Crippling health anxiety

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For the past couple of years I have been suffering from severe health anxiety. I am constantly panicking that I have some form of cancer. Any twinge, ache, lump, mark, spot or mole will have me spiralling into a massive panic attack. I have been backwards and forwards to the doctors time and time again but I still can't stop obsessing about something being wrong. I google and spend ages checking myself in the mirror over and over again and if I find anything suspicious I convince myself that it must be something horrendous.

I am so angry and depressed that this has taken over my life. I am married and have 3 wonderful kids, I should be happy and enjoying my life but I am completely consumed by fear.

I'm currently sat here with chest pains convincing myself in having a heart attack but it's probably my anxiety. I got to sleep at night thinking i probably won't wake up. It's absolutely taking over my life.

You need to see the GP and get some treatment and counselling. It's very common but treatable

I've been to GP numerous times. One time I was prescribed citalopram which just made me worse.

Bump

Hiya, a fellow health anxiety worrier here.

Over the years of my health anxiety, I’ve diagnosed myself with well over 100 different cancers and god knows how many other life threatening diseases. It is hard getting help, especially because doctors just don’t want to know, but I would recommend pushing and pushing with them.

Always here if you fancy a chat x

Hi OP,

I have been battling health anxiety (and general anxiety) since the birth of my son two years ago, so I send my sympathies - it’s a horrendous problem and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.

I’m on Sertraline at the moment (same class of anti-depressants as Citalopram) and it does make you worse to begin with (for first 2/3 weeks) but it’s worth persevering as you will be able to see the wood for the trees, enabling you to try CBT or therapy to kick the anxiety for good - a prescription of Valium should help you through those tricky first few weeks.

I also recommend a book called ‘Overcoming Health Anxiety’ by Rob Willson and David Veale. I borrowed a copy from my local library as part of their ‘Reading Well’ initiative but ended up buying a copy as I found the strategies helpful (and they recommend applying the strategies for at least 3 months).

Wishing you well x

Another sufferer here! Sending a hand hold. It's exhausting and debilitating. Most of my anxiety is projected onto my children's health since they were born which I am finding even harder to manage. Have had CBT which didn't help so may look up the book that pp recommended.

@Foreverbaffled Same here I’ve life long health anxiety which like yourself has then projected onto my kids. It is truly horrible and stops you enjoying your children. Not so bad now that they are older but still there.

Another sufferer here. I am constantly diagnosing myself and my family using google. My anxiety hasn't been helped by the fact I have numerous health conditions (coeliac, endometriosis, b12 deficiency and epilepsy) all which took years to diagnose as I wasn't taken seriously. I wish I could stop googling but I don't trust health professionals anymore...

Hi lovely. Another fellow health anxiety sufferer here. I’ve always been a bit of a hypochondriac but since having kids it has blown out to proper health anxiety. I worry about me dying and about my kids dying. Constantly catastrophising and making myself imagine what it would be like if one of us died so I can feel it. Horrible stuff.

I’ve tried all sorts of therapy and it doesn’t really help. Next step is to try lexapro which I’m not opposed to but was really hoping it would settle with therapy. I suspect I haven’t found the right psych but with the wait times and then vibing during the first few sessions, it’s a long and tedious process.

Have you tried any counselling?