health anxiety and Telemerese

[Jessme]

Hi guys,

Does anyone on here have a Health anxiety obsession with DNA damage or Telemere shortening?

I did the silly thing by googling health outcomes for people with OCD and anxiety disorders and from what I could understand in the current scientific literature is that those tested for genetic anxiety disorders also have shortened telemeres or ability to repair damages DNA, opening us up to immune diseases, degernerative disorders and cancers. This seems to perpetuate the anxiety wheel. Is anyone out there educated on the topic and can help reassure me about my fears.

Thankyou

[Doolhof]

Hi Jessme,

Welcome to the community here at Beyond Blue.

I would like to recommend that you take the information you have found to your Dr and discuss it with him or her.

Sometimes I Google my symptoms for various issues, but then I take that info to my Dr to clarify it. I tell him I have been checking out Dr. Google and would like his opinion.

Googling information can be very beneficial, but it doesn't mean that everything you read for a certain condition will be something you experience.

Just like when you buy medication and read all of the warnings. You may not experience anything at all that is written there.

Take your information to your Dr. and discuss it with them. That is the best advice I have for you.

Cheers from Mrs. Dools

[Jessme]

Thanks for the reply Doolhof,

I have been to the GP and explained my worries. He said to stay off google but I think the damage is already done from googling before I saw him. I have a current obsession with Werner Syndrome and am convinced I have it because my hair started to go grey when I was 24 and I am short. The fear that I have it consumes me day and night and I think what's the point in getting up each day if I'm going to die early in life from the condition. Genetic testing is pretty expensive and my GP is not encouraging it as I will probably just move onto another disease once I'm cleared of this one. I should also mention I thought I had bone cancer last year ( xray said no) and brain tumour, ms etc before that. I have a strong family history of mental illness (OCD in particular) and am medicated/ doing cbt etc. I'd just like temporary reassurance from my current obsession with premature aging diseases. 😔

[Doolhof]

Hi Jessme,

Thanks for sharing more of how you are feeling and how you think about medical illnesses. It does seem that once you are convinced you don't have one disease then you will/may move on to another one.

Our minds can be very complicated things! I am certainly no expert, but it sounds like you have become stuck in a rut of thinking you have a serious disease, so therefore you must have, no matter what your Dr. says.

What if you start Googling "WAYS TO HAPPINESS" instead of illnesses or something similar. Look up ideas on becoming healthy.

There must be millions of messages out there for positivity and motivation. Drown your brain in those kind of thoughts instead.

Are you close to a library? If so ask at the desk for books on positivity. Do you like puzzles at all? I find if my mind is starting to slide down the depressive track, if I have an opportunity to do a Sudoku puzzle then my mind is so consumed with that, I forget about being depressed for a while!

I might give you some homework, here is a challenge for you, Google something like "How to become happier" and let me know what you find. Even one idea will be excellent.

I'm certainly not saying that if you have any medical worries, do not brush them aside, ailments do need to be checked by your Dr. Some of us just need to be able to accept what the Dr says is truth and that illness is not in our systems.

Hope some of this helps, and I am looking forward to hearing what you think of my suggestions, positive or negative responses are welcome.

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

[Doolhof]

Me again!

Another thought just popped into my mind. As a child when I was feeling neglected by my family, I hoped I developed a horrible disease or illness so my family would realise I was there and that I needed them.

Do you see a counsellor at all? I'm wondering if there is a reason why you are thinking this way.

Even as an adult I sometimes hope I develop something sinister so I will be given a little attention and consideration. I realise I think this way because of my childhood, and because of my depression and Borderline Personality Disorder.

Maybe without even realising it, you may be "wanting" an illness for a similar reason.

I may be barking up the wrong tree here, it is just something else to consider.

Cheers again from Mrs. Dools

[Mal50]

I've found from personal experience that looking up symptoms on Google can aggravate anxiety or stress without reliable follow up.

[Doolhof]

Hi Mal50 and Everyone,

Dr. Google can be helpful, but I too would highly suggested that anything you read or are concerned about should be discussed with your Dr or other medical person.

My husband Googled symptoms he was experiencing, took that knowledge to the Dr. He had scans done promptly and was rushed off to hospital to have a cancerous growth removed.

So yes, Google is very helpful, you just need that one on one medical intervention to determine what is real for you.

There are so many wonderful sights as well to help with ideas and suggestions to overcome mental illness.

Cheers all from Mrs. Dools