends person to person)

However, if you have fluid build up (this doesn't necessarily mean there is an ear infection), if you have cleared the blockage and fluid has come out this was likely the cause of the initial problem.

With any fluid build in the inner ear, this will cause sensations of BOTH vertigo AND nausea.

It may take several days to settle down.

(Definitely no need to google), the drainage from the ear canal, and lack of any other symptoms other than those relating to the ear is enough!

The only thing you need to take care of is once you have cleared the ear canal with peroxide this can irritate the delicate areas inside the ear and potentially lead to infection.

Don't do any more with the ear (no poking or prodding) and allow it to settle down.

[snowberry]

Hi Snowberry

You can have an ear infection without pain (it depends person to person)

However, if you have fluid build up (this doesn't necessarily mean there is an ear infection), if you have cleared the blockage and fluid has come out this was likely the cause of the initial problem.

With any fluid build in the inner ear, this will cause sensations of BOTH vertigo AND nausea.

It may take several days to settle down.

(Definitely no need to google), the drainage from the ear canal, and lack of any other symptoms other than those relating to the ear is enough!

The only thing you need to take care of is once you have cleared the ear canal with peroxide this can irritate the delicate areas inside the ear and potentially lead to infection.

Don't do any more with the ear (no poking or prodding) and allow it to settle down.


I see - so it was not just the hydrogen peroxide coming out? I assumed that was what it was. The more HP I put in (say, three drops,) the more came out, so I assumed I was just draining the HP.

I am going to the docs to get a mole removed next Tuesday (cosmetic reason, it's a safe mole), so I will definitely ask him to look inside my ears while there.

[Fourteen14]

It's possible that your ears could still have a build up of wax. (When you mentioned you felt relief afterwards, I assumed you had fluid coming out).

Either way it definitely sounds like inner ear trouble.

Until the ear is clear the symptoms will persist.

Your doctor will check it, and be able to put your mind at ease I'm sure.

[HockeyRules]

Thanks for the reply Fourteen....You are SO RIGHT !!! Oh and I met my fear a little tonight...Went on a run with my 18 year old son and had the fastest mile I EVER ran at 8:00. I didn't fall over dead either...LOL. Building blocks...One at a time. After so long at fretting about it...i just say "F" it....I am gonna do it anyway and meet that fear as many times as needed. Thanks for your support and wisdom.. :)

David

[HockeyRules]

I will also try and redirect that stress as well...I don't know exactly how yet...But I will think on it...

[petrified]

I'm looking at ways to change my stresses and worries but these anxiety symptoms have got me beat I've had them the last two days!

Today's symptoms are
Headaches
Ear ache
Jaw ache
Extremely tired- I set my alarm for every hour last night in case I died :-/
Heart burn/ indigestion
Numb arm
Pain in my leg- which is dvt today
Derealisation

I'm really wanting to start decorating just can't get motivated when I feel like this!

[HockeyRules]

All classic anxiety symptoms. Relax .... Redirect your thoughts. I know it sucks but it is the only way to combat it. Peace and it looks like rest to you. Relax.

[petrified]

All classic anxiety symptoms. Relax .... Redirect your thoughts. I know it sucks but it is the only way to combat it. Peace and it looks like rest to you. Relax.

Thanks I'm really trying and I no they are all anxiety symptoms it's just the what if they aren't lol. I was doing so well I think it might be time for a med change as mine don't seen to be working anymore.
The bad days seem to be here more than the good days.

Thanks for that reassurance and I will try and follow that advice.

Thanks again

Hannah

[Dahila]

Hannah how is the weather overthere? I have a gloomy and rainy day which influences my mood too. I hope you will get better. Could you try some relaxation technics on youtube? It may help

[Fourteen14]

I'm looking at ways to change my stresses and worries but these anxiety symptoms have got me beat I've had them the last two days! Today's symptoms are Headaches Ear ache Jaw ache Extremely tired- I set my alarm for every hour last night in case I died :-/ Heart burn/ indigestion Numb arm Pain in my leg- which is dvt today Derealisation I'm really wanting to start decorating just can't get motivated when I feel like this!

I can relate to the headache, ear and jaw ache (I also have an irritating sore swelling on my right tonsil (alongside the right hand side ear ache and jaw ache).

I've had it 4 weeks so immediately went to the GP to be screened for throat cancer. (Of course)

The bad news is, the tree pollen count is extremely high in the area we live (petrified I believe you are from the northeast?). Apparently this is common at the moment and set to last into June.

The good news is, allergic rhinitis doesn't kill you (it's just incredibly annoying).

I would suggest you just start decorating, and look at this way;

1. The other symptoms you describe are most likely anxiety. Therefore if you begin decorating and distract yourself and give you focus for the derealisation then the other symptoms should fade.

2. If not, and it really is a DVT, at least you got the decorating done :)

( we know all too well, we will all be back on here worrying about some other ailment in around 48 hours and have forgotten about the twinge in our legs)

Take the risk!

Blow the dust off that paint roller!

Ps. make sure you open the windows, we don't want to add toxic poisoning to the list. :) :)

[petrified]

Dahlia I have just replied to your thread about guided meditation which I am starting TONIGHT!!
(That was just me shouting at myself to make a conscious effort lol)
If its going to help me relax I'm up for it and will definitely let you how I get on.

Fourteen
Yeah I'm north east too, and the thing is my hubby is ill with hay fever my sister was complaining of itchy eyes so the pollen count must be bad. Thinking about it, it does feel like it could be sinuses as there is a lot of pressure in my cheek bones and I'm sure that could cause the headaches and things.

I love your sense of humour you've had me loling haha. So going for the gloss paint tomorrow an making that start.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone :-)

[Fourteen14]

Dahlia I have just replied to your thread about guided meditation which I am starting TONIGHT!! (That was just me shouting at myself to make a conscious effort lol) If its going to help me relax I'm up for it and will definitely let you how I get on. Fourteen Yeah I'm north east too, and the thing is my hubby is ill with hay fever my sister was complaining of itchy eyes so the pollen count must be bad. Thinking about it, it does feel like it could be sinuses as there is a lot of pressure in my cheek bones and I'm sure that could cause the headaches and things. I love your sense of humour you've had me loling haha. So going for the gloss paint tomorrow an making that start. Thanks for the encouragement everyone :-)

Seriously Petrified

As much as I appear to have a sensible attitude towards things, I never take my own advise. (I am a hypochondriac as much as anyone else on here).

I've found the only way to bring myself out of the odd flare up, (20 years of them) is to take on board the old saying "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger".

Whenever I feel heart palpitations and my head tells me to stay still in case of a heart attack - I do the opposite and go running.

If my head says "stay inside on your day off in case I faint or die in public" - I go straight out and do the opposite.

It's really hard to push against it (I really truly understand the internal fear), but I have watched both family members and the general public, accelerate into a full breakdown by giving in to thoughts and worry.

Therefore I now speak out loud to my anxiety with one sentence "either kill me now or F*#k Off" !!!!!

Go get your paint! :)

[Dahila]

14 you are such excellent person, it it difficult not to like you. Thank you for the fantastic advices:))

[Fourteen14]

14 you are such excellent person, it it difficult not to like you. Thank you for the fantastic advices:))

You make me blush Dahila :)

[needtogetwell]

14, love your attitude, it's not so different than mine! :P

Hannah, allergies are rotten but that may just be what you are experiencing. Not enough to make you really sick, I pity those who suffer like my husband, but just enough to be annoying and get those blasted thoughts racing. I agree with 14, go get your paint and have at it. It's going to make you feel better.

Dahila, what can I say, compassionate and so helpful as always. Such a beautiful gracious lady!

Hope your days are going well!
Pam

[JohnC]

You make me blush Dahila :)

I love seeing all this love and helping going on, makes me feel good!!!!

[HockeyRules]

It's the right attitude Fourteen. I also TRY to follow what you do. If I worry about my heart and remain frozen by it.... The anxiety wins. That's why I go run a few miles and thumb my nose at it saying within myself..... Your not gonna win today.

[Fourteen14]

Apparently, research suggests that a 30 minute run 3 x a week has the same therapeutic effect as 50mg a day of Zoloft.

Makes you consider how much worse we would be without the run.

We need to also consider how lucky we are to be able to actually run, I do a small amount of work with severe physical disabilities, ironically I've yet to meet someone with no legs or arms who has anxiety.

Maybe we all need to use Gene Allen's daily gratitude thread a little more? :)

[HockeyRules]

It is a reason I run Fourteen. I don't like how the Meds made me feel and while I was still on them...I started exercising more and did noticed how much better I felt afterwards. It has some merit...the exercise that is. It also helps me relieve the stress of the day too and it's a weight watcher as well.

[petrified]

Health anxiety + decorating can be dangerous


Well day 2 of the decorating and all was going well until I cleaned a little bit of damp off the wall next to my radiator.
Well the next thing I knew I was feeling dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous and headache. Of course it was that damp I had cleaned up next to radiator!
It was spreading in my lungs and I was soon going to die.
Obviously I rang my husband like the good wife I am to say my goodbyes as I was surely dying. But my hubby knowing me as well as he does asked what I had eaten for my dinner when I said I hadn't eaten he suggested getting something as it was 2pm.
Well that sandwich and coffee was the best cure for damp inhalation and death. So I owe my hubby my life today haha.

Moral of the story don't forget to eat!!

Plus side the glossing and ceilings are finished in the bedroom :-)

[JohnC]

Good deal!
We husbands are'nt so bad ( most of the time ).Lol Glas to here everthing ok.

[Fourteen14]

Petrified

I adore this story!

It's one glimmer of hope towards recovery when you can actually take the p**s out of yourself about it.

:)

[petrified]

John I struggle to admit that but yeah hubby's aren't all that bad hehe :-)

Fourteen thanks and yeah it's sometimes good to take the p***. It's great to be able laugh about it but at the time I was literally lying on the bed a mess haha.

Thank you both and I will remember to eat tomorrow lol :-)

[GeneAllen]

Enjoyed that story. You did well. Hubby was cool too. :D

Peace

[needtogetwell]

Hannah,

You just made my day! Thanks for the giggle!

Pam

[Dahila]

I thought I posted here........ fantastic story Hannah:))

[petrified]

Haha thanks everyone I'm hoping I can keep this attitude up :-)

[Fen667]

This might well be the greatest thing on the internet right now. Some wonderful stories and advice here. Huge respect to 14.
I can relate to, pretty much, everything on here....I just don't have a husband.
Been struggling myself lately.....headaches, eye twitch, heavy sinuses, numb fingers, tight chest, etc, etc.
Done all the doctor stuff......bloods and ecg all fine. Opticion....all fine...apart from my lazy eye...had that since childhoood so no worries.....until i start worrying about the pain behind it.
It's incredible what anxiety can do to us. Convincing ourselves that the worse is about to, or will, happen. I've battled depression since childhood but the anxiety and panic attacks didn't start until around 2 years ago.
I've probably let my head take over too much lately and concerned myself with other peoples problems too much. Once those problems settle my brain decides to say 'Boo!' again!! Today I'm probably going to have.... a stroke, heart attack, brain hemorrhage, etc.......I kinda know I won't but that doesn't stop the worry sometimes. This damn pollen count doesn't help either!! Time to regroup and build some calm......
Been on these forums a few weeks and they're a great source of inspiration and full of fine folk. Sharing advice and issues is such a wonderful thing and to know that there's people feeling the same things is a great help.
Anyway, I'ver rambled on enough now....I really should get back to work.
Thanks for this thread.
Stay safe out there

[Fourteen14]

The following Anxiety app (SAM), Self help workbooks and CBT Audio apps, are ALL FREE, created by, for or recommended by a variety of NHS trusts. I am really hoping (as they are UK web apps that everyone outside of the UK are able to access them also).

I will briefly explain each one followed by the link, (again they are all free of charge, with no advertisements (not from the UK anyway). I really hope some of you benefit from them.


S.A.M. (Self-help for Anxiety Management)

(iPhone/iPad) and google play apps.

This app was developed by the University of West England for the NHS.

It has several very useful features including an "Anxiety Tracker", if you tap on the "how's my anxiety right now" button you can use a sliding scale to detail on a scale of low to high how your thoughts, fears etc are. If updated regularly it will give you a basic analysis and patterns of your anxiety levels throughout the day/week. This will allow you to gain a better idea of tackling peak periods before they happen.

Other features include a photo gallery where you can slowly make pictures clear by slowing rubbing the screen (to distract and calm). There are also areas where you can write down thoughts and fears. (I haven't tried the social features) but certainly there is plenty already on the app many may find useful (including a toolkit feature).

The link to download the app is here

http://apps.nhs.uk/app/sam-self-help-for-anxiety-management/


Self Help Guides/workbooks. (Downloadable as either iPhone/iPad app) or PDF/Audio book.

Here you have the choice of 24 NHS approved workbooks covering a range of topics including;

* HEALTH ANXIETY
* GENERALISED ANXIETY
* SOCIAL ANXIETY, SHYNESS AND PHOBIA
* DEPRESSION
* ADDICTION
* SELF HARM

Plus many more, all are FREE

The link is here (just double click/tap on the PDF you want or download the app.

http://www.ntw.nhs.uk/pic/selfhelp/


NHS - DON'T PANIC - CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) Audio iTunes App

This app (iTunes only) has 6 free short CBT audios covering the following topics.

* DEALING WITH WORRY
* DEALING WITH PANIC
* DEALING WITH STRESS
* SOCIAL ANXIETY
* NEGATIVE THINKING (this is a key one for health anxiety)
* DEALING WITH ANGER

The direct link is here.


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dont-panic-self-help/id844034297?mt=8



There is a lot of information to get through, all of them working together (CBT Audio, workbook and tracking and analysing Anxiety). Perhaps take it a bit at a time and keep coming back to pieces of information you feel are relevant to you.

I truly hope you find it of some use.


Please feel free to use the thread to get things off your chest if you wish.

Best Wishes

Fourteen14 :)

Re posting the self help post, for anyone new to the forum.

[Dahila]

Good Idea 14:).....

[petrified]

Hi fourteen I have the SAM app on my phone and I find it very helpful. Thanks for telling me about it :-)
I try to remember to track my anxiety on there and the little forum on there is quite good.

I agree with dahlia it's a fab idea to repost :-)

[Fourteen14]

I am really pleased you are finding the app useful.

If you build up a good months worth of data, you can begin to stay a step ahead of the anxiety (almost putting you a little more in the driving seat).

If you know roughly what time of day your worst triggers are, you can opt to push yourself to do something totally distracting. :)

[JohnC]

Dam, i got to get one of those fancy phones. I still have a flip phone............................................O H STOP LAUGHING, true though.

[needtogetwell]

John,

Don't feel bad about the flip phone. My husband is in his early 50's and you can't pry the flip phone out of his hand. I've tried to get him an iphone but he wants nothing to do with it.

I think the flip phone reminds him of his hero (Captain Kirk ) from the original Star Trek, he thinks every time he opens the phone he's flipping open a communicator. He even made me install the sounds to match. Don't know what I'm going to do when he breaks this one from flipping it open so much. Lol finding new flip phones is getting tough.

Cheers!
Pam

[JohnC]

LOL, Made me smile in the morning ( very rare occurrence for me ).

[petrified]

Hahaha I will send you my dads anything to get rid of it lol. He's hitting 60 now and total clueless he went through a stage of trying to text. I cost me more money in calling him as I couldn't decipher the texts lol.
I don't think men ever grow up though lol.

Thanks for the giggle pam and John :-)

[Dahila]

Do not laugh, I got just few days ago my galaxy, which i love it. My hubby does not know how to take the call. Seems difficult for him to swipe the finger out of green circle:)

[petrified]

Do not laugh, I got just few days ago my galaxy, which i love it. My hubby does not know how to take the call. Seems difficult for him to swipe the finger out of green circle:)

Eeeee men dahlia! It puzzles me how most are able to fix cars, fix thing around the house and stuff yet they can't work a simple mobile phone haha.

Hope he is well dahlia and is in as good a spirits as possible. I hope you are ok too.

[Fourteen14]

It's Mental Health Awareness week here in the UK. This year is focusing on raising public awareness of ANXIETY disorders.

For more information surrounding the campaign please visit http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

[petrified]

Thanks for the link fourteen I'm going to have a good look through later.
I really agree its something that needs to be highlighted especially in young men.
My sisters friend took his own life on Saturday night. Leaving a lovely girlfriend and 2 year old son he is just the latest of a long line of young lads doing this. I think if people are more aware they might be able to reach them lads sooner and get them the help they need before its too late and they feel that's there only option.

Also I feel as soon as mental health is mentioned it scares a lot of people as there is much understanding about it.

Sorry for rambling

Hannah

[Fourteen14]

Thanks for the link fourteen I'm going to have a good look through later. I really agree its something that needs to be highlighted especially in young men. My sisters friend took his own life on Saturday night. Leaving a lovely girlfriend and 2 year old son he is just the latest of a long line of young lads doing this. I think if people are more aware they might be able to reach them lads sooner and get them the help they need before its too late and they feel that's there only option. Also I feel as soon as mental health is mentioned it scares a lot of people as there is much understanding about it. Sorry for rambling Hannah

That's really sad Hannah.

And yes, there is a very real concern over youth at the moment especially teen suicide.

Hope you are well and freshly decorated :)

[JohnC]

That is sad Hannah,
I wonder how many guy's are out there that suffer in silence? It sure seems that there are a lot more woman talking about it then men but I have talked to guy's that have described classic anxiety symptoms but just don't believe in it or believe that they have it.
Thank God I found this site it gives me a little comfort to talk with people who ACTUALLY know what I go through daily.

[petrified]

Well fourteen I'm getting there with the decorating i really must crack on a little more but getting there. Wish the hubby would help a little more but saying that he never does how I would so its wrong haha.

John I think men like yourself are brave in a way for coming out and talking about anxiety/depression as a lot of men seem to suffer in silence. I'm not sure if its like this where you are but around here it's like men hate to show any weakness wether it's physical or mental illness.
So I do applaud any man who speaks out and looks for the help.
So I'm pleased there is this mental health week as its highlighting the fact that its ok and it can happen to anyone at any time.
Sorry for rambling on just tired and feel passionate about the subject.
My dad and hubby are alcoholics my hubby recovering now :-), but they both started after they lost family members. Maybe if they had got help and spoke of there feelings things may have been different.

Hannah

[JohnC]

To be honest I do not talk about it to much outside my family and this forum. I have learned over time to let people know that I have some sort of social anxiety and that helps some people sorta understand why I do not do a lot of things that I have been invited to do and the like. I don't want people to think I do not like them for never going to invited functions. The health anxiety is family and this forum only. ( no need to let all skeletons out of the closet just yet). I do overcome the social anxiety on certain occasions like must go places. Funerals and certain family functions etc. etc.
I could never see myself being able to go talk to any kind of therapist or "anxiety group" in person, not going to happen.

[Fourteen14]

I could never see myself being able to go talk to any kind of therapist or "anxiety group" in person, not going to happen.

How come John?

I can guarantee you there are therapists out there that have personal experience of where you are coming from ;)

[Dahila]

I am like John only my immiediate family knows about anxiety, my anxiety, but they have no idea how serious it is. They think I am on meds so I am ok. They tell me that I look happy:( how the people who knows, or suppose to know you the best can that wrong...?
I can not talk to anyone face to face what I suffer with, but i open up here, a bit, the only occurance of that kind in my life.

My family has not idea how suicide is always in my thoughts......they never did

14 you really think that there are some good therapist? I would be good too if I earned from 90 dollars up :)))
I would like to try the therapy , but I can not afford it

[Fourteen14]

Is this from a bad experience with therapy, or apprehension about going to see someone?

The hard part is finding a good one, but talking therapy (certainly over this side of the pond), is fast overtaking SSRI alone, in terms of treatment.

Edit: sorry Dahila just read your post properly, yes it's expensive outside of socialised medical care. :(

[Fourteen14]

14 you really think that there are some good therapist?

Of course :)

[JohnC]

I do not know for sure why i wouldn't go Fourteen14. I no for sure It would never be a group thing. I never have been big on groups like that but I guess I have never been to one either. Maybe a social thing? I was all worried about going to those classes with my wife when she was pregnate ( ???? cant remember the name of those, lamaans or is that a race?) No problem there thought she gave birth way early right before the classes start. ( would of MUCH rather gone to the classes then go through that again ).
I guess I don't have a good reason other than anxiousness. Have to give that some thought.

Well i thought of one DAH, way to expensive.

[petrified]

Hi guys I was tired last night but what I meant was that you guys had went out and spoke to doctor to get the help you needed. That's what I was applauding. A lot of the men I no have to literally have there head or manhood hanging off before they seek help lol.
Nobody knows about my anxiety apart from my hubby and sis in law who happened to be with my hubby when I rang for help because I was having a panic attack. I was looking after 4 kids at the time. My son has an idea about whats wrong and helps if I do have a panic attack he was fab that day. But he thinks I was just poorly.

[JohnC]

Hi Hanna,
I have let a few people know about my anxiety ( limited ) and all my kids know about it and the oldest understands. My boss knows because he started having anxiety of his own and I talked to him about it ( a little ).

[petrified]

Well as you all no I've been doing ok recently that was until I was in the shop yesterday and I spotted someone with a rash on their hands.
I have convinced myself they had scabies and I have now contracted it and have spent all day today applying alcohol gel and constantly washing my hands.

I'm terrified of googling scabies incase it proves I have it.
Does anyone no how long it would take to show symptoms?
My hands are stinging and itching though I'm not sure if its be caused by sun burn and too much washing or scabies.

Omg I just wish my brain would work normally!!
I suppose I'm pleased I'm not thinking I'm dying this time, that's a bonus

[Fourteen14]

Hi Hannah

It's most likely the stinging is from the scrubbing ! Scabies is quite hard to catch unless you have prolonged contact with someone. (As a general rule).

I wouldn't bother googling it.

The signs are track marks (like red raised lines). If you are really worried you could get permethrin cream (1 application) and it would kill any bugs off)

Unless you've had prolonged physical contact (or slept in a bed where someone has had them) I would forget about it. :)

And stop scrubbing your hands you may end up causing dermatitis (and that is sore) :(

[petrified]

Thanks fourteen your a star.

I've had dermatitis and no how sore it is. I used to work in a kitchen where my hands where always in water and got it then.

I knew it was crazy and the poor person probably didn't even have scabies but yet again it just sent my brain into overdrive.

I think I'm going to leave buying creams and hopefully these thoughts will just do one on there own.

I bloody hate how my brain works :-/

[Fourteen14]

Interesting talk on the psychology of self-deception.

Whilst it doesn't directly examine health anxiety, it does deal with the basis of where anxieties stem from.

Hope you all enjoy it.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=YpEeSa6zBTE

[JohnC]

Good video and after watching it I felt like she was stating the obvious yet not, does that make sense? I must admit and not lie to myself but that black skin tight dress she wore made it very hard for me to concentrate.
I think what i was trying to say is that once someone pointed out how much we lie to our self and gave example's that it was pretty obvious that we do lie to our self all the time.

[Fourteen14]

Absolutely John!

My personal view on it (and psychology in general ) that it's useful as a guide (tweaking and refining) but there should always be plenty of room for personality also.


I particularly liked the fact she stresses that regardless of how you learn to react (development through childhood) it is still personal choice to react or not in adulthood.

[JohnC]

Yes Fourteen but that is much easier said than done. It would be a major undertaking that's for sure and some what scary but she is correct.

[petrified]

Hi fourteen, excellent video.

I too think it would be difficult and terrifying to actually do what she says. It all makes perfect sense and really agreed with most of it. It's a very interesting perspective I would love to try. Not sure where I would start though.

[Fourteen14]

Hi John/Hannah

I agree, I think it would be unnerving for anyone (anxious or not) to take a hard reality check on their own behaviour.

I would say that attempting to uproot your darkest thoughts and fears on your own, would be unwise (this would be best done through a qualified professional) in my opinion.

But the smaller scale things (arguments, interactions, avoiding situations/places are all things that we could at least spend a few moments thinking about)

More useful as a tool to challenge anxiety related behaviour, than a high dive into the depth of the subconscious :)

[snowberry]

Feeling numb patches on my face near my mouth...er...should I be worried? :/ I'm sleep-deprived and stressed, and my eyelid is twitching slightly which is usually a sign. Just wanted to make sure. I'm too busy with my finals to worry, but it is pretty distracting...

[Fourteen14]

Feeling numb patches on my face near my mouth...er...should I be worried? :/ I'm sleep-deprived and stressed, and my eyelid is twitching slightly which is usually a sign. Just wanted to make sure. I'm too busy with my finals to worry, but it is pretty distracting...

Are your shoulders and neck tense?

Have you experienced this before when you have been stressed and sleep deprived? Did it go away?

In the absence of any other symptoms it's possibly sinus/nerve related.

[Fourteen14]

Ps. If you've been cramming for exams, no doubt you have had your head and neck tilted.

Try stretching the neck (slow and long) stretch your arms out, rotate head and shoulders, get the blood flow going.

You will probably get pins and needles sensation but should ease.

Let me know how you get on!

Good luck with your exams :)

[snowberry]

Thanks fourteen. I've thought and thought and there's a dim recollection that I may have felt it before...I probably was stressed at the time, knowing me. Stupid freakin' anxiety. Go away, already, I'm bored of you now.

[Fourteen14]

Thanks fourteen. I've thought and thought and there's a dim recollection that I may have felt it before...I probably was stressed at the time, knowing me. Stupid freakin' anxiety. Go away, already, I'm bored of you now.

Try the stretching, it may be simply down to posture.

[snowberry]

I'm stretching now (have to be careful though as I have 3 stitches just above my collar bone). My assignment has gone so that's one good thing. Whole face is tingly, not fun :(

[petrified]

I'm looking at ways to change my stresses and worries but these anxiety symptoms have got me beat I've had them the last two days!

Today's symptoms are
Headaches
Ear ache
Jaw ache
Extremely tired- I set my alarm for every hour last night in case I died :-/
Heart burn/ indigestion
Numb arm
Pain in my leg- which is dvt today
Derealisation

!

Eurghhh back here again. Why am I sitting worrying again when I've clearly felt like this before and it's even written in black and white?

[Fourteen14]

Eurghhh back here again. Why am I sitting worrying again when I've clearly felt like this before and it's even written in black and white?

What a great way to prove that your worries are repetitive and unnecessary though! :)

[petrified]

Yeah I no, and it has helped. I'm figuring its stress causing it too. Had a rather crappy week and I no it's not over yet either.
It's really banishing these what if thoughts. I was really disappointed having to take a beta blocker today too. It's been a while since I had one. I really need better stress management. I know everyone's life is full of stress why can't I handle it like everyone else seems too. Why does mine bring a torrent of health anxiety with it?

[Fourteen14]

Yeah I no, and it has helped. I'm figuring its stress causing it too. Had a rather crappy week and I no it's not over yet either. It's really banishing these what if thoughts. I was really disappointed having to take a beta blocker today too. It's been a while since I had one. I really need better stress management. I know everyone's life is full of stress why can't I handle it like everyone else seems too. Why does mine bring a torrent of health anxiety with it?

You and many others ;)

Don't beat yourself up over a beta blocker, if it helps suppress the physical symptoms whilst you work on the psychological, it's not a bad thing.

[petrified]

Thanks fourteen :-)

I think it's just one of those days. If I survive tonight I'm sure I will feel better tomorrow haha :-)

[Fourteen14]

Thanks fourteen :-) I think it's just one of those days. If I survive tonight I'm sure I will feel better tomorrow haha :-)

The human body has a really good knack of surviving the night. The odds are heavily stacked in your favour. :)

[petrified]

Haha well keep your fingers and toes crossed for me just incase lol ;-).

[needtogetwell]

Hannah,

Do whatever it takes to manage the stress in your life.

I didn't for so many years and look where I am now. A mess! Relatively low anxiety but a mess none the less.

Pam

[petrified]

Thanks Pam I'm trying hard. Just sometimes I stress for no reason everything insignificant is a worry to me. It's hard trying to change a habit of a life time :-/

[snowberry]

Eurghhh back here again. Why am I sitting worrying again when I've clearly felt like this before and it's even written in black and white?

I know exactly how you feel :( You've been there before, you know nothing bad has happened...and yet you continue to worry. This is particularly true of panic symptoms. I ask myself, 'why are you freaking out over this? You KNOW what this is, it's nothing new. Get a grip.'

I've also had jaw ache lately, as well as ear ache and nausea. I'm fine now but it's really not fun. I put it down to probably grinding in my sleep.

[petrified]

I know exactly how you feel :( You've been there before, you know nothing bad has happened...and yet you continue to worry. This is particularly true of panic symptoms. I ask myself, 'why are you freaking out over this? You KNOW what this is, it's nothing new. Get a grip.'

I've also had jaw ache lately, as well as ear ache and nausea. I'm fine now but it's really not fun. I put it down to probably grinding in my sleep.

Yeah I grind in my sleep to, I also notice I clench my jaw throughout the day when I'm stressed too.

[Pumpkin]

Just came across this thread now and i'd just like to say what a great idea 14 :) Thank you!!

[Fourteen14]

Just came across this thread now and i'd just like to say what a great idea 14 :) Thank you!!

Thank you Pumpkin, I hope you find it of some use :)

[Joe.]

Thank You for this thread! It's really helped at those times......

[snowberry]

Hi guys, question. Is sleep apnea where you wake up in the night with a jolt like you stopped breathing while asleep? I'm considering going in for some surgery and want to know whether it's worth getting tested as the surgeon and anaesthetists would need to know. I've been to the docs a lot this year, first with a chest infection and then three trips regarding a mole being removed, so I'd rather not have to go there until I know there's a chance I may have it. I never google anything health-related, as it's often unreliable. Thank you!

[JohnC]

Hi Snowberry,
Sleep apnea is an " obstructed" breathing while you sleep. Sometimes the body goes longer before taking a breath. I had the sleep test done and used a cpap machine for years until i had sinus surgery. My wife would say that i would just stop breathing for a short period and then just start back up. Once i started using the machine i felt so much better and did not want to sleep without it. In fact i probably should have another test as i do not use the machine at all since the sinus surgery. Hope that helps

[Fourteen14]

Hi guys, question. Is sleep apnea where you wake up in the night with a jolt like you stopped breathing while asleep? I'm considering going in for some surgery and want to know whether it's worth getting tested as the surgeon and anaesthetists would need to know. I've been to the docs a lot this year, first with a chest infection and then three trips regarding a mole being removed, so I'd rather not have to go there until I know there's a chance I may have it. I never google anything health-related, as it's often unreliable. Thank you!

Hi Snowberry

Sleep Apnea is similar to how you describe (it's basically a condition where you momentarily stop breathing in your sleep).

The diagnosis is usually made from monitoring your breathing during your sleep pattern so it's not easily done.

You are right in the sense that it can cause complications/increased risk for anaesthesia.

Best to discuss your concerns with your doctor prior to surgery.

Hope that helps :)

[Fourteen14]

Looks like we were posting at the same time John :D

[JohnC]

You seem to word things better than me 14. I tend to ramble and i probably should start putting space between the lines like some of you do. :)

[Fourteen14]

You seem to word things better than me 14. I tend to ramble and i probably should start putting space between the lines like some of you do. :)

You explain your points just fine John! :)

[snowberry]

Thanks guys! That's extremely helpful. I very rarely jolt awake like that, but it has happened once or twice in the last few years so it's something I will have to look into. Mainly I get sleep paralysis or the absolutely wonderful 'waking up with a panic attack at 3am for no reason' funtimes. :rolleyes:

[petrified]

Sorry to be a pain but any ideas?

I've tried searching on here about this new one and yes people on here have experienced it but never said what it is.

So I was at work this morning and doing some cleaning I started sweating and my face was really hot.
I had another panic attack just before and it was fairly bad. Now I've been left with a blinding headache and face feels like it's burning. It's warm to touch but feels hotter. I've been having daily headaches which I'm putting down to sinus infection. But what the hell is up with my face it looks like I've been sunburnt but isn't hot to touch. It feels like it's in fire.
Any ideas just I'm avoiding google like the plague as I'm sure this will be a sign I'm dying haha.

[Fourteen14]

Hi Hannah

Flushing of the face (heat/redness) is nearly always an emotional response to stress ) whether it is temporary such as blushing through embarrassment or more persistent through anxiety).

It's caused by dilation of the blood vessels in the face (it's an automatic response by the nervous system). It's a similar sensation to when you are running a fever (just not as pronounced).

Be assured it has nothing to do with blood pressure. :)

Ps the headaches will likely be radiating from tension in the neck and shoulders (posture due to being anxious), it can play on the nerves creating the dull ache in the forehead and eyes.

[Dahila]

Hannah hi sweetheart, I have friend who was in a denial (you're not) she never believed me the flashing red face could be controlled with some of stress management. The opposite of you (you are happily married and have a wonderful son:) )she is all alone, she could not overcome it, she does not have family and does nto attend any social gatherings. I think it looks cute, but she does not believe me... Hannah you told me that you find guided meditation to help you? Am I wrong?

John is such a humble man, there is not way not to like him :))

[petrified]

Thanks fourteen I've woke up this morning and it's still the same the pounding head and red burning face. I'm fed up but thanks for putting my mind at rest. I am feeling rather stressed at the minute. I seem to be carrying the stress in my jaw and neck I'm constantly clenching my jaw.

Dahlia I was finding the guided meditation helpful but it started to panic me a little as I felt out of control, if that makes sense. Feeling that relaxed was panicking me.
Yeah I no I'm really lucky to have my hubby and son they are amazing.
John is fab he has helped me a lot on here.

Hope you are both well :-). My mission today is to try and relax while I wait on the outcome of my sons horrible old football coaches lol. Then hopefully this stress will start to go away. It seemed to start around the time they humiliated my son at his football presentation. Hopefully my son will get justice and I can start to relax.

Thanks again
Hannah

[Dahila]

Hannah it is going to be ok. your son will get the justice and he will grow as a strong and smart man. He have such sensitive mom, you raising him well. Hannah you are not out of control when you relax, you are in control of your body and mind:)) Remember this you are in Control:)

[JohnC]

Hi Hanna, give them coaches hell. I am not aloud to go to my daughters softball games any more ( her choice ) i guess i embarrass her. One way of getting out of it hehehe but i really do like watching her, she's pretty dam good.

[petrified]

It's fab watching the kids and I must admit I like to shout too haha. My son just either shouts back at me now or shakes his head haha.
I kind of got justice for him today but I am taking it higher now as I'm not completely satisfied I really don't think he should be coaching kids full stop.

I might sound silly here but what is softball? Haha

[JohnC]

Softball is like baseball. The girls here in the states play softball and the boys play baseball. baseball is smaller and a little harder and softball is a little bigger and slightly softer ( not much) they pitch softball underhand and baseball is pitched overhand. Although come to think of it boys do play softball too.

[needtogetwell]

Not only boys and girls, but those of us over 30 who think we are still athletes, but prefer more couch related exercise! Can you say lift that beer or reach for the potato chips? Lol

Here in North America we seem to have an over abundance of arm chair athletes and when those athletes who try to relive their youth usually end up with aches pains and / or a trip to the ER.

Ok I digress! I'm such a cynic!

[JohnC]

Pam you are so right, LOL. I have been there and done that on more than one occasion ( i am slow learner i guess ).

[needtogetwell]

Me too John, really slow on the uptake here!!! Lol! Now my exercise includes walking to the ball diamond and cheering on thoses bozo's I work with when they have a game. Problem with that is I know when I'm going to have to do their jobs too cause they over did it playing something fun! :(

[petrified]

Haha you can get chair aerobics over here it sounds like some of your work colleagues should do that Pam hehe.

Thanks for explaining John it sounds like what we call rounders. Its just a game we played at school in the summer when we were eventually allowed on the field for the whole of two weeks a year because of the weather haha. I bet its fab watching (when you are allowed lol).

[Fourteen14]

Hannah don't mention rounders ha ha ha

It brings back memories of school sports day, I got smacked on the head with the bat by an oriental student with more upper arm strength than a Russian shot putter.

(Accident) but I can still feel the bruise :D

[petrified]

hahahahahaha (I shouldn't laugh). Them bats were lethal when they went flying. We were hardcore without helmets on lol. Health and safety would have a field day now, my son uses foam bats and balls not the good old wooden ones lol.

[Fourteen14]

Health and safety has gone crazy, all I seem to do is risk assess these days.

But yes, we were definitely hard core! Real potato sacks for racing, real spoons and eggs for the egg and spoon race.

And Santa never had to hold a DBS check!

:D

[petrified]

haha health and safety sure has gone mad.
but saying that I'm pleased santas have DBS checks. I'm sure I encountered this santa when I was little. 1385

No wonder I have anxiety haha.

[Fourteen14]

Hannah you literally killed Xmas

:D

[needtogetwell]

Ok would you guys tell me what DBS checks are? Remember, Canadian here, don't know the references. Doh!

[Fourteen14]

Ok would you guys tell me what DBS checks are? Remember, Canadian here, don't know the references. Doh!

Disclosure and Barring Service

(It's a criminal history check)

:)

[Fourteen14]

More importantly Pam

Do they have potato sack and egg and spoon races in Canada

:D

[needtogetwell]

Absolutely!! I ended up with more bruising on my knees as a kid from the potato sack races! And definitely wore more than one egg! I remember throwing the raw egg at the leader when I wasn't going to win. ( I was a bit of a sore loser). Just a year or so ago at my work we did some team building exercises including throwing raw eggs at your partner and having them catch them. Don't know if it built many teams but was huge fun!

[Fourteen14]

Absolutely!! I ended up with more bruising on my knees as a kid from the potato sack races! And definitely wore more than one egg! I remember throwing the raw egg at the leader when I wasn't going to win. ( I was a bit of a sore loser). Just a year or so ago at my work we did some team building exercises including throwing raw eggs at your partner and having them catch them. Don't know if it built many teams but was huge fun!

Sounds like a hoot (do you guys still say hoot?)
:D

We aren't allowed to throw ANYTHING at each other in the UK anymore

(Risk assessed for potential detached retina) - I kid you not!

No wonder the entire country has health anxiety :)

I adore Canada (all that snow) - no snowballs though! It's health and safety !

:D

[petrified]

Haha 14 the uk has definitely gone mad. Health and safety and political correctness. No more conker fights either :-(

Pam your team building sounds fab I no a few ex colleagues I would of loved to throw eggs at haha. I can remember the burns off the sack races. I used to love the three legged race too. That was always such a laugh.

[JohnC]

Ok i got to ask whats a conker fight? In my mind i picture kids on the beach throwing conk shells at each other ( hope not that would be wicked ). My favorite thing you can't do is ride without seat belt or in the back of pickup truck. I can remember after cutting a pickup load of firewood i would always sit in the back of the truck on top of the load of wood on the way home, it cooled me off. It would be big trouble if you did that today.

[Fourteen14]

John

Conkers are horse chestnut seeds (We would wait until they fell off the trees in autumn)

Then bake them until they were rock solid, drill a hole through the middle, thread through string, tie a knot and then beat each other's conkers (baked horse chestnut seeds) until the losers broke.

We never had snowboards and iPods back then, the UK was a harsh and brutal place. :D

[JohnC]

Whew! not as bad as throwing conk shells at each other but still sounds wicked. My folks would faint if they knew when we were kids we used to have BB gun fights. Luckily we all still have both eyes. I can not believe we used to do that.

[Fourteen14]

Slightly off the topic of health worries.

I wanted to share this short clip inspired by Carl Sagan and "the pale blue dot"

It highlights the images taken of earth from Voyager1 (billions of miles away from orbit). Hopefully by gaining some perspective on how small the earth is in the grand scheme of the cosmos, we can begin to realise that our own worries are not so big, and whilst frightening, are of little significance and more importantly how lucky we are to experience life as we know it.

Hope you enjoy the film :)


http://youtu.be/p9TIeuBF9Ss

[Fourteen14]

Just letting those following the thread know that I'm taking a break from the forum.

I wish you all continued good health and progress :)

[needtogetwell]

Be well 14,
Stop in and let us know how you are doing. You will be missed!

Pam

[petrified]

Thanks for all your help 14.

I think I understand your reasons for taking a break from here. But please hurry back.
Your one of the only sane ones around here at times hehe.

Good luck to you though

Hannah

[JohnC]

Dam 14 really hate to see you go. I wish you the best and your thread was so awesome. Please stop in from time to time.

[AliasEQ]

Wish you the best 14!

Stop in from time to time, thanks for sharing your wisdom and knowledge :)

Cya

[Dahila]

Oh no 14;(( You will be missed by me , a lot.............I am not spending a lot of time here either it does cause a lot of anxiety, especially when I am attacked

[Hun]

Health Anxiety... I dont know why i have suddenly become so aware and conscious about my health. I start having this strange sensation at my wisdom tooth area and then start having mild strange pressure headache at the side too.. Dont know if its anxiety related or what... But, it scares me ... This is my greatest fear these days. Dont know what to do to tell...its gonna be okay. Hope it goes away soon...

[Kixxi]

Very close to home for me. I am a major hypochondriac, but I found a way to deal with my hypochondria :) The what if thought is a big factor in anxiety. Changing that thinking is an absolute must.

[Fourteen14]

Just popping in briefly :)

I wanted to share a link to a free, short hypnosis session I found (and really liked it).

Best to listen using headphones and when you won't be disturbed, hope it's of use to someone.

(And a point to consider for anyone currently on the forum receiving "readings"), have a little research of "Barnum Statements" (P.T. Barnum)

Enjoy the video:). (Ps I'm not linked in anyway to the woman who made it and sells things on her website, I just really liked her voice and the way she takes you through relaxation).


http://youtu.be/avQKnrytp8A

[Fourteen14]

Interesting talk on the fear of death. (Potential trigger for those sensitive to the subject)


http://youtu.be/PB7xs7UpIfY

[JohnC]

Very interesting video and well put. Death is a tough one for me. Ironic that i am wearing my brother in laws shoes right now he died in a motorcycle accident and i got a salt water aquarium yesterday from another guy who past away. ( no he was not wearing the shoes when he died, they still had the tags on them. Just saying ). Good video 14

[Fourteen14]

Very interesting video and well put. Death is a tough one for me. Ironic that i am wearing my brother in laws shoes right now he died in a motorcycle accident and i got a salt water aquarium yesterday from another guy who past away. ( no he was not wearing the shoes when he died, they still had the tags on them. Just saying ). Good video 14

John you sound like a really good friend.

Unless I'm inheriting property or cash, it all goes to charity (thankfully this is an anonymous forum) :D

[Joe.]

Wow

I've been looking for a video and a video to describe what she talked about for ages. That sense of foreboding when you are really happy, gets me a lot
This TED-X talk doesn't specifically deal with health anxiety as such.

But it DOES deal with fatalistic thinking (always worry about the worst case) it's 20 mins long but really interesting and humorous. I think it will help to recognise your own thought process.

It also ties in with the thread by Gene Allen on the importance of daily gratitude. :)


http://youtu.be/_UoMXF73j0c

[Kixxi]

Wow

I've been looking for a video and a video to describe what she talked about for ages. That sense of foreboding when you are really happy, gets me a lot

Very informative and I recognize myself in so much of it. Thanks for sharing this.

[snowberry]

Um, craziness abounds. Last night and tonight while lying in bed there's been like an electrical charge between my toes - like some sort of twitch. They feel a little lacking in feeling, too. I got up and put the computer on to type this and they're feeling a little better. This is utterly bizarre and freaky. My finger tips are also buzzing a little but there's no 'electrical charge' there. Never had this before. Can anyone shed any light on this? If this is just anxiety again I will go mental because I'm sick and tired of these stupid symptoms changing all the time and giving me something new to worry about.

[JohnC]

One of the best threads here!

[Joe.]

Certainly is.
Where's Fourteen14 gone?
One of the best threads here!

[JohnC]

He said that he needed to take a break from the forum and i have not seen him since. Sure do miss that level headed dude.

[Lete]

Is it possible that I have a burning sensation in my lower arms for the last three months? Sometimes my muscles also twitch, and the scariest thing is when I go completely stiff and I feel like there is an electric current running over and I'm going to die. It is usually followed by a panic attack. So, that burning hasn't gone away not even for a moment in the last few months, only when I'm asleep and 10 minutes after. When my brain wakes up, the show begins... I ask, because I have been taking Protonix from April to July, so I'm not sure if that is some kind of vitamin deficiency related neuropathy or anxiety that I am alread struggling with? Thank you.

[Tifanie Ann Brummitt]

Definitely sounds like a nerve thing. I have numb feelings in my left arm, warm sensation in right shoulder blade, shooting pains, muscle tightening sensations. Sometimes I feel like my whole body is hardly responding, like moving in slow motion. Docs suspect pinched nerve in neck, going to neuro. Of course all this causes me anxiety and panic.

[Lete]

Oh, Jesus... My GP works today afternoon and I should be talking to her right now, but I am ashamed of it. I had a difficult period behind me. I don't know how to ask her for a vitamin and/or thyroid AND cervical spine test in one visit. She'll just think I'm mad or something. Any suggestions? Sorry if there are some spelling mistakes, I'm from Croatia... :) ps I also do think it could be a nerve problem and that a pinched nerve keeps causing my anxiety. Two years ago I had an accident with my bicycle, I ran over an old lady who was walking over the biking lane (blind old bat -.-) . I LITERALLY FLEW over the handlebar and punched my head on the asphalt. My neck was sore for months, but I was afraid of visiting a hospital. I also had some ticks (OCD) with my head... Neck injury looks logical to me. How should I approach my GP today? :(

[Im-Suffering]

Oh, Jesus... I am ashamed

. I don't know how to ask her for a vitamin and/or thyroid AND cervical spine test in one visit. She'll just think I'm mad or something. .

I LITERALLY FLEW over the handlebar and punched my head on the asphalt. My neck was sore for months, but I was afraid of visiting a hospital.

How should I approach my GP today? :(

Your post has been edited for self truths and what is left is self evident of your core issues. Guilt, shame, self neglect, fear of criticism, self deprecation.

"Self-deprecation is the act of belittling, undervaluing or disparaging oneself. It can be used in humor and tension release."

How should you approach this ? The opposite of how you have approached everything in life thus far. Then you will be healed.

Awareness: if acting one way makes you feel badly, acting its opposite would make you feel good.

[Lete]

Your post has been edited for self truths and what is left is self evident of your core issues. Guilt, shame, self neglect, fear of criticism, self deprecation.

"Self-deprecation is the act of belittling, undervaluing or disparaging oneself. It can be used in humor and tension release."

How should you approach this ? The opposite of how you have approached everything in life thus far. Then you will be healed.

Awareness: if acting one way makes you feel badly, acting its opposite would make you feel good.

Actually, the post has been edited because I saw some terrible spelling mistakes, and with me being a grammar Nazi, that couldn't be left like that xD But yes, you have right. I always act so, that people actually admire my strength and my willing to go forward. The truth is that I'm very, very insecure in myself under the mask... So, you think I should approach my GP directly? I have fear that she'll just think I'm teaching her how to do her work...

[Lete]

There you go again. You need to catch yourself.

And I edited your post, and left what has meaning. What your inner truths are, so read again what I edited, and left.

Sorry, English is not my mother tongue and sometimes I miss the point of a sentence. Ok, I'll just get up and move my a**! No more wasting of time, just ACTIONS ;) Thanks for the advice!

[Dahila]

Leave this thread clean for others, is not about individuals with this or that............it is useful thread to read for everyone who comes here. Please, do not post here guys

[Ponyrider88]

I have the same feelings..out of control feeling. That back and forth. How do you break the cycle of the internal fight between "fake" symptoms vs. real symptoms? The rationalization of yes I have a headache, but it doesn't mean I have a Brain Tumor? I get in a cycle of researching online of every possible thing that could be wrong and I start to look for symptoms, that aren't "really" there but I have caused them to be there? Then I find my self in a full blown panic attack. It's mental/ physically tiring to everyone around. Where can I find reassurance? I get in the pattern and my mind is going so fast that I almost not living in the present world..Almost like I am somewhere else during these cycles.

[JohnC]

Hi Ponyrider88, Google is one of the ways you can throw yourself into a panic attack. Try not to research your symptoms ( i know it's hard, we all do it ).

[Kyle's Weight Gain]

I am a certified personal trainer and I have been on Anxiety/Depression medication for over 15 years. I have gained 70 pounds because of the medication. After trying 5 different medications in hopes that one would not have the side effects of weight gain and being unsuccessful, I have decided to take matters into my own hands. Please follow me on my journey as I lose the weight that I have gained from taking Anxiety and Depression Medications. Like my Facebook page and support me on this journey.

[JohnC]

I miss ya 14 hope all is well my friend

[Dahila]

Yeah I miss him too, the most well behaved and educated individual on this forum left:((
I know it was when we had religious freaks coming in and talking bologna

[zac1234]

Hello, just a few questions,

I have been experiencing health anxiety for the past 2 months in which i have had constant 24/7 dizziness, fatigue, muscle tightness, neck tinightness, terrible out of body experiences, social anxiety ect. Is it possible for anxiety to cause 24 hour symptoms such as off balance and dizziness that never seem to go away, from the moment i wake up to the moment i go to sleep. I have been to my local GP, seen a cardiologist, everything seems normal and its deemed to be anxiety, but i dont feel convinced that anxiety can cause such an unwell feeling constantly (0 relief). Any light on this would be wonderful, thanks

[JohnC]

Hi zac1234, To answer your question YES. going through it right now and i have battled this beast for way to many years but for some reason i can not just let it be. This current episode is going on three weeks. It's all i can do NOT to google and run to the Doc. Good luck my friend.

[javiergraciafdez]

ANXIETY, Somebody help me!! Author: Sara Burillo. This book saved me... What book saved you? :)
EXCELLENT!!! Fully Recommended!

[Fourteen14]

Hello, just a few questions,

I have been experiencing health anxiety for the past 2 months in which i have had constant 24/7 dizziness, fatigue, muscle tightness, neck tinightness, terrible out of body experiences, social anxiety ect. Is it possible for anxiety to cause 24 hour symptoms such as off balance and dizziness that never seem to go away, from the moment i wake up to the moment i go to sleep. I have been to my local GP, seen a cardiologist, everything seems normal and its deemed to be anxiety, but i dont feel convinced that anxiety can cause such an unwell feeling constantly (0 relief). Any light on this would be wonderful, thanks

Hi Zac

The feeling of 24/7 symptoms is often a bat and ball game between the psychological (thoughts/emotions) and the physical (heart racing, muscle fatigue, dizziness). Thoughts create the physical symptoms which then cause you to become anxious which then trigger more worrying thoughts which trigger more physical symptoms, trapping yourself in a cycle of anxiety.

Often the hardest part of dealing with health anxiety is the doubt and "what if" thinking. For example, being reassured by medical professionals that you are in good health only reassures you until you get home from the doctors office. Shortly after receiving the medical all clear, the thoughts turn to .... What if the doctor missed something/misdiagnosed? Surely if I still feel the symptoms there MUST be something physically wrong with me?

The REAL problem is getting the rapid and worst-case thinking under control, then the physical symptoms will eventually subside. A really good way of tackling it is through excersise, it burns off the extra adrenaline and helps to improve general mood. There are also several free CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) workbook links further back on this thread that may help.

If you find things are not improving or worsening it is always worth speaking to your doctor about medication. There are several and your GP will be the best one to talk to about short/long term options.

Best of Luck

[JohnC]

Well put....... I must start to get my arse in gear and get a little physical, get my sweat on. Good to see ya

[Fourteen14]

Well put....... I must start to get my arse in gear and get a little physical, get my sweat on. Good to see ya

Hi John

Exercise is a great release for stress (provided you can get over the initial worry that it may induce a heart attack.....right)? 😄

Hope you are well.

[Dahila]

14 welcome back and you right, when I stopped to count my heartbeat and just let it go when exercising, my bp was in lows and I could cut down on meds:)) Is good to have you back :)

[JohnC]

Hi John

Exercise is a great release for stress (provided you can get over the initial worry that it may induce a heart attack.....right)? ��

Hope you are well.

Thats funny as you know that i was thinking that very thing :)

[whatwhat!]

Hi i'm new here, i just need some words of wisdom - bit of a long one this.
I have suffered with a health anxiety on and off for about 20 yrs, never used medication - as someone with a HA it just doesn't sit well with me :/
I have had periods of being well and able to cope with the bumps in the road but i'm currently really struggling to get through what has been a tough yr.
When I had my LO 2 yrs ago i was diagnosed with post natal anxiety - shock - in reality i was suffering with prenatal issues but they're not so well know over here in the UK, anyway, i took myself off to a counsellor who really helped me deal with what was going on and she introduced me to mindfullness, i was sceptical at first but after taking a course it seemed to be helping me make progress.
Sadly during all of this my best friend was diagnosed with cancer and sadly died after a year of treatment.
When she was diagnosed as terminal this seemed to switch something horrendous in my brain and since january this yr - right in the middle of the mindfulness training - i have been convinced that i have cancer of the something, its been ovarian, cervical, stomach, liver, breast, you name it i've been convinced i have it. I've got the kind of brain that will create pain where there is none which just exacerbates my anxiety even though i KNOW its in my head, the what ifs will tell me otherwise. I've been to the doctor about various "symptoms" and she's aware of the situation with my friend. I've spoken to my councellor but i'm the kind of person who wants it over and done with, i mean, who WANTS to feel this way.
I'm exhausted, i'm miserable, i can't shake this feeling of doom, my partner god love him doesn't understand although he is there with a hug when i need it, i just feel like i haven't dealt with the death of my friend and i've turned all of those feelings onto myself. I'm losing weight as its recently gotten so intense, which just makes me think that something IS going on when in reality i've been eating less as i'm so focussed on these negative feelings and so pent up with fear I’m no doubt burning more energy. I feel like i'm in a big hole that i can't get out of, i've stopped exercising so much, i used to run - far - and i just can't be bothered to get out these days, i know that would help but then when i'm out and i get a stitch (cos i'm so unfit these days) i'm convinced its something bad.
The mindfullness is hard to get into when you feel this way and i'm sure it would help my brain figure out what's going on but again, i'm so good at beating myself up about things that i just end up in a vicious cycle of not practicing, not exercising, berating myself, feeling bad, convinced i'm going to die.
URGH.
I just can't seem to get out of this this time and i'm pretty convinced its linked with the greiving process but i don't know what that looks like anymore as i just feel bad all of the time.
I get the odd good day when i feel so great, i can focus on life, go running, but then i may have a bad nights sleep or just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and it all begins again. I don't really have anyone to talk to, my friend was my closest friend, i have lots of lovely friends but they all live quite a way away or they're not the kind of friends i would speak to about this - i don't know that there has ever been anyone i would speak to about this other than professionals - i feel really alone and scared, i sometimes even wonder if it would be better if i just shuffled off somewhere but i'm not suicidal, but those thoughts do cross my mind which is rubbish as they make me feel worse for a-thinking that then b-imagining my family all devastated like my friends husband and kids are. I would reiterate though that I would never harm myself, I’m not made that way and I do have a part of my brain that knows exactly what is going on but at the moment its quite a small part.
Its a bit of a rubbish place to be, i just need to offload to someone, anyone who might understand how i'm feeling.
Thanks

[Im-Suffering]

Hi i'm new here, i just need some words of wisdom

So you shall receive such words : (I am a medium, I felt you)

This is a personal message for you today- (but will also touch others in similar fashion)

Begin:

Mindfulness would indeed help you through these times, should you refocus. (You began these studies when you did for a reason)-Reopening portions of yourself that would indeed alleviate the fears. You would not feel cut off another words. Either way the inner self continues to intrude as it sees an opportunity, trying as it will to refresh the spirits. These we will call your moments of clarity. Most attempts are blocked or pushed under the rug, they simply do not match the current psychological state so healing energies are given no significance although they are always present to some degree.

When you are overly concerned with physical matters, and even vital physical matters, you pull yourself in. And more ridiculous, you pull up your roots. A tree would never pull up its roots. I am not speaking now of pulling up your roots in terms of moving from one location to another. I am speaking of something akin to cutting off your roots from any nourishment.

You see. Your present is your point of power, the now. That is where you must try and stay, you understand. You are spending too much time in the past and in the future because the present is too painful. The present however has no intrinsic pain other than those feelings brought back from your time travels.

Indeed you will learn from your best friend the value of life itself. And so these are the gifts. Changes in what you give meaning to. Through her passing she has given you life by shifting your perspective so dramatically and suddenly in ways you would have not been able to accomplish (on your own). This is love in action, you see. You must not resist by living in the past, but allow the new changes in you - these changes will not only enrich your soul, but those you meet along the way. Thus her passing has meaning, period.

We see your gifts, and your mission, so we are pleased to bring you this message. Your friend after a long struggle now has peace, and is indeed with other friends. Soon there will be a new journey, as new desires (creativity) are born in her. The same must be spoken for you. Your new journey must begin too. That is her wish for you. Only because of your limited scope do you not see the magical ride ahead, go ahead she says, step into it :)

Love and light.

That is all.

[whatwhat!]

What beautiful words. I have re-read them already many times. I want them etched on my brain so i never forget them. They are of course right and you actually sound very like my counsellor.
My focus needs to be on mindfulness and dealing with things i'm obviously avoiding and focus on the present moment, you're right is is easier to deal with the past and the future as the present is too painful right now but avoiding is only make it worse, i have dealt with grief before a long time ago and my counsellor and i talked about not wanting to deal with those feelings again as they are so painful and i have been avoiding them this time, instead pointing my focus on myself and investing all of my energy in worry and fear.

I won't beat myself up about it today though, your post has really given me a wonderful perspective that i needed to hear.

I do genuinely believe things happen for a reason and i have never come to a forum like this, ever. Your words have really made me think, i can't thank you enough for that.

The universe is an amazing place, sometimes I just need reminding of that. Thank you.

[namaste87]

I also think that this thought is a good sign that you're dealing with health anxiety and not real health issues:

"Everyone's keep telling me that I don't need to worry, that my symptomes are not dangerous - my friends, my psych and my doctors (and that other doctor I saw.. and that nurse.. and that other doctor to..). But still... what if..."

At least for me ;)

[WillOWisp]

Great thread and forum. I wonder if the original poster or any other users have any insight (pun my bad) into eye health and fears around total/significant sight loss?

My fears and anxieties around losing my sight have been going on properly for about a year now. I had maybe six months before that with very destructive anxiety regarding something else not health related, I wonder if when I finally got over that, at least to the point where i was able to have thoughts about something other than those fears, there was a void to fill which got filled with these fears over going blind later in life.

There is no family history of sight loss as far as i know, I have no symptoms of anything related to it, I've only recently been prescribed glasses for occasional reading. So I know that logically I should be the least worried of most people about this. I need to improve my diet a little and start getting real exercise but that will be soon.

This is a big deal to me because of my aspirations to be an artist. I'm sure if I wanted to be a musician I'd be asking about hearing loss, but let's say I want to be a painter so this constant anxiety has really crippled me. This thread is useful simply because it exists, I know that other people have similar dreads about other things. Other illnesses don't bother me even slightly, even if they're life threatening and much more likely than me losing my sight. So I guess it's around losing what I love doing and experiencing, as I'm very focused I don't have a fall back thing to occupy my time and heart. Ive found the only comfort I get is when I briefly come to terms with how unlikely it is, but it doesn't last too long and I find my anxieties dictating what I can and cannot do in life soon enough... What's the worst that could happen? I'll go blind and lose the only thing I love.. So most general advice I come across I find hard to get any use out of

Does anyone have any reassuring stats or thoughts around this issue? I feel like it's part of me now. Everyone I try to speak to about it can't even begin to understand and respond as though I'd told them I have a fear of snow flakes that aren't symmetrical, they see the irrationality of it but I can't seem to sometimes.

Thanks

[Im-Suffering]

The rest of the post is mental masturbation besides this :



My fears and anxieties around losing my sight have been going on properly for about a year now. I had maybe six months before that with very destructive anxiety regarding something else not health related.

"Very destructive anxiety regarding something else"

Talk about that. Don't dismiss it and preoccupy yourself with its remnants. Another words, the (current) fear is a result of prolonged negative thoughts regarding previous problems. Where if the cause was addressed properly, the illusion (that the fear holds) would disappear.

The fear is testing your will. It is something you cannot dismiss because sight is valuable to you. So you picked the correct trigger purposefully, to help resolve and discover the issue behind it (fueling it) unable to ignore it. It is tricky, diverting your attention all over the place. You are playing a game of hide and go seek with yourself. Pretending you have forgotten the hiding place.

What was this very desructive anxiety, as you term it? Scary enough to seal that closet door shut and never look inside again, wasn't it.

Well you had better get out your tools of courage because that is exactly where you need to go.

[WillOWisp]

The rest of the post is mental masturbation besides this :



"Very destructive anxiety regarding something else"

Talk about that. Don't dismiss it and preoccupy yourself with its remnants. Another words, the (current) fear is a result of prolonged negative thoughts regarding previous problems. Where if the cause was addressed properly, the illusion (that the fear holds) would disappear.

The fear is testing your will. It is something you cannot dismiss because sight is valuable to you. So you picked the correct trigger purposefully, to help resolve and discover the issue behind it (fueling it) unable to ignore it. It is tricky, diverting your attention all over the place. You are playing a game of hide and go seek with yourself. Pretending you have forgotten the hiding place.

What was this very desructive anxiety, as you term it? Scary enough to seal that closet door shut and never look inside again, wasn't it.

Well you had better get out your tools of courage because that is exactly where you need to go.

The old anxiety is gone and those issues are resolved, I mentioned it just pondering that maybe I got so used to being anxious because of it, but those particular fears are done and dusted.

[Ambition]

I suffer anxiety, agoraphobia and depression. However I am not in the slightest bit worried about getting cancer.

But I do worry about other sudden diseases, like heart attacks, stroke, or developing seizure disorders, because those are the things that could happen in the middle of town or a busy place.

Cancer is a slow developing disease. For instance you don't suddenly collapse in a busy crowd with an an attack of cancer. That's why I'm not scared of getting cancer.

Also with cancer you get top priority medical treatment and there are thousands of charities helping cancer sufferers compared to very few helping people with anxiety and a total lack of understanding by members of public, families, government and even doctors concerning anxiety and depression.

[snowberry]

So I feel stupid coming back and talking about health stuff. Because my HA is so much better, really. I've not had a freak out in months and my attitude towards symptoms is so much better.

But I've been getting numb patches on my face for a little while now. Lower face, corners of mouth, jowls feel kind of rubbery sometimes. I think if it were serious it was be there constantly, but it seems to mainly be in the evening, while I'm at home. I don't feel it during the day. A few weeks ago I had the flu and don't remember feeling the numbness during those four days.

So I'm sure I've asked this before. But has anyone experienced this with anxiety? I've been to the doctor about two-three months ago and she said nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. Usually anxiety symptoms go away eventually but this hasn't. I've had no other weird symptoms.

[Ally'sMommy]

A big thank you to the OP of this! I think it's just what I needed :-)

[Cobweb1985]

Hi

I have just found this site and I literally have no where else to go! I could talk to the doc but they literally don't care!!! I can totally sympathise (& vice versa i hope) as to what I'm feeling!

I am a hypercondriah and this site is helping already.

Do other people get wierd feelings like detachment, sweating, head pains, headaches, is, tinggling!? :)

[JohnC]

Just like to bump this up because it's just a very good place for those of us with health anxiety. Yes i still fight it :(

[needtogetwell]

Just like to bump this up because it's just a very good place for those of us with health anxiety. Yes i still fight it :(

Good bump! I too fall prey to this from time to time.

[superchick22684]

I've never really struggled too much with health anxiety but as most people do I try to avoid people who are ill (which I think is just common sense). My anxiety has started to side track a little bit to health worries/anxiety over the last six months though. Ever since I read an article on the amount of germs on doctor's stethoscopes I get really concerned about touching things when I have to go to the doctor/therapist etc.

My gp is big on shaking hands with his patients and the last time that I went a few months ago (med check) the idea of shaking his hand produced tons of anxiety about how recently he may have washed his hands. The waiting room is also an issue for me mainly because I don't like waiting in them but also for the germ factor so I try not to touch anything when I'm in them.

I know I'm going to have to deal with what I'm experiencing eventually though. I'm going to therapy every other week and that requires me being in the waiting room usually anywhere from 5-15 minutes on average. Normally that wouldn't bother me germ wise but the therapist I go to has a very small waiting room with two chairs in it. The office he works out of has an agreement with the doctor next door that when the two chairs are occupied that their patients can sit in the larger waiting room down the hall. This doctor happens to be a gp i think so every time I have to wait in their waiting room it causes my anxiety to increase.

Anyone here have any tips for dealing with this?

[JohnC]

I never did like waiting rooms. Ya know half the people that are in there are sick and when is the last time you saw someone clean a waiting room? Sure they do but at night after the little misbehaved 4 year old wiped his nose all over the chair your sitting in now. Geeze that probably didn't help much, did it? Lysol in the small bottle and hand sanitizer. I usually just stand up until i am called.

P.S. that little misbehaved kid was probably mine so sorry about that :)

[superchick22684]

I never did like waiting rooms. Ya know half the people that are in there are sick and when is the last time you saw someone clean a waiting room? Sure they do but at night after the little misbehaved 4 year old wiped his nose all over the chair your sitting in now. Geeze that probably didn't help much, did it? Lysol in the small bottle and hand sanitizer. I usually just stand up until i am called.

P.S. that little misbehaved kid was probably mine so sorry about that :)

The first part of my last therapy session involved me sounding off to my therapist about how much I HATE waiting rooms. That was after I waited almost 20 minutes to see him (granted I was a little early but our session still started 10 minutes late). I think I may take your advice about standing up next time I have to be in a waiting room which happens to be Thursday. Either that or I'll just fog the room with Lysol lol.
Also how did you know my last waiting room experience involved a little kid? There were two of them actually and they were in my personal space to the point they were running over my feet. I know they didn't do it on purpose though :)

[snowberry]

Anybody get cold patches on their skin from anxiety? I've been getting them on my legs last three days, primarily my left calf.

[JohnC]

Arms for me on occasion.

[needtogetwell]

Hands and feet here.

[snowberry]

Thank you both. Does it feel really cold or almost wet?

[Nicolenz]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and I've been experiencing anxiety for about three weeks now and I have never had to deal with it before. It started when my ear started to make an odd noise which made me obsess about my health. Ever since then I have been thinking I have cancer and I have developed a lot of weird symptoms. These symptoms include headaches, tingling in the face, noticing all the aches or pains on my body, muscle tightness and on the odd occasion nausea. This has caused me to think I have various types of cancer and no matter how much I try to rationalize with myself I cannot. I don't feel fatigued and I'm not loosing weight for any unexplained reason. Many of these symptoms tend to happen more in the evening or when I'm alone. I was having panic attacks as well but they have not come up for a few days now. I was looking up symptoms for many cancers on google too which I know is not good but recently I have been able to keep myself from doing so. Just yesterday I had a very weird burning pain in my left forearm and after sleeping it did not hurt but currently right now it just feels a little off, so this has not helped my anxiety one bit. All in all I'm pretty much living everyday in fear that I have cancer and that I will die in the near future. I'm scheduled for blood work in a few days and I'm fearing the results as well as fearing that if everything is okay will I still be anxious. I've only been on this forum for two days but it has helped me by reading many of the posts and this thread particularly. Are these symptoms I experience normal with anxiety, I always seem as though I need reassurance.

[Kixxi]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and I've been experiencing anxiety for about three weeks now and I have never had to deal with it before. It started when my ear started to make an odd noise which made me obsess about my health. Ever since then I have been thinking I have cancer and I have developed a lot of weird symptoms. These symptoms include headaches, tingling in the face, noticing all the aches or pains on my body, muscle tightness and on the odd occasion nausea. This has caused me to think I have various types of cancer and no matter how much I try to rationalize with myself I cannot. I don't feel fatigued and I'm not loosing weight for any unexplained reason. Many of these symptoms tend to happen more in the evening or when I'm alone. I was having panic attacks as well but they have not come up for a few days now. I was looking up symptoms for many cancers on google too which I know is not good but recently I have been able to keep myself from doing so. Just yesterday I had a very weird burning pain in my left forearm and after sleeping it did not hurt but currently right now it just feels a little off, so this has not helped my anxiety one bit. All in all I'm pretty much living everyday in fear that I have cancer and that I will die in the near future. I'm scheduled for blood work in a few days and I'm fearing the results as well as fearing that if everything is okay will I still be anxious. I've only been on this forum for two days but it has helped me by reading many of the posts and this thread particularly. Are these symptoms I experience normal with anxiety, I always seem as though I need reassurance.

Health anxiety is quite common for most of us. I suffer from it as well, although it has gone down from obsessive to the occasional worry. I used to be preoccupied with strange spots on my skin and even a tickle in my throat made me think I had cancer. Blood tests always showed that there was nothing wrong with me. Still, I come to realise, even if you get something as horrible as cancer, you have a good chance of beating it nowadays, especially people like us that tend to obsess about strange symptoms ;)

[JohnC]

I am with ya. I have to constantly tell myself that its just old age or i slept on my arm wrong etc etc. It's a pain in the arse but you now know that. This is a really good sticky and if you haven't already done it you should go through this whole thing and watch the videos. Good luck and you are not alone.