Dr Google

[bigjetplane2]

Guys. I am a second away from Googling, please help. BC fear.

 

[bin_tenn]

Guys. I am a second away from Googling, please help. BC fear.

Google won't help you. Even if you didn't have health anxiety, it wouldn't be able to tell you whether or not you have any cancer or other illness. Don't bother.

 

[Fraser]

Guys. I am a second away from Googling, please help. BC fear.

Did you google? If not great; try to remember what the spiral is like when you do. If you did, how did it go? Try to remember what it's like when you actually break and google.

 

[bigjetplane2]

Did you google? If not great; try to remember what the spiral is like when you do. If you did, how did it go? Try to remember what it's like when you actually break and google.

I didn’t because I already know what I’m going to find and it’s going to harm me more. But I am so tempted.

 

[Fraser]

Stick to your guns. Instead of google try filling out one of these.
Then share with us what you wrote!

 

[Phillies Phan]

I googled yesterday and it sent me down a spiral I’m still trying to get out from.

 

[Fraser]

I googled yesterday and it sent me down a spiral I’m still trying to get out from.

Would this be useful?

 

[bin_tenn]

Would this be useful?

This sort of thing never worked for me. It's absolutely a viable option worth trying, but I think I personally just don't put enough effort into that sort of thing. It's different if I'm making a promise to someone other than myself.

 

[Phillies Phan]

Would this be useful?

No

 

[Fraser]

No

What behaviours or actions do you take that effectively mitigate your health anxiety?

 

[Phillies Phan]

What behaviours or actions do you take that effectively mitigate your health anxiety?

I used to be able to do an analysis like the thought records suggest, but now I dwell on the what if’s. Presently fearing Temporal Arteritis, something most on here haven’t feared. It’s scary as hell and the symptoms so vague. Guess wrong and one day you suddenly can go blind, or worse. So completing a thought records and going with the “logical” side of things is gambling with your sight and even your life.

 

[Fraser]

I used to be able to do an analysis like the thought records suggest, but now I dwell on the what if’s. Presently fearing Temporal Arteritis, something most on here haven’t feared. It’s scary as hell and the symptoms so vague. Guess wrong and one day you suddenly can go blind, or worse. So completing a thought records and going with the “logical” side of things is gambling with your sight and even your life.

That's the same with any potential fatal illness. Regardless, the question is still what behaviours or actions do you take that effectively mitigate your health anxiety? Is the answer "nothing" or "I shouldn't mitigate my health anxiety because I might die from temporal arteritis."?

 

[bin_tenn]

So completing a thought records and going with the “logical” side of things is gambling with your sight and even your life.

Every day when you drive a car or ride a bus or fly on a plane you're gambling with your well-being or even your life. Same with trying new foods, as you may be severely allergic and don't know it. Just a few examples, but there are many more.

 

[Phillies Phan]

But Bin, here’s the difference. Fatal/disabling car accident, plane crash, being murdered, whatever the chances (incidence for all us Googlers) is what, 1 in a million? I can live with that. Heck, I can live with 1 in say 10,000. But some ailments, especially as we get older become more like 1 in 5,000 or for some problems even under 1 in 1,000. Yes, for a normal person they’ll take those odds any day of the week, but for me, with HA I need much higher numbers to be calmed.

I remember having this discussion with a therapist and I told her the incidence of what I was fearing at the time. It was maybe 1 in 1,000 or so. I don’t recall exactly what she said, but it was like hey, I’d be content with less than a 1% chance if it were me. That was jaw dropping to me. It still is.

 

[Fraser]

But Bin, here’s the difference. Fatal/disabling car accident, plane crash, being murdered, whatever the chances (incidence for all us Googlers) is what, 1 in a million? I can live with that. Heck, I can live with 1 in say 10,000. But some ailments, especially as we get older become more like 1 in 5,000 or for some problems even under 1 in 1,000. Yes, for a normal person they’ll take those odds any day of the week, but for me, with HA I need much higher numbers to be calmed.

I remember having this discussion with a therapist and I told her the incidence of what I was fearing at the time. It was maybe 1 in 1,000 or so. I don’t recall exactly what she said, but it was like hey, I’d be content with less than a 1% chance if it were me. That was jaw dropping to me. It still is.

As you get older, your chances of dying increase. Is the best response to that to live a life of perpetual fear? The chances of you dying are 100%.

 

[bin_tenn]

But Bin, here’s the difference. Fatal/disabling car accident, plane crash, being murdered, whatever the chances (incidence for all us Googlers) is what, 1 in a million? I can live with that. Heck, I can live with 1 in say 10,000. But some ailments, especially as we get older become more like 1 in 5,000 or for some problems even under 1 in 1,000.

What is the incidence rate for temporal arteritis?

 

[Phillies Phan]

What is the incidence rate for temporal arteritis?

Hard to say, but it affects women 2-3x more than men. Affects only those older than 50. Affects whites much more than Black, Hispanic, etc but does have a genetic connection to those of Scandinavian background. Risk factors otherwise are hard to pin down. Best I’ve figured for my age, gender and race is 1-5,000 but unknown what % do affect those of Northern Europe ancestry (not me), so could be better numbers but cant tell.

 

[Doug97]

It's pretty easy to diagnose temporal arteritis though, isn't it? You should have a swollen, extremely tender, visibly pulsating artery on the side of your forehead.