Experiences?

[BlueMe]

Hi everyone...

i was wondering if anyone here had ever sought professional help for their health anxiety and if so, what have the results been?  I am thinking about seeing somebody to help me through this because it's just out of control.  Every little thing is a malignancy in my mind.  Last week I threw out my back playing with my son and of course the pain was gone in a matter of days.  Until it was gone though, I was convinced it was some sort of cancer that had spread to my spine.  I'm constantly checking my moles and I even find myself staring at strangers moles as I go about my day - looking for something abnormal in their moles.  I convince myself that every little bump or lump is some sort of cancer.  I was certain I had some sort of breast cancer or skin cancer a few weeks ago and it turns out (after a mammogram and ultrasound) that it's nothing more than a sebaceous cyst (completely benign and very common).  I think about it all the time and it's starting to seriously interfere with my daily life.  I'm not sure what a psychologist might do to help me out.  Can anyone relate?

[sixpack]

Everbody on this forum can relate to what is going on with you.  and many folks here are in counseling and/or on meds.

I have been on meds in the past.  And they helped.  Presently I'm not but finally with the help of my neuro, this forum and another website that listed the most common symptoms of anxiety, I finally logically and emotionally accepted that my mind was doing this to me.  As a result of faulty thinking I put myself in this.  For me I had to accept this to get better.  Other folks have to do other things to help them along.

Reading your post it doesn't seem our health anxieties manifest in the same way.  Mine seem to come, mostly,  as the result of overthinking physical aches and pains.  My mind/body reacts to stress physically and then I overthink it and end up with a fatal disease.  It *seems* yours manifests with you just worrying about diseases in general.  You fear a disease, not necessarily by symptoms you are experiencing but just through your faulty thinking, for the most part anyway.  I do what you do occasionally--worry about a mole or if that bump on my leg has always been there etc.    But any ole way we experience it----and there are both camps here ---it is disruptive for sure.

I think if you can get the faulty thinking in check, you'll feel a lot better.
Some do that through meds/therapy, hobbies, exercise, reading selfhelp books, this forum, meditation, yoga, supplements.....  There is no right or wrong way really.   

   

[laura124]

BlueMe,
I can totally relate!  Especially the mole thing.... I look at everyone's moles, too.  And I'm thinking, "they should really have that looked at" and "thank God I don't have something like that on my body!"
And I worry about any lump or bump or anything on my body that's not supposed to be there.
The thing is HA is a form of anxiety and OCD, definitely.  The anxiety seems to trigger the thoughts, at least for me.  When I'm the most stressed is when the thoughts of an illness or the compulsion to check my body are activated.  So, I don't take SSRI's or anything.  I go to therapy every week.  This helps me talk out my problems and strategize solutions.  It also validates my feelings, worries, concerns.
I exercise almost everyday.  I try to either walk or run a minimum of 5 miles every day and to get my heart rate up for at least 20 minutes.  This will alleviate anxiety and depression immensely. I take sufficient vitamins, especially B-complex and vitamin D.
I also practice a type of self-CBT on the intrusive thoughts when they occur.  I have taught myself not to fear the thoughts and to re-focus on more positive, happy thoughts.
It takes discipline and some practice but it can be done without medication. 
Hope this helps!
Laura

[AruroGotti]

awesome advice concerning the vitamin D, B complex, and the daily exercise. Diet changes along with upping the cario and supplementing with extra D, C, fish oil, flax oil, multi, and fruit and juice enzymes has made a huge difference for me both physically and mentally.