Health anxiety creeping back

[Elenaspy25]

Good evening all,
A little background il try keep it short,
4 years ago when I had my son I developed PND and PTSD after the labour I ended having an emergency c section and getting sepsis which I had to stay in hospital for a week. Weeks and months after I was just sad and not bonding with my son and had all typical PND symptoms my health visitor noticed and she helped me get referred for CBT and gp put me on medication, I realised that my anxieties revolved mainly around health, I would daily body scan me and my son for any symptoms I would spend ages on Google trailing websites with different illnesses soon as I hear someone had a illness I was convinced I had it, the cbt and medication did help they gave me coping strategies and iv seemed to got on ok with a few bumps however whenever someone is unwell or I’m unwell like I currently am sitting in hospital I feel my old ways coming back and I find it so hard to control I convince myself I’m dying and I get so anxious that it physically makes my heart race which in hand feeds my anxiety even more that something is wrong with me, if anyone has had any similar feelings or situations it would be good to hear or any kind words and support!
thank you

Hello,

I also deal with health anxiety and unfortunately have for over a decade, I've had CBT and talking therapy many times, I do have periods were it's under control but like you when I become ill or someone in my family is ill the intrusive thoughts creep back in. Google becomes like an addiction and I can't stay off it and physical symptoms raise their ugly head as you say like raised heart rate, difficulty breathing, shaking etc. Regular meditation, walking, being in nature and trying really really hard to stay off Google and focus on the "external world" and not internal are all things that help me cope but it's never fully gone.
I'm sorry you're in hospital but you're not alone with this situation, health anxiety is becoming one of the most common forms of anxiety especially since COVID started.

Nogodsnomasters
thank you for messaging back, wow sounds very similar to me, I just struggle so much, I always think somthing is going to happen to me and I’m going to die and il leave my husband and children, and being in hospital where there’s nothing to do but sit here and think and Google everything is making me so panicked ! Iv Googled all types of cancers in the last 48 hours and am convinced my results will show I have one of them.

Yes I'm the exact same, I lost my mother when I was 15 and my biggest fear is dying before my children are grown up so I understand how you feel. Have you got books, magazines, netflix on your phone or music with headphones? Basically anything that can even temporarily distract you. I really recommend meditation too especially a guided one on YouTube or visualisation video. I hope you get sorted and out of hospital soon x

That’s my biggest fear too lying and leaving my children esp as I can see how much they miss me at the moment not being there with them, iv been putting relaxing music at night to try help sleep, I watch a few blogs or tv programs but then I find myself catestrophising at times and the fear and dread takes over me and I panic.

Try "get sleepy" on YouTube for night times they're so good. I would try and binge watch a favourite show if you can, something that will absorb your attention for as much as you. I'd love to sit here and say you're gonna be alright and everything is fine but I obviously don't know what you're going through medically.