How to cope with overwhelming health anxiety after a major scare

[sunflower185]

Any advice on how to deal with overwhelming health anxiety? I had a big health scare a year ago and while it (very) luckily turned out to be nothing, I think the impact of the stress I suffered is having a longer lasting effect. Now every twinge feels like it’s spelling doom, or I look up every concern and end up fearing the worst. I’ve convinced myself I have cancer on many occasions and now the fear is stopping me from feeling free or enjoying anything. I don’t look forward to anything because I feel so anxious about the future. Anyone been through similar?

I guess to just revisit the fact that the “big health scare” proved to be entirely innocuous?

Realise that feelings aren't facts, as your health scare proved to you. Being anxious about the future won't change it one iota, but living healthily will, so if you need to make changes to you diet or lifestyle do that as a positive.

Have you had therapy to try talking through some of the anxiety? I’m sorry you went through all that, it sounds very understandable.

CBT, found it massively helpful when I had two health scares very close together (I was actually scared to go to sleep at one point).

Think about all the wasted energy, time, worry, family also worried and swept up in it all - and how it all ended up being absolutely nothing.

and apply it to the feelings your having now

Yeah I think you need to turn it around to the positive. It wasn’t cancer. Plenty of people on that path had the result that it was cancer and you can go on as normal when they can’t. But are there positive changes you can make towards a healthier life?

There are a couple of therapies offered for this condition including CBT and behavior therapy so you should opt for one which you find more suitable.

Big hugs. Health anxiety is paralysing. But anxiety comes because there's things you can't control in life. Feelings aren't facts. Therapy might be really helpful.

To think all about all the stress and worry that your family enduring whilst you were going through this big health scare - that turned out to be nothing at all.

And hopefully that will stop you spiralling @sunflower185 . Do it for your family