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Posted 3/15/2009 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Danielle and I am 20 years old.

Anxiety runs in my family and I have my ups and downs.
I used to have a really bad phobia of AIDS and I convinced myself I had it. After being tested, it relieved my fear a little bit. Now, I have a fear that I have herpes. I don't understand why I keep getting these fears. I have never had any symptoms of an std and I know they are irrational thoughts. I have started doing yoga and I work closely with a therapist that I really trust and love. I just can't feel like this anymore. At times I feel hopeless and physically ugly. Since this fear has started, I don't want to be intimate with the guy I am dating in fear I will give him the virus. I don't know what to do anymore. I feel better for a while and then I start getting scared again. I find myself becoming depressed because of all of the negative thoughts. They make me feel hopeless. I am lucky to have a family that supports me and loves me, and a lot of friends that I love....but I just don't think anyone completely understands.

I guess I just joined this forum in hope to have a good support system. I looked online for a while for a good support group and this was by far the best one I found. You guys all seem to really care about each other and I hope that I will find some relief in knowing that I am not the only one out there living with terrible anxiety.
Posted 3/15/2009 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Danielle.  Just wanted to welcome you to HW.  You are right about this place, it is the best support system for people with p/a and I'm so glad that you found it! 

I understand your health anxieties, as I have them myself, and it can really tear your life apart and the ups and downs can really be tough to bear.  I'm glad to hear that you have a therapist, that can be a huge help.  Do you use cbt?  That has been a real life saver for me.  If you don't already use it, it is worth looking into.  I hope that you will continue to post here, and let all of us get to know you better. 

Posted 3/15/2009 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Danielle and welcome to HW. I'm so glad that you found this forum because we truely are a family here. I just recently joined about a month or so ago when my anxiety and panic attacks were at their worse. I thought that i was alone in how I felt until I came here a realized that I was not the only one. Joining this forum has been the best experience since my anxiety started. So...on that note...I hope you will keep coming back and just know that you are not alone. Take care.
Posted 3/15/2009 3:44 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining us and introducing yourself. Welcome! You are not alone in feeling this way, and please don't beat yourself up because of it. It sounds to me that you may have health anxiety or generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) it means that as soon as you find a resolution to one specific worry you will find a new one. Don't I know that cycle!

It seems that you have a lovely supportive network of friends and family and that is wonderful, but only people who live with anxiety can truly understand. It is not something you can visibly see and no-one can undersatnd until they have been through it. Please share with us how you are feeling okay. HW is an absolute oasis and we do not judge.

I look forward to getting to know you better :-)

Meg

Posted 3/15/2009 5:28 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys, your support really means a lot. I just don't know what to do anymore. I wish everyday that my fears will go away...but they don't. I don't want to keep getting tested for things my entire life. I just can't live like this anymore. Any advice on ways to let go of negative thoughts?
Posted 3/15/2009 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Danielle

I am so glad you joined us as we are a great support group and you will meet many great members who know where your coming from and what you are going through.

Health Anxiety is tough as many of our members know only to well.  Have you ever done the CBT therapy online,  It is free and you can work it at your own pace. I will post the link for you.

the MoodGym:


http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations, and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel / act better even if the situation does not change.

Take care and stick with us.

Again a warm welcome,
Kitt

Posted 3/15/2009 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW and to our lil family here

Many of us have had the fears with the health anxiety
I myself am one of those
I do/am doing CBT as Lil sis mentioned above
For me it is helping so much
as are the luving and caring ppl here

Do stay with us and get to know us and us you

Take care

LYN
Posted 3/15/2009 4:38 PM (GMT 0)

bubbles123 said...
I have never had any symptoms of an std and I know they are irrational thoughts.

Hello :) It seems to me that you have answered your own question. . . This quote of yours is the basic tenants of CBT mentioned above for getting rid of the irrational Scary/Warpy Thoughts. I have been through this so much myself, and after doing MoodGYM and some other CBT, I have been doing so much better. I hope you can find some peace of mind and get to feeling better soon!
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