Health anxiety

[sunshineday20]

I'm really struggling with health anxiety, I'm too scared to go to the GP as I'm worried they will think any time I go in the future they will be dismissive because of me having health anxiety. It's definitely worse at night and around time of the month.

I also work in healthcare and I find it quite embarrassing that my health anxiety is so bad, it extends to my family as well as myself. I had zero anxiety about health until my dad got terminal cancer in his 40s. I find cancer talk makes me feel so anxious and it's constantly on the TV and radio, just hearing and advert for Macmillan makes me feel very down. I think I possibly may have OCD also.

Has anyone managed to overcome health anxiety? Im considering therapy but I'm worried that I won't get any better, I know a lot of my thoughts are irrational, especially OCD behaviours so I don't know how much it would help. Any recommendations for types of therapy anyone found beneficial? Or just anything beneficial in general.

I had zero anxiety about health until my dad got terminal cancer in his 40s. I find cancer talk makes me feel so anxious

Given the shock that must have accompanied your dad's diagnosis, and his subsequent death, it's not surprising that the topic makes you feel anxious. How old were you at the time?

Please post too soon! Have you heard of the reticular activating system (RAS) as part of your work? It's the part of the brain which, simply put, filters information from your subconscious to your conscious mind. It's why, when we decide to buy a particular make and model of car (or breed of dog) we start seeing them everywhere - your conscious mind is focussing on it, so your subconscious mind starts filtering it into your awareness; in your case the Macmillan ads, etc. It is possible to turn off this response and to calm the health anxiety in general by changing your thought patterns.

Thanks for your reply😊 I was 23 when he was diagnosed, it was such a shock and I never expected something like that to happen to our family. But that must be what it was, after grief passed I have started with the anxiety and then slowly the ritualistic behaviours so that nothing bad will happen. Which feels so silly because I know it's absolutely nonsense but it calms me down when I'm feeling stressed.

Yes that is absolutely what it is, I feel like it's everywhere, it's definitely because I'm sensitive to it. Id absolutely love to be able to switch that off and calm my health anxiety too of course!

Which feels so silly because I know it's absolutely nonsense but it calms me down when I'm feeling stressed.

That's the disparity between your logical mind and your emotional mind clashing. Do have a look at my AMA on remedial hypnosis as it's the sort of thing that would help with both the health anxiety and RAS.