Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
health anxiety isn't on my personal anxiety smorgasbord, but i wanted to welcome you aboard.
Have you had a physical lately? Just to rule out anything that causes anxiety type symptoms, such as thyroid issues, perimenopause, etc.
And, see a psychiatrist, as they are medical doctors who can help you with getting the right kind of medication.
And also a therapist (like you don't have enough to do already, right?) can help with having someone to talk to who will help you get your life back on track.
I know that's a lot to do. Do one appointment at a time. Being proactive helps with feeling better physically and mentally.
Best wishes to you. You are not alone.
With my situation, it's trying to find a diagnosis and not being able to be still and patient with the process. I don't do very well with pain management and the longer I deal with symptoms, the worse my anxiety gets, and then they feed off of each other.
This latest health issue was puzzling and was a year and a half without a diagnosis and being passed back and forth between 8 GPs and specialists. The whole time ordeal was during Covid, so it was stressful in those early months going to clinics/docs and STILL has been. The virtual appointments were wastes of time and money and it just felt like a never-ending process that drug on and on. I sought out therapy fairly early, as within the first 3 months, I was an anxious wreck and it was taking me down.
The second my diagnosis was official, and I finally found a good specialist that knew I wasn't crazy, was experienced with the condition, and had the proper knowledge and background, my anxiety dropped immensely and I have been able to manage it so much more effectively.
So yes, I would say I struggle with "health anxiety" and as we all know from grappling with the unknowns, symptoms that drag on forever without answers can start you down a dark path quickly.
You've asked a 'wide' question. Gotten quite a few responses, too.
The word 'health' triggers a specific reaction in everyone, depending on their medical circumstances.
I was fortunate in that my pcm was able to reduce my anxiety while checking on me. It was great to have the pcm remind me that stress ... is not always anxiety and it needs to be dealt with as 'stress'.
The difference, for me, was immediate lowering of blood pressure, calmness in answering questions, and the end result was a successful visit without having hives, panic attack, or any other 'usual' reactions.
There comes a time when changing your perception, perspective, and using a different way to describe your symptoms may give you a more appropriate diagnosis.
The more you know about yourself, the easier it is to figure out how to work with the professionals to find the best diagnosis.