Hypochondriac & Stress

First off, you're not going to die. Sorry about the death in your family. That alone is stressing enough. Try to breath in for four seconds, hold four seconds, and release slowly. Much of the time we hyperventilate when we're anxious. Good luck and please keep us posted.

JPE004 Good Morning and please take a big breath - you are not going to die.  People with Health Anxiety fear that   bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness. Constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, and a preoccupation with one's body. Many individuals with Health Anxiety   express doubt and disbelief in the doctors' diagnosis, and report that doctors’ reassurance about an absence of a serious medical condition is unconvincing, or un-lasting. Many people with Health Anxiety   require constant reassurance, either from doctors, family, or friends, and the disorder can become a disabling torment for the individual with hypochondriasis. I am glad to read you have  a medical professional working with you to  help you break out of the health anxiety.   While it is wise to be aware of how you are doing physically, it is actually not helpful to pay close attention to your body at all times.   This is because your body naturally fluctuates during the day and at night, and overtime.   Thus noticing every little change provides very little useful information. And worse - any change that is noticed is worried about , and as worry increases, physical changes and symptoms tend to get worse, and as this happens, checking and monitoring increases even more.   In other words, checking and monitoring your body feeds into the vicious cycle of health anxiety. People with Health Anxiety are likely to seek reassurance about their health from their Dr. and in many cases are told that nothing is wrong.   This quickly makes them feel better.   But...it doesn't take long until the anxiety returns. The reassurance doesn’t last. The reassurance doesn't last.   And the vicious cycle continues.   A question for you to think about :   How much reassurance would it take to make you stop worrying about your health forever?   It may be difficult to come up with a precise answer.   This is because seeking reassurance is a strategy that doesn't work well in the long term. No amount of reassurance is enough to convince you in any lasting way that nothing is wrong.   Remember the purpose of helping you to learn to cope with your health anxiety is not to make the symptoms disappear - it is to help you become less worried about your health. There are many people with this same problem so no giving up just take a deep breath and do something to take your mind off the worries.  Kick the anxiety to the curb - you don't need it so work hard not to let it run your life. Kindly, Kitt      

I totally understand JPE004. I've just had my 4th trip in an ambulance to the hospital in a month. I keep thinking I'm having a heart attack. I've had bloodwork, xrays, ultrasounds, and they always come back negative. I think it's just hard to accept that our brains can cause these physical symtoms to feel so serious. I can't believe that I'm thinking myself into such pain and suffering.
I almost went back today thinking that my lungs are blocked with phlem and I can't breathe. I do have a flu and this is all normal but in my mind I think I'm going to choke on this or my throat is closing up. My sister talked me down or I would have went back again. I'm seeing a therapist but only once a week. The hospital has suggested I try some out patient group sessions and anti depressants. I take lorazepam daily for now. I know exactly how you feel and would be committed to the couch for the day with my aches and pains were it not for my kids. I have to take care of them first. I pray that I can change my thinking and stop this craziness that I feel all the time.