worried about cancer symptoms, like always

[I think all day]

I don't know how to deal with this. It's embarrassing but I have a blister and raised skin on my penis that was kind of worrying me for a little while, but then I looked it up one time (I put off googling these symptoms because I knew what would happen), I scroll down and of course 5 minutes later I think I have penile cancer. I went to urgent care which was also very difficult to push myself to do, and the dude tells me he thinks it's nothing. The doctor told me he thinks it's nothing and I'm still losing my mind over it. I have a dermatologist appointment in a month but I'm honestly losing my mind. I'm also 21 so I know it's pretty unlikely; I logically believe I don't have it, but I FEEL like I do and I can't get it out of my head. How do you manage to ignore symptoms when they seem to all align like this and point in the same direction?

 

[Phillies Phan]

You need to take a deep breath and relax, because your fears are unfounded.

First, the incidence for penile cancer is 1 in 100,000. The risk of penile cancer goes up with age. In the US, the average age of a man when he is diagnosed is about 68. About 4 out of 5 penile cancers are diagnosed in men over age 55. That puts your odds right there at about 1 in 500,000. Probably more like 1 in 1,000,000. You are not that “1”.

Making that number even smaller is the fact that having HIV is a risk factor. I assume you do not have that. Are you circumcised? Vast majority of men who get it are not. Now don’t freak out if you’re not, only means we’re talking 1 in 1,000,000 at your age, as opposed to like 1 in 5,000,000. Either way, those are crazy numbers.

Bottom line, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning as you go to the lottery office to collect your million dollar prize you won!

 

[I think all day]

You need to take a deep breath and relax, because your fears are unfounded.

First, the incidence for penile cancer is 1 in 100,000. The risk of penile cancer goes up with age. In the US, the average age of a man when he is diagnosed is about 68. About 4 out of 5 penile cancers are diagnosed in men over age 55. That puts your odds right there at about 1 in 500,000. Probably more like 1 in 1,000,000. You are not that “1”.

Making that number even smaller is the fact that having HIV is a risk factor. I assume you do not have that. Are you circumcised? Vast majority of men who get it are not. Now don’t freak out if you’re not, only means we’re talking 1 in 1,000,000 at your age, as opposed to like 1 in 5,000,000. Either way, those are crazy numbers.

Bottom line, you have a better chance of being struck by lightning as you go to the lottery office to collect your million dollar prize you won!

damn dude thanks <3 I am circumcised so that makes me feel a lot better. Honestly thanks for the reply you definitely made be feel much much better. I'm gonna schedule an appointment with a general anxiety therapy center soon because I know that's probably the only real issue here lmao. thanks

 

[Phillies Phan]

Absolutely try to get this health anxiety beast under control now at your age. Don’t end up like many of us on this site who have been fighting this cursed mental illness for many years.

 

[Fraser]

I don't know how to deal with this. It's embarrassing but I have a blister and raised skin on my penis that was kind of worrying me for a little while, but then I looked it up one time (I put off googling these symptoms because I knew what would happen), I scroll down and of course 5 minutes later I think I have penile cancer. I went to urgent care which was also very difficult to push myself to do, and the dude tells me he thinks it's nothing. The doctor told me he thinks it's nothing and I'm still losing my mind over it. I have a dermatologist appointment in a month but I'm honestly losing my mind. I'm also 21 so I know it's pretty unlikely; I logically believe I don't have it, but I FEEL like I do and I can't get it out of my head. How do you manage to ignore symptoms when they seem to all align like this and point in the same direction?

Your symptoms are not all aligned and pointing in the same direction, your health anxiety soaked mind is. If your symptoms actually aligned with penile cancer the medical professionals you showed the lesion to would know and recognize this. you can't trust them because, again, your health anxiety.

So how do you manage to ignore symptoms? First, you don't! Ignoring symptoms isn't ideal either. What you want to cultivate is a normal and healthy response to your symptoms, one that isn't dictated and elevated by your anxiety. Seeing a doctor about a symptom is fine. Seeing a doctor, ignoring what they tell you, and believing that you have a terminal illness anyway is not! The truth is, managing this mental issue takes some work, Here are a few resources I would recommend. Start with this video:

Then this one:

After watching these videos, here are a lot of resources that you might find helpful:

Health Anxiety Self-Help Resources - Information Sheets & Workbooks

Self-help resources for addressing health anxiety, written by clinical psychologists at the Centre for Clinical Interventions in Perth, Western Australia

www.cci.health.wa.gov.au

 

[Izthewiz]

It's not your fault you're worried about cancer.
The message is everywhere test early, test more and more.
Also can't forget about early detection.
With this everywhere can't blame yourself.
I try not to worry if it is my time to go I'm ready.

 

[I think all day]

It's not your fault you're worried about cancer.
The message is everywhere test early, test more and more.
Also can't forget about early detection.
With this everywhere can't blame yourself.
I try not to worry if it is my time to go I'm ready.

true, it boggles my mind how some people can have severe symptoms or really freaky things happen and not care. And then if one of my eyebrow hairs is grey or something I'm convinced I'm gonna die. It's day by day now, some days I don't give it a second thought, and some days it's occupying my mind the entirety of the day. Hope you are doing well

Your symptoms are not all aligned and pointing in the same direction, your health anxiety soaked mind is. If your symptoms actually aligned with penile cancer the medical professionals you showed the lesion to would know and recognize this. you can't trust them because, again, your health anxiety.

So how do you manage to ignore symptoms? First, you don't! Ignoring symptoms isn't ideal either. What you want to cultivate is a normal and healthy response to your symptoms, one that isn't dictated and elevated by your anxiety. Seeing a doctor about a symptom is fine. Seeing a doctor, ignoring what they tell you, and believing that you have a terminal illness anyway is not! The truth is, managing this mental issue takes some work, Here are a few resources I would recommend. Start with this video:

Then this one:

After watching these videos, here are a lot of resources that you might find helpful:

Health Anxiety Self-Help Resources - Information Sheets & Workbooks

Self-help resources for addressing health anxiety, written by clinical psychologists at the Centre for Clinical Interventions in Perth, Western Australia

www.cci.health.wa.gov.au

thank you, this made me feel a lot better, I'm gonna watch those videos now. This thread made me feel much much more at ease but I still need to work on my thought patterns because a single sour thought can ruin my headspace for I don't even know how long. Thank you

 

[Vincent]

Dr. Marks' videos are incredibly helpful. It's also a good idea to get therapy for your anxiety. All the best with it, and please stay in touch.

 

[Doug97]

You need to take a deep breath and relax, because your fears are unfounded.

First, the incidence for penile cancer is 1 in 100,000. The risk of penile cancer goes up with age. In the US, the average age of a man when he is diagnosed is about 68. About 4 out of 5 penile cancers are diagnosed in men over age 55. That puts your odds right there at about 1 in 500,000. Probably more like 1 in 1,000,000. You are not that “1”.

Making that number even smaller is the fact that having HIV is a risk factor. I assume you do not have that. Are you circumcised? Vast majority of men who get it are not. Now don’t freak out if you’re not, only means we’re talking 1 in 1,000,000 at your age, as opposed to like 1 in 5,000,000. Either way, those are crazy numbers.

I'd say the chances of him having penile cancer are even lower than that, because he's had a doc look at it and say it's fine.