Husbands health anxiety driving me crazy

[Keepgoing88]

I know I should probably be more sympathetic but my husband seems to have developed health anxiety since having Covid a month ago. He was mostly fine with it (said he had had worse colds) but because he felt ‘worried’ he stayed in bed for a week whereas I felt a bit rough but had to look after the kids when we all had Covid at same time. Ever since he has been so worried at even the little slight cough 3 weeks after recovery. Every minor ache and pain ever since he panics over, he has been to GP and walk in centre as he felt ‘faint’ both times there is nothing wrong with him. He has been referred for a chest extra at his request, I’m just finding it hard as I have 3 kids to look after and every time he has even a twinge somewhere he thinks it’s due to Covid or something serious. The drs have assured him he has been out of the danger zone for Covid serious illness for a good few weeks now … is anyone else partner getting or had this sort of anxiety, I get that he was worried but it’s doing my head in that he is panicking over every cough or sneeze !

You/he could try phoning AnxietyUK for advice and support

Does he have any other MH symptoms ?
Maybe worth thinking about antidepressants if it doesn’t improve.

My friend has health anxiety and was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Every little cough she has she thinks it cancer of the lung, Covid or whatever she thinks she has. She has started anxiety meds now which is improving her way of thinking. There were other areas in her life that were causing anxiety and when you get a pandemic in the mix with all the catastrophic messages being played out in the press then she couldn't cope. He may need some extra help with a talking therapy and a trip to the GP again to just hone in on the anxiety and not what he thinks he has caught. Its exhausting OP I can imagine especially with 3 kids in tow too. Just make sure you are looking after yourself too.

Even if he does have health anxiety that's not a reason for him not to participate in family life How does he justify having stayed in bed due to feeling "worried" when you also had COVID?