Freaked out by news of Ebola outbreak!!

[missymarmite]

I don't know why but this has me really scared. Am contemplating going into hiding with family until it all blows over!

((((Rooner)))) I share your anxiety, and I know how you feel. Doesn't matter how rationally you try to think, those thoughts sneak back into your head, and multipy. We know we're being irrational, but it doesn't stop the voice in your head whispering to you.

Dallas has handled it appallingly, I hope to God we prove a little more intelligent in our response.

Hullo everyone,

We're just going to move this to our new Ebola topic.

Thanks Kate :)

I'm grateful to see this thread moved and revived, if only because I am struggling with my health anxiety in the same way as Rooner and Stratter as well as having huge empathy with those suffering in West Africa. The two are absolutely not mutually exclusive. I can't stop thinking about children having to cope on their own and people losing everyone they love.

I have been watching this outbreak since it began and have been getting more and more anxious as time has gone on and the world didn't seem to be listening to the regular appeals and warnings from msf. It really got me panicking when Nigeria had the imported outbreak as the problems of controlling it in a city as big as Lagos are huge. One thing that has helped is the way that was dealt with there, even though there were more cock ups than in Dallas at the beginning, and then when the diplomat absconded to Port Harcourt. I try to only follow reputable scientists/health writers online, and have donated every month since June to msf and the other NGOs that are now working in the area, which does help me feel like I am doing something.

How are other people dealing with reading enough to be informed and not fixating or adding to anxiety? I am probably checking blogs and twitter too much, as if that will give me some control, and it's probably not helping my mh. As Rooner said, it is trying to deal with not being able to control things which is hard. It's difficult to see whether the situation is improving on the ground at all, or whether help is yet to make much of an impact.

Sorry for this brain dump - today has been a bad day and I can't talk to DH about it as he is completely sick of my health anxiety

I'm in the same boat as you - except my husband and I both have HA so it's a strained atmosphere here! We have a cupboard full of tins and bottled water, as irrational as that sounds (and I KNOW I'm being irrational), it helps me sleep a bit at night. I get itchy, cold and feel sick when it kicks in.
I'm trying to avoid things like the Daily Fail. I've told myself that I can check the BBC website but that's the only one I'm allowed to check.

I completely understand how you're feeling though. Xx

I'm making daily trips to see my very wise and reassuring dad when I drop off DS at pre-school - helps to keep the HA in check!

I nurse my emergency stash, and avoid reading shite like the DM.

I can't watch the video at the moment because my DH will hear and will go into HA overdrive! I'm going to presume that as it's news round, it's reassuring?

Thanks for the support. It helps to know others are dealing with HA around this. I know to avoid the DM - that would really send me over the edge!

Hmm, did have an emergency stash a few years ago, but have been trying not to let myself think like that way and give in to my irrational thoughts. Suspect I will probably get a few extra bits next time I'm shopping though. Thanks for the Newsround clip - that did actually help a bit

Ah, I feel like I'm in my spiritual home on this thread now. I would love to meet for a group coffee and counselling session :)

I'm not sure if it is good or bad to have a DH with similar issues. Mine is the polar opposite, which is only partially helpful as I have no one to discuss my fears with openly (my friends and family don't realise the extent of my HA and I'm considered very sane )

In fact, if I even mention ebola, DH openly swears.

Roken I would love a calm and reassuring dad. can I borrow yours?

I really try not to read the DM. I also find the reports of what is happening in Iraq/Syria terribly upsetting and again, I know there is little I can do but it really affects me. It's about the right balance for me of just enough information to stay informed....

Have you seen this article?

www.cbc.ca/news/world/ebola-outbreak-1st-human-trials-of-canadian-vaccine-start-in-u-s-1.2796859

They started clinical trials on people today. The vaccine they have created has been '100% effective' in preventing the spread of Ebola when tested on animals.

Here's hoping it's 100% effective in stopping the spread of Ebola in humans too and can be manufactured quickly.

My Dad is excellent (and always right, it must be said). My Mum and brother are both incredibly anxious so he's used to it.
I'm not usually this bad with anxiety....I'm usually a very laid back person. But this is the first 'big thing' that has happened since I became a mother and I think that is why I am not dealing with it very well.
Last week was horrendous...I was listening to my DH talking about locking the house down, reading every article under the sun (including the Fail comments), not sleeping, feeling sick, shaking etc.

However, knowledge is power and since then, I have made sure I actually know the facts about Ebola and this has helped (as well as stocking up).

I'm surprised that there hasn't been some sort of money raising going on on. Facebook for MSF in the same way that so much was raised for the Motor Neuron charity with the ice bucket challenge.

Yes, the Newsround clip is Ben Neumann from Reading University answering questions about ebola sent in by viewers. I listened on my ipad with headphones so DH not alerted. He would not be impressed. He can sometimes calm me down but I have to be in a receptive mood otherwise he just ramps up my HA as I feel as though he doesn't know the facts (because he doesn't obsessively read about everything) or is just patronising me. I'm sure it's great being married to me sometimes . I haven't spoken to him about this issue as he is very stressed at work and I don't want to give him more stress, but this means I just turn inwards and spend the evenings poring over ipad alternately reassuring myself/freaking out. I know I don't have the balance right, but hopefully can work through it without going completely bonkers

It's been a very worrying and distressing year internationally Rooner - know how you feel. I'd love a coffee and counselling session! Maybe Roker's dad could come along to provide some calm. My family know I am prone to HA and I had quite bad OCD as a child but I think they think I am fairly normal now, or don't want to ask.

I have to say my DP was sick of me talking about ebola and scoffed at my suggestions to stock up on water and tinned food. Since the cases in Dallas though he has been a bit more amenable. (We live in the US)

For me, the best thing to help my anxiety is to avoid the tabloids and read as much about the subject as I can, virological studies and such and non scaremongering articles. I also keep on top of news of any suspected cases in case there is one near me. From reading up on it I have come to the conclusion that while it certainly is likely to spread somewhat in developed countries, it really isn't likely to become a huge epidemic. I feel positive it can be brought under control in Africa now that more countries are taking action.

Sorry Roken - misspelt your name. I have been wondering the same about the lack of Facebook or any other fundraising initiative. Also why there has been so little celebrity involvement to direct funds.

My dad was seriously ill when I was a child, and this is where my HA started. I always thought my sister hadn't been affected, but since she had dcs she has had issues with HA so I think it is completely natural to be more aware once you have children to think about

The vaccine article has actually made me feel better than I have done in weeks, it sounds very promising.
I really hope this doesn't sound like all I'm worried about is myself and that I'm not thinking of those suffering in Africa.

I think my DH's HA stems from his mum dying suddenly at 40 of a brain haemorrhage....he suffers from high blood pressure and it worries him.

I didn't suffer from anxiety at all until I had my son!

It helped me too Roken.

It's not the only vaccine trial either, apparently there's a Russian one and GlaxoKlineSmith are also doing trials.

You don't come across like that to me Roken! I suffer from HA too so know how you feel.

I've had HA since I was a child. I lost 6 relatives in a very short space of time, that seems to be my trigger.

I also worry a lot more about things since having children too.

I too suffer with health anxiety, and I'm supposed to be reducing my ad's at the moment, but all this Ebola news is making it very difficult. (Then I feel bad that I'm so selfish for thinking I have it tough, when so many are suffering and dying from Ebola!)

I try and stop myself from overthinking and analysing everything, but it's such a struggle.

In contrast, however, I spent one night away this weekend with a friend, and on our car journey I asked her about whether she was anxious about Ebola, and she'd never heard of it! Unbelievable.

I'm moderately concerned about the Ebola outbreak. Am mainly worried, because people are taking it as a given that we in the UK will handle an outbreak with no/few problems.

If you are suffering from HA over Ebola, you could do worse than take a look at this paper:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jpi.12186/pdf

And possibly get some Melatonin bought. It's cheap, and better than nothing until the vaccine starts rolling out.

Thanks Dogstrummer, I hadn't heard about melatonin as a possible treatment before. I have some that I bought for jet lag that I never used so it's reassuring.

Gosh. Reading your stories is fascinating. My HA also started after my mum/sister nearly died due many years ago due to an NHS cock up. It has become massively worse since having kids - for very good reasons I won't go into - but more cock ups. It has really affected me. :( I don't medicate though - I just try to remain balanced by keeping busy.

You all sound lovely and just like me (sorry!) no one knows the extent of my HA as logically, I know it can be irrational.

If my DH was freaking out, I would find it difficult. But I agree with whoever said their DH doesn't know the facts and they feel patronised. This is exactly what happens with us.

Off to investigate melatonin!

Re fundraising. I totally agree. Perhaps MSF is just too busy at the front line and we need some sleb in full begging mode on FB to kick start it. Apparently a vaccine could easily have been produced years ago but there wasn't the appetite as the small outbreaks were quickly controlled. But commentators have been saying for years that an outbreak in a city in Africa with little health infrastructure would produce exactly this result. Radio 4 commentary is really interesting (and balanced).

"Apparently a vaccine could easily have been produced years ago but there wasn't the appetite as the small outbreaks were quickly controlled"

I'm not persuaded by this. There have been ebola vaccine trials since 2003, and I do not think the ineffective vaccines were deliberately set up to fail.

There is still no vaccine against HIV either.