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Original poster

What helped your Health Anxiety?

41 replies

potteringaround2 · 29/04/2023 17:38

I have had debilitating health anxiety since I was 16…I’m now 28 and it is RUINING my life. I’m so desperate for help, I’ve been on the waiting list for CBT for about a year with no sign of a date any time soon. Anyone with this god awful condition knows how truly horrendous the vicious worry cycle is. I’m currently in deep at the moment,consumed by fear. I know all of things such as fresh air,exercise,eating well ect. is supposed to make be feel better but because I’m so convinced I’m dying every single day I find even starting any of those things completely overwhelming. Anyone that has/had health anxiety can I ask what has genuinely helped you overcome it? What steps did you take? Any and all suggestions/ tips welcome. I’m so done feeling like this.

OP posts:
TrueScrumptious · 29/04/2023 17:40

To be honest, I got cancer - twice in two years. It put all those other anxieties away when you face something real.

TellySavalashairbrush · 29/04/2023 17:43

I am watching with interest as I have a similar issue with health anxiety. It is truly a miserable existence. Thinking of you op but no ideas myself. I had CBT but it made little difference to be honest.

Righttherights · 29/04/2023 17:44

CBT helped me. If you are not able to find it privately there are some great books to get you started which have exercises to follow. Sorry can’t remember the full details, but something like Mind over mood and/or Managing your Mind ?
Sorry it’s such a struggle.

Righttherights · 29/04/2023 17:45

Fund…not find!

Original poster
potteringaround2 · 29/04/2023 17:58

TrueScrumptious · 29/04/2023 17:40

To be honest, I got cancer - twice in two years. It put all those other anxieties away when you face something real.

I’m so sorry that happened to you. I really hope you’re doing okay now. It makes me feel so sad,guilty and shameful because I’m so preoccupied with something that hasn’t even happened and yet there are people out there who are actually having to endure these illnesses and being so brave about it.

OP posts:
Eyesopenwideawake · 29/04/2023 18:22

What happened when you were 16?

Snickers94 · 29/04/2023 18:24

CBT plus having a private therapist, and also being on medication (sertraline).

My health anxiety was sooo bad. I couldn't leave the house and I would spend all day crying. I was hysterical.

It's now manageable. You'll get through this!

Snickers94 · 29/04/2023 18:25

Also, don't feel ashamed and don't go looking for stories about people with ill health. Don't google your symptoms! Try to reduce your checking behaviours. Set a limit for how many times you check your body/symptom. I know it's easier said than done but it's so important.

TeenDivided · 29/04/2023 18:28

For DD, meds (anti depressants & beta blockers) and therapy, and a lot of time and understanding. She needed the meds to help her access the therapy properly I think.

LucyD30 · 29/04/2023 18:33

Psychotherapy with a very experienced and amazing psychologist and Sertraline. Meds were a total game changer. Really feel for you as it is all consuming and totally debilitating. Hope you manage to get help

lovemycottage · 29/04/2023 18:34

Ashwagandha helped me massively.

Original poster
potteringaround2 · 29/04/2023 18:34

Eyesopenwideawake · 29/04/2023 18:22

What happened when you were 16?

I had a grandparent die of cancer when I was a child and I remember it to this day and I think it traumatised me but only really manifested when I was old enough to understand the reality of it

OP posts:
Peppermint81 · 29/04/2023 18:35

Anti anxiety meds from GP , they will allow you to manage it better

Original poster
potteringaround2 · 29/04/2023 18:35

lovemycottage · 29/04/2023 18:34

Ashwagandha helped me massively.

I haven’t heard of that but I will definitely look it up I’ll do anything to at helps at this point.

OP posts:
Peppermint81 · 29/04/2023 18:36

Plus save up and pay for private CBT!

Coffeeandbourbons · 29/04/2023 18:39

TrueScrumptious · 29/04/2023 17:40

To be honest, I got cancer - twice in two years. It put all those other anxieties away when you face something real.

This, I developed a serious illness.

waterlego · 29/04/2023 18:44

For me, Sertraline. I started on a low dose and had to keep increasing until I was on the full dose. It made the world of difference to my anxiety and enabled me to function. I was on it for a good few years before deciding I wanted to try coming off it, which I did, VERY slowly (over about 12-18 months). Ironically, I finished it completely just before COVID. When that turned up I thought a return of the anxiety was inevitable but to my surprise, I really didn’t get anxious about COVID at all. (in terms of fear of catching it).

In the last year or so, the HA has resurfaced again somewhat but nothing like to the degree it was previously. I’m able to rationalise it most of the time, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go back on Sertraline if I felt I needed to.

I also found some NHS CBT-style online resources which were quite useful. I’ll see if I can find them and share a link.

An important tool in my MH toolkit is exercise and especially yoga (the flowing type set to music). I know a lot of people think it’s trite to suggest yoga/meditation for mental illness, but I say this as someone who has had episodes of poor MH on and off for much of my life. I don’t think my anxiety will ever really go away and I know it’s a cliche but I really do believe it’s a case of finding ways to cope and function. For me, when I’m lost in music and moving through yoga poses, my mind has to shut up. It forces me to just ‘be in my body’. Cheesy but absolutely true for me. So don’t stop doing the good things that you’re already trying: the self-care of exercise, moving your body in whatever way feels good to you; eating well as much as possible, getting rest and decent sleep. It might not cure you but you might feel even worse if you weren’t doing those things.

I think my anxiety is actually more general but ‘latches on’ to certain things. So for a long time it was health (which was triggered by specific health-related events in two of my loved ones). Lately it’s more around the climate, my kids, social media, politics… My anxiety isn’t fussy and will attach itself to anything 😂

Good luck OP, HA is so awful and relentless. I wish you well with any treatments you embark on. I’ll have a look for the CBT stuff. 💐

Original poster
potteringaround2 · 29/04/2023 18:58

waterlego · 29/04/2023 18:44

For me, Sertraline. I started on a low dose and had to keep increasing until I was on the full dose. It made the world of difference to my anxiety and enabled me to function. I was on it for a good few years before deciding I wanted to try coming off it, which I did, VERY slowly (over about 12-18 months). Ironically, I finished it completely just before COVID. When that turned up I thought a return of the anxiety was inevitable but to my surprise, I really didn’t get anxious about COVID at all. (in terms of fear of catching it).

In the last year or so, the HA has resurfaced again somewhat but nothing like to the degree it was previously. I’m able to rationalise it most of the time, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go back on Sertraline if I felt I needed to.

I also found some NHS CBT-style online resources which were quite useful. I’ll see if I can find them and share a link.

An important tool in my MH toolkit is exercise and especially yoga (the flowing type set to music). I know a lot of people think it’s trite to suggest yoga/meditation for mental illness, but I say this as someone who has had episodes of poor MH on and off for much of my life. I don’t think my anxiety will ever really go away and I know it’s a cliche but I really do believe it’s a case of finding ways to cope and function. For me, when I’m lost in music and moving through yoga poses, my mind has to shut up. It forces me to just ‘be in my body’. Cheesy but absolutely true for me. So don’t stop doing the good things that you’re already trying: the self-care of exercise, moving your body in whatever way feels good to you; eating well as much as possible, getting rest and decent sleep. It might not cure you but you might feel even worse if you weren’t doing those things.

I think my anxiety is actually more general but ‘latches on’ to certain things. So for a long time it was health (which was triggered by specific health-related events in two of my loved ones). Lately it’s more around the climate, my kids, social media, politics… My anxiety isn’t fussy and will attach itself to anything 😂

Good luck OP, HA is so awful and relentless. I wish you well with any treatments you embark on. I’ll have a look for the CBT stuff. 💐

Thank you so much for taking the time to send such a detailed response. Not that I would wish this on anyone but it’s so helpful to know I’m not alone. I’m so glad you found ways to cope. It gives me hope that it’s possible,I just honestly can’t remember what it feels like to feel normal,it’s so sad. I feel like it’s taken away so much of my life and I’m so desperate to at least function. Thank you again for sharing xxx

OP posts:
Teaxberspet · 29/04/2023 19:41

The best piece of advise I have been given and use everyday is to treat your anxiety like an annoying toddler who is hanging of your leg wanting attention. Don't give it the attention until a set time everyday. Just keep shaking it off. I choose 8pm every night where I would sit and think about all the anxiety I had that day and write them down one by one. I would then rip up the paper and put it in the bin and be ready to go again the next day. Every time you had a thought during the day repeat "yep I'll give you attention at 8pm tonight" and then carry on with your day. It really really helped me.

Original poster
potteringaround2 · 29/04/2023 20:04

Teaxberspet · 29/04/2023 19:41

The best piece of advise I have been given and use everyday is to treat your anxiety like an annoying toddler who is hanging of your leg wanting attention. Don't give it the attention until a set time everyday. Just keep shaking it off. I choose 8pm every night where I would sit and think about all the anxiety I had that day and write them down one by one. I would then rip up the paper and put it in the bin and be ready to go again the next day. Every time you had a thought during the day repeat "yep I'll give you attention at 8pm tonight" and then carry on with your day. It really really helped me.

That’s such an interesting way of thinking about it. I like the sound of allocating a set time for worrying rather than spending every waking minute feeling terrified. Thank you for this,I will absolutely give it a go.

OP posts:
Teaxberspet · 29/04/2023 20:08

@potteringaround2 honestly it takes a lot of practise and be strict in the first couple of days but I notice some days now I get to 8pm and don't know what to write! It really does work if you stick to it to reduce the anxiety a little each day

TheFormidableMrsC · 29/04/2023 20:58

Being diagnosed with cancer in all honesty. It was my worst fear. The reality was far less awful that I'd imagined and when it happened I took it on the chin, had my treatment and moved on. I don't get health anxiety now. Very occasionally a little fear will flare but not to the extent it was.

TheFormidableMrsC · 29/04/2023 21:05

I should also add that you would probably benefit from Sertraline. It helped my hugely anxious DD enormously. She's been on it for two years and is now weaning off, it's been life changing.

I lost my mum to a cancer that was found too late, 20 years ago now. It is still a largely or rarely incurable cancer. I had terrors about it for years seeing what she went through. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 days before lockdown one. It was so weird. I just thought "ok, let's sort it out" and that was it. Through the course of my treatment I met many people living with cancer, people who would never be cured. Some very young. It's a humbling experience and made me wonder what the actual fuck I'd been stressing myself out about. As things stand I'm fine and getting on with life but I will never again allow myself to fall into that pit of "what if" because the "what if" was not the end of my world.

Randomuser9876 · 29/04/2023 21:14

Strangely enough having kids really helped mine as had something more important than me and was really busy.

Don't like CBT but had an amazing therapist who I still speak to who helped me get to the bottom of my anxieties.

I was on meds for a year while I tried to implement what the therapist said.

You have massive sympathies as its hideous and seems so real at the time. But try and step back and recognise it for what it is. The disease you have is anxiety and not anything else.