Obsessing about physical problems actually causing physical problems?

[dgreen97]

Originally posted this in the OCD forum but though it might be better suited here:

I've had OCD since I was like 7 and now I'm 23. For some reason it seems that when I start worrying about a problem or obsessing about it I actually develop that problem for real. An example would be a few problems I have now:

I've worked on computers since I was 7 as well and never had a problem with eyestrain or eye dryness. I would spend many hours a day on the computer and never have an issue. A year and a half ago I started working as a web designer at a new job and I experienced some eye strain. I believe it was because I stared at the computer for like 8 hours and didn't take regular breaks like I should have. Even since then I've been obsessed with monitoring my eye strain/fatigue.

The other problem (eye dryness) started to happen when I went to the doctor and she said my eyes looked dry. I didn't really have a problem with eye dryness until she told me that and now I've developed some very problematic issues with eye dryness. I've afraid to go into the wind now when I never was before because of it. I find myself searching forums and articles on the internet constantly to try and identify why I'm having these problems. I've become so obsessed with them that these issues are on my mind 50-75% of the day.

I guess my question is: Is it possible that worrying and obsessing about these problems is actual causing the issue? Is it possible that there really isn't a real issue with eye fatigue and eye dryness and that I've developed these problems because of my obsessive thoughts? What can I do to alleviate this problem and stop it from happening anymore?

Thanks

Alex

[Daisy131]

i replied to your other post but i'll do it here too.

have you by chance been googling?

i have major cyberchondria. MAJOR. like, look it up and my picture is there as the spokesperson and el presidente.

the mind is so much more powerful than we think it to be.

i read a symptom and i swear to you, KID YOU NOT, within a day i will have it.

my current kick is mental illness- more specifically bipolar. i have two medical professionals and an entire family that will stand on their heads to convince me otherwise. but this dang anxiety- she is determined!

first off: don't google.

second: get some visine. you work with computers. you are concentrating and focusing your eyes all day long and probably going long periods of time without blinking to rewet your eyes. my dad is computer programmer, and has had horrible dry eye issues.

also, it could just be allergies too.

i promise you, you are FINE.

[scared_silly]

Lol. Welcome to the wonderful world of anxiety! The eye fatigue I'm not so sure about because being on the computer for extended periods of time an a frequent basis would do that to anybody... I can't even go too long without a break. But to answer your question, absolutely! Anxiety does many wonderous things to the body..lol. When you obsess or worry about something too much its definately possible to start experiencing the problem or "symptoms" of the problem. How do u make it stop? simple. Stop worrying about it. Definately harder than it sounds I know. So try this.. When you start experiencing the eye dryness or the other issues ask yourself, "is this going to harm me in any way?" Or "Is this eye dryness really worth worrying over?" Your answer will probably be no. So buy some eye drops and use them as needed. And afterwards, try your best to forget about it.. Try distract youself too if u can. Anything will do! What are your hobbies? Try go have fun when your not at work! Watch a movie with your loved ones! See how often you'll need those drops when u stop worrying ;)

[emma09]

i wear contacts and look at a comp screen lots so mine are dry, get some eye drops work wonders :)

when my anxietys high i only have to read about a symptom or glance over what somebodys said and wella within an hour i have it! very common with ppl who are sensitive to there bodies! drives me crackers only thing you could do if u wanted to avoid situations like that is to not search on the net, or even stay away from sites like this if ur reading through other ppls problems... i have a heart fear (well not so much ne more) but as soon as i read about someone elses heart fear and the symptoms they had i would get it! like a palpitation feeling in the throat never had it in my life then read about it on a site and well ever since then ive had them ever since.... mind is a poweful thing, especially your subconcious as you could think your not anxious but deep down your probs thinking about a symptom which will probs bring it on ......

[OCDP]

Anxiety is the worst for this kind of stuff. And I agree, do not Google, it will always make whatever issue you currently have ten times worse. Guaranteed. Easier said than done I completely understand as I am terrible for that myself.

It's very clear though, you work with computers every day, all day (give or take) You are bound to wind up with eye strain and dry eyes. I work at a computer 7.5 hours a day and I get this. The thing is the more you focus on this, I'd be willing to bet your eyes feel more dry, more fatigued, strained and so on. Grab some visine as mentioned, I think they made one specifically for the workplace and try to put it in the back of your head. Eye strain and dryness is so common and totally treatable, nothing to worry yourself over.

I was getting very minor headaches a while back, started focusing on them more, then even more and then sure enough debilitating headaches 7 days a week with no relief. You can definitely make matters worse and most definitely create them for yourself, anxiety is so bad for this stuff and having OCD on top of it doesn't help one bit, I know.

I know OCD and obsessive worries, etc are so hard to shake off but it can be done! Hope you're feeling a bit better.

[dgreen97]

thanks for all of your responses guys. i see you all have the same types of problems that i do. right now i'm taking paxil 20mg.. i just started again after not taking SSRIs for many years. I just decided I was sick of fearing life and these problems so I'm trying to do something about it again. You mentioned stop googling which I've really been trying hard to do. In the past 2 weeks I've only done it a few times when before I would do it 3-4 times a day. I've also tried to stop worrying about my eyes at work which I haven't done in about a year and a half. I noticed that today I still had eye fatigue and some dryness... but it wasn't any different than the days when I take constant breaks and think about it all the time. I think this just proves that focusing on the problem makes it seem a lot worse than it really is. I literally have to force myself to focus on my work and work harder just to keep my mind off the problem. How can I keep my mind from racing though? What happens is I will get fixed on a problem and it becomes very difficult to get my mind off of it until another problem distracts me? Have any of you experienced this and what have you done to relieve it? I know you suggested stop worrying too which I'm also trying to do.

What other methods are you guys using to stop worrying about things besides antidepressants (if you're using those like I am)?

[dgreen97]

daisy I forgot to mention that I "did" have horrible cyberchondria. I say did because I just stopped like 2 weeks ago. I would search every single day multiple times trying to find out a cure for my eye fatigue and dry eyes. I know that I'm going to experience some of that while working on the computer every day but I always compare myself to my earlier years (like 2 years ago) when I could stare at a computer for 8 hours with no problem. Maybe it's because I'm focused on it now that it's become an issue with eye fatigue/dryness. I would frequent websites like dryeyezone.com and read all of the articles top to bottom. I noticed my dry eye problem got worse after that. It has actually gotten progressively worse over the last year even though I had been doing more treatments for it than I ever have in the past.

I think another thing is when I go to the doctor and find out I have a problem I start worrying about it. It just becomes progressively worse the more I worry when in my mind I think it's supposed to make it better by taking care of it. The one thing I've found out by asking a number of people why they can stare at a screen with no problem and I can't is that they don't worry about it and I do.

I think what probably happened is when I was younger I didn't think about eye fatigue or dryness when I used the computer. But when I went to work as a web designer I got some fatigue and stuff that day when I first started. Ever since then I started going to doctors for it and they would tell me I have some dryness and eye fatigue problems or whatever. The problem has become chronic ever since which is what I'm trying to get rid of.