I have a friend who has severe health anxiety. She is forever consulting gp’s and alternative health practitioners about imperceptible and entirely normal issues like an aching finger or a frog in the throat or a runny nose. Many of the alternative practitioners have eventually said to her they can’t help her anymore as she keeps going back to them wanting more and more treatment for issues that simply aren’t there. She is physically healthy but constantly looking for a ‘cure’ to what she perceives as constant illness or issues. She has been through a lot in recent years (partner passed away) and I wonder if this is linked as she’s projecting her worries and insecurities onto imaginary health issues.
She has a young daughter and seems to project it onto her too. There is nothing wrong with this child, she’s healthy and simply gets the odd cough or cold that all kids get. But her mum is convinced there’s a lot wrong with her all the time and is always taking her to gp’s and alternative practitioners too. She’s been told she can’t play with certain toys because she has a dust allergy, she’s stopped from joining playdates or sleepover parties or picked up early as she’s not ‘well enough’ or might get sick or needs rest. She’s not given any vaccines in case it makes her sick. The message that’s constantly being given to the child is that there’s something wrong with her and that she’s different to other kids and that her life has to be curtailed until they find out the magic cure to the mystery ‘illnesses’ and ‘allergic reactions’ she has (in reality doesn’t have) to things. She’s a lovely, healthy girl but is now believing this herself so rather than protesting that she wants to join her friends she’s agreeing with her mum that it’s better for her not to.
It’s so difficult, she’s a great mum in all other respects but she’s constantly thinking the world is out to attack the health of her and her child. I worry about the effect on her daughter but if I or other friends try to gently allude to it she becomes very defensive and tells us we don’t understand. I don’t feel I can talk to an outside agency like school or social services as I can’t see what they can do and I also fear this will only exacerbate her over protection of herself and her daughter.
Any advice or experiences?