Health Anx Advice!

[bumblebee3160]

Looking for tips and tricks to snap out of an anxiety attack relating to health. My main issue is worrying something sudden will happen to me like a stroke or something, as a result of worrying I become fixated and I start to focus on sensations in my body that are probably harmless, but these thoughts end up keeping me up at night which is very frustrating! I’ve been fighting this for so long it’s starting to get exhausting. I also want to know if anyone has experienced this before: sometimes when I’m anxious I feel like my body is numb, I wonder if life is real, if I’m real, like I don’t feel myself, I can’t feel my body, I lose my memory for a moment and feel like i cannot talk. It’s frightening! Any advise would be amazing!!

[Sophie_M]

Hey There, bumblebee3160!

Well done for reaching out on this one - you will find a few threads on this here in the forums, and we do hope you will be able to read through as much info as you can. 

It can be worth embracing that feeling anxious and concerned with life and health is far from abnormal behaviour. Like everything with Anxiety, it takes things that are completely reasonable and drives them beyond all proportion.

There are a couple of points that can be of assistance:
1) Try not to google your symptoms - This is fantastic for fueling fear and doesn't mean much outside of a full medical context.
2) pay attention to the experiences and sensations of your body that you like - if your body only feels bad when you are stressed, and manages to feel quite pleasant when you are having fun or rest, then you're most likely not experiencing problems worth worrying about.
3) Routine: when we give permission for normal things to be normal, and make them a normal part of the day, anxious thoughts generally have less openings to grab us with.

Please know that you are most welcome to reach out to us whenever you need - you can call in on 1300 22 4636 or click here to commence a webchat!

Good luck, bumblebee - and please keep in touch here,

Regards,

Sophie M.

[geoff]

Hello bumblebee, what Sophie has said I agree with, we tend to hit the net and try to find out what we have, the prognosis and what may happen, but what it tells you may not be applicable to you, however, it's easy to talk ourselves into believing what the net tells us.

You need to realise that in any day when you aren't feeling anxious, we don't know what's going to happen with our body, simply because we can't actually create a heart problem, nor can we start getting the flu, so what happens just happens.

For example, you may be sitting in a chair for a while and suddenly your foot gets the 'pins and needles', this is nothing more than pinching a nerve, and as soon as you stand up and release this pressure it goes away.

We aren't doctors to be able to diagnose ourselves and if we go to see our GP they will tell us if there is anything to worry about and if so take it from there.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[blondguy]

Hi bumblebee3160

There is excellent advice above from Sophie and Geoff

Thankyou for having the courage to be a part of the forum family...I used to have anxiety (panic) attacks for a long time and understand your pain

It is a natural reaction to 'fight' these awful feelings yet fighting only makes our symptoms worse unfortunately

Calm and true acceptance of our symptoms does provide us with peace of mind

If our symptoms begin to have a negative effect on our daily ability to function....then its time to have a chat with our GP 🙂

above all....please be gentle to yourself.....and please dont 'fight' anxiety...It only increases the anxiety

we are listening

Paul

[Gramsgirl59]

Hello everyone,

I am 59 years old and live in South Australia. I am suffering chronic health anxiety at the moment. I have had it off and on over the years. I am looking to find friends with similar problems and advice on how you cope

I have seen doctors and councillors and take medications.

Am having a bad flare up at the moment. Honestly any advice would be appreciated.

I didn’t know how to start a new thread so joined this one

[Wubbit]

Hi Gramsgirl. I have bad health anxiety also. It is so tough sometimes. I am struggling really badly tonight as I have an appointment with my GP for test results tomorrow and, of course, I am convinced I have something awful. I am also in my 50’s. Seems a very common time for health anxiety to strike