You have written it out, and now you can take the first step forward.

You're on the right track, keep moving forward.

Best wishes.

I feel you, I suffer from GAD and Health Anxiety and Always thinking there something wrong with my body but Thank To God so far every test had been good :) I m medication right now to ease my anxiety but since you have problem with drug I wouldn't recommended but there so much that you can do help you without using medication, like Therapy, Meditation, Relaxing Music, exercise and also I drink Chamomile tea and help me a lot to calm down when I feel an anxiety attack is coming. Also, in this group you can find a lot of support and resources to help thru this journey.

I understand how you feel. I suffer from GAD and health anxiety. My health anxiety was at its worst during 2012 and 2013. I find that my health anxiety takes two forms. I can worry about the PHYSICAL implications of a particular illness (like cancer, for example), e.g "Will this illness lead to death? Am I going to die?", or I can worry about the SOCIAL implications of a particular illness (usually a taboo illness, like HIV), e.g "Will this illness affect my ability to find a partner/settle down? Would it mean that I'd be single and lonely for my entire life? Would my friends want to know me?"

I find that the second kind is far worse. Over time, I kind of learned to stop fearing death, so my fear of potentially developing a fatal illness gradually decreased. However, I'd still be anxious about the psychical pain that I'd have to endure from said illness. I find that worrying about the social implications of an illness is far more distressing.

I'm glad you're taking control. If it ever gets unbearable, though, I'd recommend a book called 'Overcoming Health Anxiety'. Good luck.

First I want to congratulate you for your sobriety. Second, you are not insane for having fears like that. Have you asked your doctor to do a complete physical? It's amazing what will show up on just having blood work and a urine test done. I'm sure you have done some damage, but at the same time, I think all drugs, legal or not, can do damage to some degree. Are you having any particular symptoms? If you do, don't let your mind think it's all imaginary because you just may need some tests done. Be sure to listen to your body always. Hugs GB

You probably did do permanent damage to your brain, but "just" in the area of MENTAL health, cognition, discernment of reality versus fantasy etc. I agree, getting some routine tests done can put your mind at ease about physical health.

Kudos to you on your sobriety! I too feel health anxiety. I believe is from abusing drugs when I was younger. I do get headaches and have chest pains/palpitations forever! I've done my routine physicals with complete blood work and all comes out normal. I know this health issue worries and takes a toll on your daily living, But if you done all the above then your good. change your mind setting, every time you feel like something wrong with you " remind yourself no pain no anxiety" distract your mind from thinking otherwise.

Good job on being sober that is awesome. I to have a history. I haven't been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder but I'm pretty sure I fit all the criteria. I have a lot of anxiety over my health. But my anxiety I believe has roots behind it. My past medical history has some concerning things that I need to keep an eye on my health because it be very easy for me to get certain cancers and heart problems. I also found a lump in my breast and how to get that checked out and its fine and now I'm getting my pelvic looked at because there is a lump in my right lower quadrant. Is it because of my anxiety or are these symptoms needing to be looked at? I don't know sometimes I think I feel crazy and I'm like why am I always so worried about this. But I also know that people who are proactive with their health catch stuff early and have a long life. I work in the medical field and I see it all the time when people ignore signs and symptoms of serious illness and they die. Maybe me seeing this has me a little more paranoid and more anxiety ridden than normal. Who knows but you are not alone kill

*at all

Hello dear. First of all congratulations for being clean for over a year. That is a huge accomplishment and I am very proud of you. You should be proud of yourself too.
I am glad that your anxiety is a little better. Do you speak with a therapist, social worker or psychiatrist? I think that that could be very beneficial.
You don't sound insane to me. I think that the drugs may have damaged you some but also thinking that you have cancer, brain tumors and other serious illnesses is also caused by some mental problems. I do the very same thing all of the time. I convince myself that something is very wrong with me and that I have cancer and then I go to the doctor or hospital all of the time and I always come back with a clean bill of health. Have you been to the doctor to rule out any of these illnesses that you think that you have? A lot of the time we sure can work ourselves up and get anxious over things that simply aren't there. I know it is a terrifying feeling thinking that you have these things because again I have done it myself many a time. I wish you the very best and hope you get to feeling better soon.

Thank you so much everyone for the helpful advice, I really appreciate it.

I've made an appointment today to see a doctor so hopefully things go smoothly and I will feel a bit better after.

Thanks again everyone this really helped so much.

I have health anxieties as well. It can be debilitating. But you are not crazy and you certainly are not alone. Keep reminding yourself that what you are feeling is temporary. It is not permanent. It will pass! Be proactive. Get help. Seek medicines that help. Seek counselors that help. Church groups, support groups, people that have suffered through the same thing that you are and can look you in the eye and say it will get better. And it will get better.

Hope you had a successful doctor appointment!

I've had those same issues as well, thinking things going on with me were worse than I thought, been like that since I was a kid. It was really hard dealing with things, I always hated being sick and in pain, but it's been a big part of my life always. Lots of doctor appointments and worries. It's good that you off the MDMA and coke though. That seems like it would be a good step for dealing with anxiety.

You do not sound totally insane. I have been to the doctor for constant headaches, chest pains, dizziness, constant fatigue. I even quit my job because my chest pains were so severe and happened every single day at work, I even left twice to go to the ER because I thought I was having a heart attack or some other heart condition or failure. I am a 23 year old female. I have had many 5 EKGs and many blood tests all with the same prognosis: anxiety. I am not on a medication that I can tolerate, Zoloft 50mg, but that wasn't without a constant daily struggle to get over the horrible side effects at first.

Everyone tells me to "relax, do yoga, go for walks, chill out, stop worrying, eat healthy, etc." and I already do all of those things, but the chest pains continued and I thought I was going insane. If it is at all possible, taking some dedicated time to yourself to figure out ways to get on top of your anxiety and to let it stop controlling your life, like it did for me, is absolutely necessary to getting ahead of it. I see a therapist and plan to start EMDR. I have also been given Gabapentin, which sort of works, and I am supposed to try Trazadone for sleep. The Zoloft has helped me so far. When I tried it a few years ago, it did nothing and gave me headaches.

Just hang in there. Anxiety does crazy things to our minds and makes us over-conscious of every little pain and health concern we have and it seems 110% convincing that there is something really wrong with us. For now, trust that you are ok and try to make major steps to getting ahead of the anxiety. Be gentle on yourself and it will get better, I promise!! I know what you are going through! I thought I was the only person in the world who was going through this, but we are not!

Best wishes to you and good luck! XOXO

i have that type of medical budy anxiety and it gets worse if not dealt with steals peace of mind i am working on that issue now i did have the C word and after that my phobias got to a paralyzing state best wishes i am trying i have no famiy buffers i am alone which makes it a scary issue when i have some one to help me get there it helps ptsd ran alot of folks off so i must find my own inner strength not easy i am with you