Has anyone successfully beat health anxiety? x

[LouH1981]

Genuinely interested because I am at the end of my tether and can’t carry on like this.

I’ve always been a worrier but after my Dad passed away in 2014 when I was 32 and a miscarriage in 2018 I have terrible health anxiety.

It escalated when I became pregnant again in 2019 with my daughter and every day of that pregnancy I expected to lose her. I spent much of it in denial that she would actually go full term.
Several weeks after she was born, covid hit and it almost gave me a licence to worry because the entire world was worrying at one point.

Current situation is that I feel I cannot make rational decisions about my childrens health. If they are the slightest bit poorly I catastrophise.

Especially (and I know how bonkers this sounds) my youngest. My health anxiety brain has convinced me that the universe was telling me via the miscarriage that I should have been happy with having one child (my son) so fate will catch up with me and something awful will happen to her because I cheated the system and she was born full term and healthy.

In terms of my own health, I worry about the slightest sensation and I am terrified of dying young and leaving them motherless.
It’s taking over and I have to try and rely on my (very patient) husband to make decisions.

I want help but I’m worried about going to the GP incase they fail to take any future concerns seriously and put everything down to anxiety when infact it is something serious.

I’m going round in circles so I would be so grateful for any advice from anyone who has this type of thing under control.

TIA xx

Hello,

I have suffered with health anxiety for a very long time. There have been periods where it's been under control and periods where it's been completely out of control. I have had counselling several times but never tried medication. How do you feel about medication and counselling? Your GP will absolutely take you seriously if you present with any symptoms of an illness no matter what your medical records show about your mental health.
I completely and utterly understand where you're coming from and how difficult this is. I was convinced my son would not make it past his 5th birthday as I could not envision in my minds eye him being an older child so I took this as a premonition that I would lose him by that age (he is now 9yrs old), I was also convinced for at least a year during his toddler years that he had leukemia and kept a written record of all his symptoms. So please know that you're not alone. Health anxiety has become extremely prevelant since covid.

I would suggest your first step definitely seeing your GP to see what they can offer you.

I’ve always been a worrier Was that because your Mum or another significant adult in your early life was the same?

When we're young we listen, absorb, copy and (crucially) believe to be true what we hear, see and are told. We simply don't have the ability to question if it's factually correct. Then as we grow up we don't think to revisit those erroneous beliefs.

Now I guess you know from a logical point of view - and all your lived experience proves it - that your fears are completely unfounded. But your early learning is overriding it, because it was there before your rational mind developed. Your subconscious/inner child/lizard brain is not trying to hurt you; it believes it needs to carry on with this unhelpful strategy to protect you.

It IS possible to change the way you think. CBT - done properly - can be very helpful and remedial hypnosis is also very effective in bringing your thought patterns up to date.

Hello, I am very sorry you are suffering this. It's crippling and so miserable.

My DH suffered horribly with health anxiety a few years ago after a panic attack. He tried really hard to resist going to the GP but eventually, in desperation he went. The change in him was instant - I think talking to a health professional about it kind of burst the bubble of fear that had been building up in him. The GP was so compassionate and offered practical and emotional support just when DH needed it.

He was prescribed medication which took away the immediate issues and enabled him to have therapy. Individual therapy helped but group therapy really really helped. Knowing other people have the same issues sort of took the isolation and sting out of the situation.

DH worked really hard to overcome this. He got books from the library which really helped and spent a lot of time looking after himself - exercising, eating well, quitting booze and caffeine, being outdoors in nature.

After a year he was off the medication and back to his usual self. He never takes his mental health for granted now but 5 years later he is happy, well and on an even keel.

I would say see your GP. This is something they must see often, especially after Covid. The GP won't ignore future medical concerns because of this - DH still gets excellent help and medical support when he needs it.

I hope things are easier for you soon.