It’s World Mental Health Day, and Dizzy and I have decided to do a little post on Health Anxiety for it. We have suffered from anxiety for the past couple of years (and have been taking anti-depressants to help for the last 18 months). And although our anxiety likes to feel anxious about most things in life, health anxiety is a massive part of it for us.
What is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety is when you worry about being ill, or becoming ill, to the point where it becomes uncontrollable.
What are the symptoms of Health Anxiety?
- Worrying all the time about your health
- Checking your body for any possible signs of illness, such as lumps
- Using Dr Google alot!
- Constantly needing reassurance that you’re not ill
- Avoiding anything to do with illness, such as TV programmes
For Dizzy and I, we have always been slightly susceptible to this, but in the past I was always able to remind myself that none of the scary things I was convinced I had, I ever actually had. Until MS… For the first time the scary thing I was worried about having, I really did have! So in my head my past rationalising was no longer working, and that was when it got just a little out of control; I was spending everyday convinced I not only have MS, but a million other things aswell!
How can Health Anxiety be helped?
There are a number of ways in which health anxiety can be helped. Although it might be something that never completely goes away, there are ways to help ensure that it doesn’t take over your life.
- Have a talk with your doctor
- Be kind to yourself, and don’t beat yourself out for how you are feeling
- Counselling
- Spend time relaxing and doing things that you love
- Talk to others
- Join a support group
- Medication
Having any kind of mental health issues can feel extremely isolating and scary, but there is help out there (and it really can make a difference – like it did for Dizzy and me). Don’t be scared to seek the help you need and to talk to others. 🙂 Alot of people still don’t talk about mental health, but it is something which will affect most of us at some point. xxx
For emergency help, call 111, pop to see your doctor, or pop into A&E
Otherwise, you can call:
Mind on 0300 123 3393
Samaritans on 116 123
I’m lucky in that I don’t think I particularly deal with health anxiety, per se. I think I’ve been quite aware of the potential for it, and sometimes I opt for the ‘ignorance is bliss’ approach (also not recommended!) It’s not surprising many people can experience it, perhaps even more so with the abundance of news stories, horror stories about health issues, and the online world of symptom hunting. It can be great to an extent, but not when it causes continual worry or stress. Great tips, Heather & Dizzy! xx
It’s true. If you already are worrying abit about it, it only makes it worse seeing all the stories everywhere. It just makes you more convinced how common they all are, and how likely you are to get them aswell! I do try and stay away from these now though. x Hope you’re having a lovely week Caz. 🙂 xx
Last week I heard an account of an amazing woman, Claire Weekes, who did incredible work to help people with anxiety. Her books still sell very well and continue to provide wonderful results. Here’s an excerpt from a book about her.
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/face-accept-float-let-time-pass-claire-weekes-anxiety-cure-holds-true-decades-on-20190917-p52s2w.html
Thank you so much Peggy. I have never come across her before, but she sounds amazing! I shall definitely be checking her out. 🙂 I hope you are doing well. 🙂 xxx
Such good advice.
Thank you Anne. 🙂 xxx
I am guilty of using “Dr. Google” too … if I had a penny for everything I Googled, medical or otherwise, I’d be sittin’ pretty. Many years ago, long before the internet, we had a family friend who bought a book just like Dizzy is looking at. She gave it to my mom as her and her husband were constantly looking for their little symptoms and coming away from reading in a panic. My mom thanked them, took this big book and was reading through it – she asked me to take it downstairs as she, too, was flipping through it with similar angst My mom had many medical problems, the result of being hit by a car at age 11 and spending the next four years in the hospital due to osteomyelitis (infection of the bone). So, it was too handy having that book around.
Hehe, I would be aswell if I had a penny for each time I googled too. I really don’t think the books help, as most common symptoms can be linked to something much, much more serious! But most of the time it isn;t actually anything to worry about. 🙂 x How are you and Parker? xxx
I think my comment may have gone to SPAM, but not sure as I know you screen them. If it went into cyberspace, let me know and I will comment again okay?
I got it! It was just being silly and hiding it. 🙂 xxx
I hate when that happens … I am not a SPAMMY kind of girl. 🙂
We know you’re not. 🙂 xxx
{{{{{{Hugs to both of you!}}}}}
Yes, you can read too much online sometimes and my mother used to say I read too many magazines. When I turned 40 I decided I should take a multiple vitamin. I took no other meds of any kind, no supplements but decided this was important as I read it in a magazine. So I got a multiple vitamin with iron in it – no special reason, just the magazine story said “women should take a multiple vitamin with iron” … I ate properly in those days (my mom was a good cook) and I took the vitamin and one day I was in line at the drive-in bank on a busy Friday night, waiting to cash my paycheck and I felt very woozy, like I might faint. I’d never fainted before but I felt weak – very scary. I pulled out of the line and went home and put the car in the driveway, went into the house and laid on the kitchen floor – I felt like I could not make it to my room to lie down. The feeling passed after a half hour, but I put the car in the garage and did not go out again. I got undressed for bed and had spots all over me – I had had masles before and chicken pox too. My mom made me go to the doctor the next day (he’s open Saturdays) to find out what was wrong with me. He sent me to a hematologist/oncologist to check my blood as I told him I recently started taking vitamin pills with iron. He said he thought I had too much iron in my system (yet I felt weak???) I went and that was it and you know why Heather? I took that vitamin pill with a glass of OJ and oatmeal or Wheaties (whole grain cold cereal), both the juice and the cereal acted as a “booster” to make the iron pill work better. I had too much iron in my system and he said if I had stayed on it much longer, I would have to have the iron removed from my system in the hospital. I was scared and threw away the vitamins. I take them now, but never iron in them. My mother, after she found out I was okay, said: “didn’t I tell you that you read too many magazines?” 🙂 Parker is doing well, and not too much fat on him yet as we get ready for Winter. I saw him this morning and took some apples for him and the other squirrels. We had a beautiful week of weather last week, but this week has been very cold and blustery. We do have a nice weekend and I will get out and enjoy it as I spent the last few weekends bringing home groceries for Winter so I don’t have to go out in the ice and snow. Tomorrow I am going to do a Parker post and will send it to you – it is for Sweetest Day which we have over here in Michigan, not all of the U.S., nor in Canada. It is like Valentine’s Day. Have you named your tattoos yet? {{{ hugs to you and Dizzy }}}
That must have been so scary! I have heard before about it being dangerous to have too much iron in your system, but I have never heard about foods being able to act as a booster! Did you just have to rest for a few days? x And I hope Parker is starting to look a little fatter for the winter. xxx
Hi Heather – I was told by the oncologist that I was lucky I got the spots and went to the doctor, because I would have to undergo a procedure to get the iron out of my system. I never knew that either – I’ve not had orange juice since then, even taken at a different time – I do eat clementines when in season though, but on their own. No more Wheaties and wheat toast at the same time either. I did not have to rest or anything … just get off the multiple vitamin with iron ASAP. I used to give blood all the time and when I stopped eating red meat, I could no longer donate as my hemoglobin levels were not high enough – I would eat some spinach salad but refused to take a pill and finally just quite donating blood altogether. That episode was scary. Parker and his pals are starting to get chubby – we have some snow coming at the tail end of the week, just enough to whiten things and very cold. Too soon in my opinion and I wish it was April 1st and not nearing November 1st. I’m helping my furry squirrel pals to bulk up for Winter. 🙂
Super post
Thank you! 🙂 xxx
Taking antidepressants can be an excellent way to break the worry cycle.
This is a very useful post! Much love xx
Thank you so much Cathy. 🙂 x How are you doing? xxx
Ok! Finished the antibiotics, waiting for a blood test to confirm if I ever had Lymes or not! The lyrica I take to help with wizzes and fizzes definitely helps to keep me mellow and in a good mood- its an idea??😊
Have you had the blood test results back yet? I’m glad all the antibiotics have been finished. 🙂 xxx
Still waiting for them to clear the system, but I feel fine! I hope you are doing well too 😀
Been on an anti depressant for years now. Had to add a drug to help me sleep at night because my mind kept me up all the time. (The constant worrying all night long finally got to me. See a shrink (psychologist) now. He gave me the medicine to help me sleep.) You have to ask for help. No donkey can make it on their own!
It’s true! And I think alot of us find it hard to take that first step of asking for help, but it really does make all the difference. x I resisted anti depressants for ages, but they have made such a difference. 🙂 xxx
I realized long ago that Dr. Google would make me sicker than my anxieties would, I just pray to the Lord and count my blessings that I am healthy and need no medications. Right now my only anxieties come from constantly looking for another writing job and hoping the trickle of money for a struggling writer does not stop. Dotty offers her encouragement sitting right by my PC. Wishing both you and Dizzy no worries and a very nice weekend,
It’s true. The anxieties of it all are terrible! I was at a point of constantly looking on google (and panicking), but I have managed to not look for over a year now. 🙂 x Have you got a writing job at the moment? And I am glad Dotty is offering lots of encouragement. 🙂 xxx
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I really hope it gets better for you Megala. I had a huge amount of work related stress a few years ago, and it was horrible. Make sure to take care of yourself, and find lots of nice relaxing things to do. Make sure to put yourself first. xxxx