Hello from a health anxious newbie

[Smokysolo]

Hi forums. First time here for me. This week I have been struggling with health anxiety. I've had some really bad nights' sleep, digestion problems, random pains. It's so hard for me to believe the real symptoms I experience are put there by my brain. But I'm learning.

I was even in the ED on Friday. I had chest pains after the mRNA booster. I had blood tests and a chest x-ray (clear) and was eventually sent home, but with a warning that if I get shortness of breath and dizziness to go back. So I lay in best last night, examining every breath, feeling every twinge. It can be so hard in the wee hours to figure out what's real.

I've come to these forums in the hope that I can read about other people's similar experiences, and to learn how to deal with it better.

Thanks for reading. Take care.

[jaz28]

Hi there,

I am sorry you have been experiencing some health anxiety, and it is especially hard when anxiety can give you physical pain.

Is there something you find enjoyable? This could help to ground you when you feel anxious.

Also, have you considered speaking to a psychologist?

I hope things improve soon,

Jaz xx

[G_Nova]

Hey Smokysolo,

I understand you completely. Over the past maybe 4-5 years I have developed such terrible health-related anxieties. In my case I obsess over each symptom until it escalated my anxiety, only worsening the symptoms themselves (which I have been told are just a product of my anxieties). Most of last year I was suffering from being iron deficient and all of the symptoms of iron deficiency (like light-headedness and fatigue) were exacerbated by my anxiety so it made me feel so much worse than I actually was. At work I sometimes feel overwhelmed by tasks and a bit of sensory overload, so I start to feel ill and lightheaded but its really just me having a panic attack and I have to remind myself that I'm not sick and I just need a time out to reset.

The main thing that helps is just reminding myself to breath (as basic as that may sound) focus on the things that I can see, feel, hear, etc. I just focus on re-centring myself and focus on the now.

I know a lot of these anxieties come from my own childhood (and also continuing) trauma of having severely ill loved ones & spending a lot of time around hospitals. Its interesting for me to think about how my anxiety is starting to manifest in this way all these years later..

I hope you find the support that you need. Wishing you well 🙂

[missep123]

Hi Smokysolo,

I know how you feel! When I used to get call-back appointments my mind used to go into overdrive! Waiting the week or a few days until the appointment was really stressful. What helped me was to reframe what was happening i.e. tell myself that the news that will be told will not change regardless of if I keep ruminating about it the days prior. It was important for me to really understand the things I can and can't control. I couldn't control that I had a call-back appointment and the information that we would discuss during it but I could control how I was feeling and acting.

How have you been feeling recently?

We are definitely here for you!