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Posted 1/6/2014 9:51 AM (GMT 0)
hi im new here,i suffer every minute of every day with panic attacks i think iv got a serious illness that nobody will pick up on and i will die leaving my children,i hate it it has taken over my life i cant cope i just want to be normal x

*reason for edit...gave your thread a title. ;)

Post Edited By Moderator (Scaredy Cat) : 1/6/2014 10:41:45 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/6/2014 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
I'm exactly like you several months ago. When I had my first panic attack i started to have them more frequently in the days that followed. I also felt i have a serious disease and will die soon since I already lost a lot of weight. 10 months had passed and I'm still here and I'm able to gain back some weight. I also thought i was losing my mind. You should learn right away and trust that panic attacks alone won't kill you. Here in this site/forum you'll find ways on how to deal with it like in the resources page

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=104206

 

or read some of other people's advice. You should try hard not be afraid and break the anxiety cycle. don't feed your fears and dwell on negative thoughts. Also don't diagnose yourself using google as it can make you more afraid and paranoid STAY OUT OF IT. what i did is that I allowed my body to go through all of those dreaded sensations in a panic attack to make myself confident enough that i'm not gonna die from it.

here's a technique called 21 second countdown. it's in my post before. here's the link

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=2745427

*reason for edit...made your url's active links Joja. :)

Post Edited By Moderator (Scaredy Cat) : 1/6/2014 10:41:07 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/6/2014 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
I also have health anxiety just like you. I just decided one day to stop playing doctor to myself as it just makes me more afraid and wastes my time. Try to distract yourself on other things. Don't let fear take over your life. I used to ask myself that if I'm gonna die real soon, will I just choose to dwell in my fears that will prevent me from doing the things I love or try hard to beat anxiety by breaking free from all those negative thoughts and doing things that will make my heart jump even if it kills me? Since all of us dies in the end, I want to die smiling. Also don't forget about God because he truly cares for us, all you need to do is trust Him.
Posted 1/6/2014 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi again FS.

I am sorry to hear of your fears...I know how this feels as I too have dealt with health anxiety.

You are not alone as you can see...and Joja has given you some good advice and Resources! :)

I will just add that therapy is also a good treatment to explore if this is a possibility for you. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) helped me to recover from panic attacks, and helped me to manage my health anxiety quite well.

You can ask your doctor for a referral to a therapist who offers this form of therapy.

We also have two book recommendations here that deal specifically with the fear if illness and death. You may find them to be just what you need to read.:)

http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Health-Anxiety-David-Veale/dp/1845298241

http://www.amazon.com/Treating-Health-Anxiety-Cognitive-Behavioral-Approach/dp/1572309989



Keep posting with us...we understand and care!

S.C.

Posted 1/6/2014 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
I can totally relate to this---for years I have dealt with this. Us anxious people dwell on every little pain, feeling, sensation. I have dealt with this for many years. I pray--deep breathe, try to get involved in something and always try to remember: "Feelings are not facts."
Posted 1/6/2014 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
hi everyone sorry been t work all day,thanks for the dvice,im already doing cbt got a session tomorrow,i suffer a really bad back and my sides? like my ribs,i have not worked for 13 year as i was bringing my children up,but started work a few months ago, could this be why my body hurts/ cos its not used to it lol, x
Posted 1/7/2014 2:05 AM (GMT 0)
Great to hear that you are doing CBT! How long have you been at it?

What type of work do you do? Is it physical?

I carry my tension in my neck, but it can be different for everyone. If you do not have an acute injury that accounts for the pain, it could be from stress/strain and/or fatigue.

In which case some stretching and progressive muscle relaxation (see Resources) could bring relief.:)

Keep posting!

S.C.
Posted 1/7/2014 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
hi sorry again i only really get chance to come on here on a night,i work in a fish shop nothing special lol.but im stood all day bthen have to do all thye cleaning sweeping mopping at end of shift,its my back and ribs that hurt.i have been doing cbt group cbt for 6 weeks but start my 1st one on one session in the morning x
Posted 1/7/2014 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Okay...that counts as physical work for sure.:) Standing and cleaning can take their toll on your back...

...and as strange as is sounds, you may want to 'fight fire with fire.' As in, exercise/stretching/yoga to get some relief!

Crosstraining other muscles will actually give the ones that you are using at work a break.

Of course, finding a balance of rest and activity is important as well. If something is hurting in an acute way...you will want to rest and ice the area...but if you are sore and just generally achy...getting some exercise can actually be the relief you need.

Keep going with the CBT. It takes time for the effects to become noticable. I went for several weeks (one on one) before I even noticed any improvement. Then when things started to click...the recovery and benefits really took off!

Keep posting with us when you can. :)

S.C.
Posted 1/7/2014 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
hi, yes the group therapy seemed a bit useless,iv heard lots of people say that cbt really worked for them so im hoping it does for me, in 2006 i had my thyroid removed and they found cancer,at the time i wasnt phased by the news,im fine now see my oncologist every 6 months,anyway im wondering if all these years later it has crept up on me and this is why i am now suffering health anxiety x
Posted 1/7/2014 8:53 PM (GMT 0)

I have health anxiety but not to the extreme that it is OCD unless it relates to medical issues already diagnosed.  When you have a known disorder it is very difficult to not worry and takes much willpower to stay in the moment, not assuming the worst case scenario.

I do not worry nor have I had problems with health anxiety until I was dx with a serious medical illness.

What helps me most is staying busy, accepting that my anxiety is pure fear and only I can calm down my fears.  So I practice many of the things in our resources.

Remember you don't have to be perfect as we all have some good anxiety so know you are now part of a very kind and caring group of members.

Kindly,

Kitt 

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