Tips for managing health anxiety

[TheRealMummyPig]

After years of health anxiety triggered by some actual genuine health problems, I am always on high alert and find myself becoming consumed whenever I experience any new health issue.

The impact on daily life from undiagnosed physical symptoms is frustrating enough but I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for not going down the rabbit hole trying to figure out what's wrong and how to treat it etc

Thanks 😊

I take 10mg citalopram. Health anxiety gone.

I had terrible health anxiety after having my daughter. My mother had died 7 years previously, and I was convinced I had what she died of. I was given Anafranil which is an antidepressant. Don't know if you can get them now, but they worked!

Keeping a diary of how you are feeling and reacting. Then when you feel the same way again you can look back and see that it was OK last time so will most likely be ok and pass again.
Also don't be afraid of medication. I was on escitalopram for several years and it really helped slow then stop the spiral.

Things that have helped me:

1. Exercise - the more vigorous the better. I don't know whether it's mental or that it actually affects the stress hormones but something works.

2. Mindfulness meditation - doesn't necessarily help when it's at its worse but has lowered my "base anxiety" level.

3. I've finally managed to let go of the idea that somehow worrying will protect me from there being anything seriously wrong. If I get a symptom now I accept that my thoughts have no influence on whether it will turn out to be anything serious or not. This did feel scary at first but it now helps me get on with life.

4. Being disciplined with using the Internet. Personally find Googling more helpful than not but I do make myself stop after finding something reassuring rather than endlessly searching for the one person in the world whose stubbed toe turned out to be a symptom of brain tumour.