Scared about health

[Littleone23]

Hi guys,
I’m going through a hard patch of GAD (general anxiety disorder) and OCD since I was 12... I was going really well until a few weeks ago I started getting panic attacks daily...


The reason this started was when I read an article about the aspartame in Diet Coke causing brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s.


Now my brain is FREAKING OUT, I haven’t had a period since I was 15 (I’m not 27 but I’ve had 3 recovery periods) so my head is like
“You’ve had artificial sweeteners your whole like and no hormones to protect your brain so now your doomed to Alzheimer’s”


Someone please help I’ve been having panic attacks on the daily 😫

[Speak Your Truth]

Hi littleone

I’m so sorry to read you are having such a bad day. I have also have a big problem with anxiety now, but not with OCD so I can empathise wth at least some of what you are going through.

You say you are freaking out so I hope you know and are able to use some of the techniques to help you calm down - even just a little bit is good.

I don’t know anything about the causes of Alzheimers and cannot offer advice. I think it is really, really important though that you talk with a health professional about this as soon as possible.

I do understand that our bodies are amazing things with incredible capacity for repair and regeneration. And you are young little one which must be in your favour I’m sure.

Please don’t suffer this on your own - the forum seems pretty quite today and I can understand it must be hard not to get a quick response. I am a newbie on the forum and have had the same thing happen, but I have had a lot of support in a short time from very kind, understanding people and you can look forward to that too.

Its Easter Sunday today and another holiday tomorrow, so it may not be easy for you to see your GP quickly - can I suggest you go to a hospital outpatients department and talk to someone there ?

Hang in there little one - I will be on-line for quite a while so write again if you want to.

Be gentle with yourself - here is a hug for you 🤗😘

[Speak Your Truth]

Hi littleone

I replied to your post about an hour ago, but it hasn’t come thru on-line yet.

I will repeat some of what I said ...

I have bad anxiety at this time too so I can empathise with you about that. It’s really hard isn’t it !!! I have not been on the forum long but have had a lot of support from caring and kind people already, and you can look forward to that too, The forum seems very quiet today, so I’m sorry you haven’t had the response you have hoped for.

I’m sorry you have this worry, but do try not to freak out. Your mind will be in over-drive which is not helpful - so talk to your GP when you can. Our bodies are amazing things capable of repair and regeneration and you are young (27?) so that must be in your favour.

I’m on-line for quite a while if you want to talk.

I’m sending you a hug 🤗 be gentle with yourself littleone

[Doolhof]

Hi Littleone,

Welcome to the forum and to the community here. I know how easy it can be for our minds to run away with dark thoughts, causing further anxiety and stress.

Like Speak your Truth mentioned, have a talk with your Dr about this the next time you see him or her. They may be able to suggest ways you can improve your brain function to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's (in all of us)

Are there strategies that have helped you in the past to help relieve your feelings of anxiety? Can yo try and put some of those things into action now?

It seems to be that "someone" is always saying that this substance or that is bad for us. If we were to take everything on-board we would be total lunatics!

I'm really sorry this information has affected you so much. Sometimes we need to work at changing our thoughts so issues are not so severe. Says me who has not been on the forum for a while due to feeling lousy!

It can be tough changing our thoughts, it is worth it though for a little peace of mind.

Hope you are able to release some of the anxiety you are feeling.

Cheers from Dools

[Littleone23]

Thank you so much!!

[Doolhof]

Hi Littleone23,

Would you like to share with us how you are feeling today?

Do you have any plans for the day?

If your mind starts to wander, do you have a way to stop yourself and to try to get back on track to helpful ways of thinking?

Sometimes I sing songs in my head and that helps me concentrate on something different. Or I might look around me and try to find 10 things that are green, or blue, or something just as simple but distracting.

Hope you find some ways to distract your thinking.

Cheers from Dools

[Speak Your Truth]

Hi littleone

Are you on-line and want to talk littleone ? I can’t tell who else is on-line but I am. It’s 10am and will be for a while if you’d like to share how you’re feeling today 🤗

[Speak Your Truth]

If you’d like to tell us Littleone we’d all love to hear how you are doing. I hope you’ve had a good day. Hugs 🤗