Anxiety about getting ill

[bsf710]

I don’t have any symptoms right now at all, despite all my recent posts all my symptoms seem to have worn away. But for some reason I still feel anxious about being possibly ill or becoming ill in the near future, like just thinking about it makes me lose sleep.

I’m mostly scared of brain issues (cancer, MS, paralysis, stroke/aneurysm etc) and all I can think about is what if I get another symptom soon. Or what if I do have one of those things but they’re asymptomatic right now.

I constantly feel pressured to prevent any illness/symptom from coming in the future but anything can happen which makes me feel so scared.

Does anyone else just fear illness in general, even when you have no symptoms nor any reason to really be worried?

 

[bin_tenn]

Yes, this is hallmark health anxiety. Really, it's anxiety in general. Fear based on anticipation of future events is entirely common in anxiety sufferers as a whole. Have you ever seen a therapist? If not, I recommend it and/or researching and practicing CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy).

 

[URfine]

Does CBT help ? Just getting started

 

[bsf710]

Does CBT help ? Just getting started

I did it 2 years ago - helped a large amount for the most part but brain related disease scares are still really tough to get through

 

[H.J.J.C.]

When you worry about the future, you are "forced" to imagine countless possibilities. That's what overwhelms those of us with HA. According to my therapist, the best tactic is to live in the present. We don't know how the future will play out, so why are we obsessing about it? Of course, there are certain practical plans which have to be made now in terms of the future, but PRACTICAL is the operative word. The Romans had a phrase for the attitude of living in the present, "carpe diem," "seize the day," that is, live in the present. For those of us with HA, it's easier to emotionally handle one day at a time than to try to handle years of an unknowable "future."

 

[Bobnnat]

Totally agree with HJJC. Yesterday is dead and gone, and tomorrow’s out of sight.