I joined this community - like many of you - to simply to get some health related reassurance, guidance, support, etc.
I've experienced severe health anxiety through most of my childhood and adult life. Sometimes, depending on what's going on in my life, it isn't as bad. Other times, it's shockingly debilitating.
Initially, I was only interested in sharing some of my own symptoms, getting some feedback, compare ailments, etc. But upon reading the numerous threads involving symptom scares, panic attack flare-ups, general outreach, etc., I thought it'd be interesting to read how all of these incredibly frightening, debilitating, and straight up *shitty* experiences ripple into your life beyond your symptoms. How does it (if it does at all) affect your personal life, spouse, your parent/s, your friends, your work, and so on?
I sometimes get so consumed with my own fear based 'rationality' (health anxiety), panic attacks and frustration, that I don't realize (in the moment) how it is affecting people around me.
I've had numerous medical exams; Brain/Spine MRI's, Endoscopy (x2), Colonoscopy, X-Rays, countless blood/lab work, and so on. More often than not, I get a clean bill of health and am subsequently labeled as a health-anxious person by my physicians. The people around me witness this 'clean bill of health', and expect the madness to finally stop or subside. But when they see the fear based thinking, worry, and frustration persist, they simply don't know who to help. As much as they want to, it's not always possible. This has made a lot of my relationships difficult. Romantic or otherwise. Not to mention, it's affected my overall social life, my work, my bank account, and my overall sanity.
Thankfully, we can always rebuild. Thankfully, I do have a great support system. But out of curiosity--
How do you cope? How have the people around you dealt with it? How do you deal with Health Anxiety?
I've experienced severe health anxiety through most of my childhood and adult life. Sometimes, depending on what's going on in my life, it isn't as bad. Other times, it's shockingly debilitating.
Initially, I was only interested in sharing some of my own symptoms, getting some feedback, compare ailments, etc. But upon reading the numerous threads involving symptom scares, panic attack flare-ups, general outreach, etc., I thought it'd be interesting to read how all of these incredibly frightening, debilitating, and straight up *shitty* experiences ripple into your life beyond your symptoms. How does it (if it does at all) affect your personal life, spouse, your parent/s, your friends, your work, and so on?
I sometimes get so consumed with my own fear based 'rationality' (health anxiety), panic attacks and frustration, that I don't realize (in the moment) how it is affecting people around me.
I've had numerous medical exams; Brain/Spine MRI's, Endoscopy (x2), Colonoscopy, X-Rays, countless blood/lab work, and so on. More often than not, I get a clean bill of health and am subsequently labeled as a health-anxious person by my physicians. The people around me witness this 'clean bill of health', and expect the madness to finally stop or subside. But when they see the fear based thinking, worry, and frustration persist, they simply don't know who to help. As much as they want to, it's not always possible. This has made a lot of my relationships difficult. Romantic or otherwise. Not to mention, it's affected my overall social life, my work, my bank account, and my overall sanity.
Thankfully, we can always rebuild. Thankfully, I do have a great support system. But out of curiosity--
How do you cope? How have the people around you dealt with it? How do you deal with Health Anxiety?