Make a Health Anxiety Timeline and self assessment of your reactions

[Ravens Lady]

I have decided to make an anxiety timeline of significant health scares for me over my whole life.  I will write the issue, the result or resolution of that issue, and then I will assess, in my hindsight, my reaction to that issue.  At the end I will copy and paste my assessments together to see what habits I have so that I can be better able to assess my current reactions and break recurrent bad habits.  I invite others to join in and make their own.  Its a lot of work, but I think that if you invest some time into it, it will be worth it.  I think this is also something you can look back on if a new issue presents itself. 

Health Anxiety Time-line:

Age 0 - 11

-none.

Age 12

-Developed obsession over my mother dying that I repeated each day before she came home from work.  It involved grieving and crying each day at 5:00 pm.
resolution/result- slowly diminished after age 14

My self assessment of my reaction: Its obvious that from childhood I had a predisposition to anxiety due to the level of my irrational fears and the fear level that I had daily.  This should have been a sign. 

-Fear of cancer (bump behind ear)
resolution/result- quick trip to doctor.  She said small bump was due to irritation.  It quick disappeared.


My self assessment of my reaction:  I totally overreacted. 

Age 13-16

-no health related anxiety

Age 17

-Heart Worries, full blown panic attacks, Chest Pains, faint, dizziness, lump in throat, sleep disturbances, weakness, strong pulse
resolution/result - Doctor found heart murmur.  Echocardiogram and EKG ruled heart healthy.  Diagnosis-Mitral Valve Prolapse.  Cardiologist explained that the issue was not serious nor life threatening and would not affect me.  Fears and body symptoms slowly diminished after this. 

My self assessment of my reaction:  I was right about having a physical issue, but very wrong in assuming it was serious. 


Age 18

-no health related anxiety

Age 19

-convinced myself I was pregnant
resolution result-I was not.

My self assessment - Its was physically impossible for me to have been pregnant, therefore I was completely irrational, illogical, to consider this. 

Age 20-21

-Quick scare about brain tumor/growth after I noticed a bump on my head.
resolution result - I realized that that was the way my skull is shaped.

My self-assessment - I looked at something normal, and assumed it was something serious and medically wrong.  I'm not as observant about my body as I think. 

-More pregnancy fears
resolution / result - I wasn't

Self assessment - Once again it was physically impossible for me to have been pregnant.  I obviously have a habit of repeating bad thinking behaviors and repeat illogical and irrational thinking.

-Sleeping trouble anxiety.  I woke up feeling I hadn't rested.  I assumed I couldn't sleep well anymore
resolution / result - Slowly diminished after a month or so. I had assumed I was having difficulty sleeping due to a sleep disorder, but in reality I was not not getting restful sleep because I was going to sleep too late and waking up late which inhibits restful sleep phases.  Also, the sleep aids I was using were affecting my quality of sleep. 

My self assessment of my reaction - I don't take into account that lifestyle choices and medication can affect my body in negative ways. 

Age 22 - 25

-Stung on my arm by fire-coral while snorkeling off the shores of and tiny island close to Puerto Rico.  Considering I was on a remote island off the shores of PR, I had a panic attack over this. 

Resolution / result - Found island officials to inform me of what most likely caused the sting.  Pain slowly diminished.  Took a benadryl.  Got a tetanus shot when I arrived home. 

My assessment of my reaction: I reacted strongly emotionally to a situation that was unknown, and although it was totally valid for me to be concerned and prudent in getting info on it as quickly as possible, I probably could have worked to remain a little bit calmer. 

Age 26 - 29

-New body issues present - (I prefer not to share these details)

My self assessment in my reaction -   (I will keep this one personal)

-Rabies scare after getting bit by a stray cat.  I began to present muscle twitching in the spot I was bitten and began having sensations in my neck which worried me more.  I was also concerned about getting the rabies vaccine considering I react strongly to some meds. 
Resolution/result - I found the cat and health that bit me alive after 20 days which means the cat could not have transmitted rabies to me (he would have been dead after that had he had rabies)  Fear diminished after finding the cat.

My self assessment - After worrying and anguishing over health concerns, I often present new body issues most likely due to the stress.  I also assume that very unlikely and rare illnesses will happen to me even though these are very unlikely. 


Now I will take my full assessment by copying and pasting my assessments together:

-Its obvious that from childhood I had a predisposition to anxiety due to the level of my irrational fears and the fear level that I had daily.  This should have been a sign.  -I totally overreacted.  -I was right about having a physical issue, but very wrong in assuming it was serious.  Its was physically impossible for me to have been pregnant, therefore I was completely irrational, illogical, to consider this.  -I looked at something normal, and assumed it was something serious and medically wrong.  I'm not as observant about my body as I think.  -I obviously have a habit of repeating bad thinking behaviors and repeat illogical and irrational thinking.  -I don't take into account that lifestyle choices and medication can affect my body in negative ways.  - I reacted strongly emotionally to a situation that was unknown, and although it was totally valid for me to be concerned and prudent in getting info on it as quickly as possible, I probably could have worked to remain a little bit calmer.  -After worrying and anguishing over health concerns, I often present new body issues most likely due to the stress.  -I also assume that very unlikely and rare illnesses will happen to me even though these are very unlikely. 

 

[idreamofskiba]

This is a great idea, thanks for sharing. I will have to try this out.

[dizzydan]

awesome idea!! its amazing how we over react do to anxiety. keep up the good work!!

[Allochka]

Very educational post!
I'm new to health anxiety ( 4 months only), and analysing my previous life I can't say I was an anxious person before. I was emotional, but in a good way, reacting deeply to nice things, not to the bad things.
all changed after my miscarriage. therapist thinks possibly I blame myself for miscarrying, and punish myself with HA. Or just trying to hide from thoughts about the baby behids these HA nightmares.... I don't know....

[peepo23]

I can trump you Allochka, I started my HA aged 5 or 6 - I became deeply distressed by the thought of getting Measles and going blind.

I was a very early starter.

[Allochka]

But I have a feeling that you were able to overcome this, weren't you? I hope this thing is not forever....