Health Anxiety

[jstone1371]

This is a problem I have battled for years. Some days are better than others but some aren't. My anxiety stems from Abuse I received from my mother as a kid and has blossomed into my health anxiety of today. I have a constant fear of a heart related illness. Luckily for me I have an understanding wife and two great kids. But I don't want to have my daughters experience these wonderful feelings. I did talk to a therapist or doctor for a while but didn't really help. I do take meds for my anxiety but as I tell my wife thee isn't enough meds on the planet if I decide to have an attack. Its been heart focused for a long while for me but health related in general. course the more you worry and stress yourself out the more skips I get and that leads to more anxiety. I try and live each day for its own but I am not always successful. I compounded this problem by not doing anything about my anxiety for years. Lets face it I was embarrassed about it. That happen to anyone else? Eventually my body got even and my blood pressure is a mess now. I take meds for it which because of the side effects cause more anxiety. Including currently as I take two BP meds that spare potassium. I now fear that my potassium will get too high. I seems like a never ending cycle. Its hard to talk to someone who doesn't suffer with this same cycle as they don't really understand. I am hoping that talking to some of you will help me out. Thank you for listening.

[Anne1221]

I have some similar things. I have problems withe concerns I have about the side effects of the medications I take. I just try to go to the doctor as frequently as I can so she can allay my concerns. And, if I need to, I go to one of those urgent care places to "get things checked out."

[FudoMyoo]

I consider myself a bit of a hypochondriac and can relate. Taking well care of myself as far as exercising and eating right help greatly. Getting routine check ups and as stated above, going to the Dr. whenever I have any concerns are also a common incidence for me. I will, for instance, feel like I'm having a heart attack sometimes and I will go through what heart attack-related symptoms are mentally and check them off as present or not. Usually I can see that it is just my mind and I will tell myself "It is my illness" and reaffirm myself that if I were having a heart attack and all the symptoms are present, well I would be having one and not thinking I'm going to have one, if you get what I'm saying. I've found things like fitbits or smart watches help me to monitor myself, drinking lots of water, and focusing on deep breathing helps. Of course thinking I'm going to develop something like Alzheimer's or Dementia is a bit more tricky but is generally triggered by something else thatI have to seek and work on cognitively.

[Nowuccas]

Hey jstone1371,

My previous post about health anxiety follows:

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

Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, such as repeating: "I'll be just fine". Realise that by the act of viewing material about various diseases, you are implanting a suggestion in your subconscious mind that you may have it, It recognises a potential threat, and initiates the (formerly, in times long past) appropriate response; a "fight, or flight" reaction. Stop viewing such material. Practice a relaxation method, daily, and when needed, such as http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html or http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/mindbody/a/Meditation.htm
or www.wikihow.com/Meditate or Yoga Nidra, (no flexibility required) on page L at your-mental-health.weebly.com below, and see page Z for much more about hypochondria (panic attacks, and anxiety; see pages 1, h, & i). Qi Gong, Tai Chi, or regular yoga suits others better.

Give acupressure tapping / EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at http://www.mercola.com "EFT" & "EFT therapists", or www.tapping.com (13 free videos) or www.emofree.com or YouTube EFT. Professionally instructed is probably best. - There is a version for use in public places at http://eft.mercola.com (you could claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage/tapping your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I have hypochondria, I deeply and completely accept myself."). These will enable you to emotionally centre yourself, when practiced regularly, and can also help you become a calmer, more self controlled person, who is less susceptible to such beliefs.

Read: Treating Health Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach by Steven Taylor Phd and Gordon J. G. Asmundson PhD, & The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death. by Gene Weingarten, & It's Not All in Your Head: How Worrying about Your Health Could Be Making You Sick--and What You Can Do about It by Gordon J. G. Asmundson Ph.D and Steven Taylor Ph.d, from your bookstore, or Amazon.com and there are other media, such as CD's & Kindle material, via their searchbar: "hypochondria".

Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind; view http://myfavoriteinterests.com/hypnosis/ about what it is, and isn't. 85% of people are suggestible to some degree; 15% - 20% highly so, and 15% - 20% aren't much at all, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, hypnosisdownloads.com has: Overcome Hypochondria.

More about hypochondriasis may be found at http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/z.html where the above came from.

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Check out https://www.google.com.au/search?client=opera&q=mercola%3B+hypertension&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 such as:

Hypertension - Common Causes and Effective Remedies | Mercola.com
highbloodpressure.mercola.com/
Beware of the dangers of high blood pressure and causes of hypertension by reading Dr. Mercola's articles.

Strategies to Help Prevent Hypertension - Mercola
articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/.../hypertension-prevention-treatment.aspx
Jun 9, 2014 - About one in three American adults have hypertension (high blood pressure), and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

Blood Pressure | Normalize Your Blood Pressure, Naturally - Mercola
articles.mercola.com/.../how-you-can-normalize-your-blood-pressure-without-drugs.a...
Dec 15, 2009 - High blood pressure is directly connected with hypertension and anxiety. Follow these healthy guidelines to help you lower blood pressure ...

Five Smart Strategies to Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally - Mercola
articles.mercola.com/.../five-smart-strategies-to-lower-your-blood-pressure-naturally.a...
Feb 3, 2009 - In this video, I explain the causes of high blood pressure, and how you can keep your blood pressure under control in safe and effective ways.

Also check out http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Cardiovascular such as:

Cardiovascular disease 50 % more likely if low vitamin D - meta-analysis Nov 2012

Best heart geometry associated with vitamin D of 30-37 ng – Oct 2012

Magnesium prevents cardiovascular events – Meta-analysis March 2013

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I suggest that you view my previous post about childhood abuse at http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?35118-Hey&p=229821#post229821 and have a course of EMDR therapy; see the FAQ about it.

Other relevant posts:

ANXIETY or PANIC ATTACKS: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34755-Panic-attacks-that-last-for-hours

VITAMIN D: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34912-I-can-t-breathe-or-relax&p=228476#post228476

HERBAL ANXIOLYTICS / ANTI-ANXIETY PRODUCTS: (passionflower, valerian, St. John's Wort, etc.) http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34269-5-Powerful-Tools-You-Probably-Haven-t-Tried-Yet&p=225415#post225415

NON HERBAL NATURAL (NON PHARMACEUTICAL) ANXIOLTYICS: (5-htp, SAMe, etc.) http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34355-Help-Please!!!/page2

[careyon]

I must admit I've never suffered abuse or anxiety. My heart goes out to you as it seems you are tormented by your own thoughts. Do you believe in a higher power? Have you tried meditating? When I do worry, I remind myself that there is a God that has all power and I put my trust in Him. Sorry I don't mean to be preachy but thought it may be helpful to suggest you cast all your cares on Him. Try meditating on this scripture ' Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.' Phillipians 4:6-7 I will be praying for and with you.

[Kirk]

I was mentally and physically abused as a child by my mother, but more mentally abused. That has helped
fuel my health anxiety. I am 59, soon to be 60 and have been married almost 30 years, with one daughter
almost 26. Medication or therapy never worked for me, so I have had to tough it out. A supportive family and
internal medicine physician have been a big help to me. I try to distract myself with things I enjoy, which has
been a big help.

[AngelaEvers]

Health anxiety if discovered early, can be overcome. It is very important to take nutritious food as this helps settle down an over-reactive mind, leading to a lessening in health anxieties. Also, it is recommended to find your interests to involve yourself entirely. My mother suffered from health anxiety which leads to Alzheimer and with the declining age factor, she became aggressive and short-tempered. We as a family decide to bring her to the memory care Morris NJ (http://jchcorp.org/memory-care-morris-county-nj) where she can get proper treatment and medication. Hope this proves to be a beneficial step for her.

[Dahila]

Health anxiety does not lead to Alzheimer, do not monger fear please. Angelaevers, please
Actually no one knows why people do get this awful disease, They speculate but do not know for sure.
BTW it is very old thread , two years old and I do not think anyone is here anymore

[Ponder]

Perhaps one way to see health anxiety is that whilst we would like to think we should not age and that we ought not to die, that the fact is - such outcomes are perfectly natural and that we really ought not to fear it. If we were not driven as much by fear by way of all that advertising, sensationalizing, and constant screening, then perhaps we would not be so anxious about our state of health or fear what has not yet come. It comes as no surprise that we focus on the doom and seem unable to make the most within the moment when always in a state where we feel that we must 'overcome.' I beleive Angela means well. I would suggest perhaps using different terms when assessing one or another's need with respect to healing.

Overcome is typically associated with terms like, 'Conquer! - Beat! - Vanquish' and so on. Comes down to that fight mentality where more often than not we here the following concept preached: "Anxiety is spawn from Fight of Flight responses." Of course not all words are about this incessant need to fight the fight. Other more fruitful words spawn from Overcome would be 'Control, Master and Transcend.' Comes down to the context in which we adopt said terms. More often than not ... Overcome is sold of as the Cure of Cures ... "I Cured My Anxiety! - If I can do it → You can too!" How many times do we here that speech in here? You get the drift with the context I mean here.

Nothing like creating more anxiety to sell an idea. Fear sells fear. It's possible to still fight the fight, but more so through letting go in a way that's no on par with the cliche. We grow old ... some of us will lose the ability to remember and that need not be such a bad thing. In many cases it's even for the best. How we choose to react when seeing others go through such natural states says more about us as a society than it does about individuals that care less for what is of no concern to them. The more we fear the less able we will be able. Eating healthy does little when we still beleive we must live in a state of always improving ... always overcoming. There's a lot in that bit of insight for myself as I'm always seeking to keep afloat. If I were not living in a society that is constantly wanting me to be proving & improving:

Then instead of always being anxious about my state of being, (what I can prove and what I can not) I would actually be living. Sigh.

There is sense in everything we are all saying. I understand your concerns D - I also understand Angela's. FEAR is fear.

Angela - I hope your choice to put your mother in a home is as beneficial for you as you hope it to be for your mother. Personally I feel it's sad that we live in a society where families can no longer look after their own. It is the way it is. My family has done it in the past, as I am sure it will happen of me. It is the modern way. That being the way, I feel it's sadder for those who do not qualify to be so favored to receive such quality support. It's good that your mother will be receiving what looks like quality care. The qualification process and all that leads up to it is what keeps most of us living in fear; keeps us from living. I wonder if anyone reading me can see the cycle of which I speak. How convenient it is for those considered so blessed - to be sheltered from the reality of those less fortunate. In this the gap widens and all the more we are taught to fear. It is what it is ... so we would do better to accept that's just the way it is.

I'm with you D regardless of my distorted view (is it?) ... There is nothing to fear but fear itself. No matter where we end up ... the only benefit we ever reap is that which we allow for ourselves. I'm thankful my grandmother lost her memory when she was placed in an institution. However I could never claim what she might of felt during that process and up till her end. She did a lot of dancing and playing the piano whilst house in said care. Given the circumstances in the world as we know it - there is no such thing as no pain. Things could always be worse, yet I am unsure if that's even a healthy view. Sadly we focus too much on hiding the truth as well as those who remind us of it. You don't have to be old or disabled either; when it comes to being isolated. Often we do it to ourselves, despite blaming or viewing the system from such a bleak position. A double bind if you will. Alan Watts speaks about this well. I this I often find myself eating my own words. Such is the power of self reflection.

Imo ... there's nothing to overcome. Not even the fear - just accept it and do what you can to lessen the pain, lesson the fear. Just be careful how you numb it. Don't hide it - be kind to it.

Just my thoughts is all.