Health Anxiety

[Dk_alexander]

Hi Everyone,

I am suffering horribly from Health Anxiety, ie Hypochondriac. I am 31 and successful in my career, but i cant even work right now my anxiety is so bad. 

i have a pattern of discovering a disease, then believing i have it and not just believing but actually feeling the symptoms for real. It is horrible and often seemingly endless. I am seeing a therapist undergoing CBT - i tried some medicine, but it caused intense insomina and i couldnt handle it anymore so i stopped it. 

I feel enourmous guilt over putting my family through my episodes. I have an amazing wife and young daughter with another child on the way. 

i have endless medical appointments, at some stages one every day of the week. I have also spent lots of money on these invesitgations and feel guilty of the waste. 

I am a logical and mature person, i know i suffer from Health Anxiety but cannot seem to stop it. I love my life and am so grateful for everything i have but i cannot believe how bad my health anxiety is and how it is dominating me. I am struggling to work at all, and that is putting my career at risk. I am concerned about been able to take care of my family and support them properly with this condition. On top of all that, i constantly fear the illnesses i believe i have. I am quite confident the origins of my illness came from a serious accident i have about 7 years ago, as well as aid work i did for many years with very sick and terminal children. I often feel guilty that so many poor people out there have real diagnoses they are trying to deal with while i am here suffering over ones that dont exist. 

I am wondering if anyone else out there suffers Health Anxiety and any strategies they have undertaken to help manage it. for anyone suffering any kind of anxiety out there, i wish the best for you and hope that you can find workable strategies. It is a horrible sickness and so hard to explain, even to yourself. 

[Sophie_M]

Hi DK_alexander,  
 
Thank you for your post to the forums today and for sharing with us how you are feeling right now. Health anxiety is incredibly challenging to manage, and it sounds like you are doing lots of things to help support yourself on your journey to feeling better.  
 
It’s good to hear you are speaking to your health professionals about these symptoms, we think it’s always really good to keep your GP updated with health anxiety and physical symptoms. Please know that the Beyond Blue counsellors are here for you as well, and you can call us on 1300 22 4636 anytime if you feel like talking it through.   We’re sure we’ll hear from our lovely community here soon, but in the meantime here’s some resources and conversations on managing anxiety you might find interesting: 

• Some strategies for managing anxiety  

• This previous thread where community members shared some of their Beyond Blue’s anxiety management strategies 
   

Thanks again for posting here. It must have taken a lot of strength to share this, but you never know who will read this post and feel less alone in their own experience. 
 
Kind regards,  
Sophie M 

[David35]

I had anxiety caused from back pain. Not quite the same I know. But I managed to identify that some of the anxiety was caused by not knowing if there was something seriously wrong with my spine. My first gp ignored me. I saw another gp, who got some scans done and identified I had mild arthritis in various parts. I could manage it with physio, adjusting my lifestyle. But the main thing is that I wasnt worrying whether it was a disc bulge, or something else, because I had a diagnosis. My mind could then stop playing tricks on me and worrying about all sorts of problems that didn't exist because I had identified the cause of the problem.

Hope this helps

[Mark Z.]

Hi Dk_alexander,

I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling with health anxiety. I can tell it must be super frustrating. Don’t feel guilty because it’s your mental illness, not you. You’re taking steps to manage your condition by seeing a therapist and undergoing CBT. That’s a great start! I think you need to be patient with yourself, give yourself more time and stick to the plan. Would you like to share how everything is going so far with the therapy?

Regarding the medication, I’m sorry about the side effects. There are various antidepressants available, so it’s important that you talk with your doctor about how you’re feeling and adjust the medication to find the right one for you.

It’s important to remember that health anxiety is a real condition that can be treated with therapy and medication. You are a brave fighter and you are on the right track. Give yourself more time. Don’t lose hope.

Mark

[Dk_alexander]

Thanks Mark and David above or your kind words and support. 

I take both of your advice points onboard. I am still undergoing CBT, i have faith in it, but i am conscious it will likely take a long time to settle in. There are a few things i have done in the past few days though which i feel are positive and helping me:

1. I am acknowledging more and more i have health anxiety and focusing on treating that rather than the continually concocted illnesses

2. I found a website called "this way up" - which has online modules on different anxiety and depression conditions, one is health anxiety and so far it is very helpful. 

3. I have learned to devalue the fear around a serious illness a bit more - as it is always possible, but maybe doesnt always need to be feared. no one wants to get horribly ot terminally ill, but working to feel more accepting of the idea and that it wouldn't all be negative. 

i will admit, i am still battling some health anxiety habits, such as frequent checking and reassurance seeking, but getting better each day with them. i will continue to see my therapist as well as keep using the resources i have found. 

I have some important tests next week, and fingers crossed for good results. 

I know i have a long way to go , but i am up for the fight. I do appreciate the kind support and feel blessed to live in a world where we have these kinds of communities, thankyou - i will update as i continue. 

[Petal22]

Hi D k Alexander,

Im sorry you are suffering with this I understand how debilitating it can be to deal with. 

I understand that you seek reassurance and check things.

Do you feel you tend to analyse things?

Question things even if someone professional has told you that you are ok.

Im asking these questions because I once suffered with health anxiety and I thought this was what I had but mine kept escalating to severe levels.

I was constantly living in my head, doctor googling, seeking re assurance, questioning my diagnosis, frequently checking things mentally and physically I was on a wheel that just kept turning and I couldn’t get off……… I could bearly function in my daily life…. I learned that what I was doing where compulsions.

I received the correct treatment for my condition and I’m now fully recovered.

hang in there and don’t loose hope.