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Health Anxiety - anyone got any good ideas of how best to tackle it?

Kate Kestrel

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if many people on here struggle with health anxiety. 
Both myself and my son really struggle with this. Any unusual or uncomfortable bodily sensation and we start to panic that there’s something terribly wrong with us. Most of the time we just about manage to keep it vaguely under control - we reassure ourselves and hope it will just go away - but I’m wondering if anyone has any ideas about good ways of dealing with that  panicky feeling when we start catastrophizing over some physical sensation that troubles us. I’m so tired of struggling with this, and so sorry to see my son struggling with it too. 

Parents

  • How are you and your son doing Kate? I hope you're ok and the health anxiety isn't too bad.

    Mine hasn't been the best but I've started talking about the health anxiety aloud when I notice an ache or feeling unwell and doing that and telling myself it's just anxiety I'm finding is helping me. I'm not sure if you would be comfortable and your son saying aloud but I thought I'd say just in case.

    I'm also keeping a positive health diary now writing down when I'm triggered and reminding myself it isn't anything serious and is just my anxiety and voices tricking me.

Reply

  • How are you and your son doing Kate? I hope you're ok and the health anxiety isn't too bad.

    Mine hasn't been the best but I've started talking about the health anxiety aloud when I notice an ache or feeling unwell and doing that and telling myself it's just anxiety I'm finding is helping me. I'm not sure if you would be comfortable and your son saying aloud but I thought I'd say just in case.

    I'm also keeping a positive health diary now writing down when I'm triggered and reminding myself it isn't anything serious and is just my anxiety and voices tricking me.

Children
  • in reply to Luna

    Hi Luna - thanks so much for your reply, I’m really sorry you struggle with this too. 
    I love these ideas - and I will definitely try them. They fit with what I’ve been reading this week about challenging the unhelpful thoughts behind the anxiety, and replacing them with more flexible and positive alternatives. I think you’re also so right that it can help to write things down - I’ve been doing it with other things and will try it with this too - that’s such a helpful suggestion - thank you :) 

    I hope the strategies you’re using continue to help you with this - because we deserve to enjoy our lives don’t we? It’s so hard to enjoy life when you’re weighed down with all these worries. Thanks for sharing your experience - it’s really kind of you and I really appreciate it x