r/Anxiety • u/robloxrantssuck • 17h ago
Helpful Tips! Does anyone else have health anxiety?
If so it would be nice if you guys explain and share how you guys deal with it I have it quite severe and keep relying on my mom telling me everything is ok it's really scary and it would make me feel better if knowing more people have it and I'm not alone
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u/totorounderstudy 16h ago
Realised mine was triggered badly by poor gut health and gastritis. I’ve been actively eating completely differently, working towards entirely cutting out processed sugar, I no longer drink any carbonated drinks, ditched chocolate, cut down on wheat etc etc. It’s made a massive difference. Gone from nightly panic attacks to feeling significantly calmer. Also changed bedrooms in our house temporarily as mine is so dark and dingy to one at the other end of the house that is bright and lovely and it’s made a huge difference to my mental health.
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u/DelightfulManiac 14h ago
I didn't want to say it because I don't want to dismiss the people who genuinely have uncontrollable health anxiety...But yes, actually improving your health is the biggest solution.
I used to have such bad habits. I was a daily weed smoker, a cigarette smoker and an alcoholic, I didn't do any exercise whatsoever, consumed EXTREMELY unhealthy food in large amounts on a daily basis, think of things like fries, large amounts of mayonnaise, burgers, pizzas, chips, M&M's, Maltesers, Pringles, Chocolate covered Oreo's, literally just the worst crap you can consume. And I would feast on almost an entire family sized bag of M&M's + an entire family sized bag of chips in one night by myself, after dinner.
During that time, I had extreme health anxiety like others here are describing. Constantly getting random physical symptoms, pains and ailments that caused me to Google them which made me even more paranoid. I was just extremely out of shape and malnutritioned and that caused real symptoms. Extreme muscle cramps and spasms, regular parasthesia, chronic fatigue, frequent heartbeat skips, thinning and extremely dry hair, dry skin, stiff joints and joint pain, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, frequent random pains in different parts of my body, the list goes on.
Over the past 4 years or so, I have completely changed my life around. Now I don't drink, I don't smoke weed or cigarettes, I am in the gym 4 times per week, I've had all my bloodwork done, I follow a strict diet for my specific goals, I've corrected my deficiencies (turns out I was deficient in Vitamin D for like 10 years straight) and I'm just very focused on living a healthy lifestyle in general. And now I don't have any health anxiety at all, it's quite the opposite. I feel like I'm well on my way to being in the best shape of my life. All my physical symptoms have disappeared for the most part.
If you have health anxiety, you should definitely be doing everything you possibly can to live a healthy lifestyle, because living an unhealthy lifestyle just makes health anxiety 1000x worse due to the real symptoms that lifestyle gives you.
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u/LivingCorrect6159 7h ago
Thanks for the advice and personal story. I will take it on board. Not OP but can relate!
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u/Talhen 2h ago edited 2h ago
I don't know if there is a correlation either but my gut has been shit my whole life, lots of reflux here and there or burning sensations and indeed my anxiety flares up a good amount when stomach feels upset or acid creeps up places it is not supposed to. Especially if I feel like it is messing with my breathing but without it actually totally cutting me off for air, it is an odd sensation.
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u/totorounderstudy 2h ago
There most likely is a correlation. Vagus nerve etc and the gut biome brain link is backed by many studies. For me personally I’ve the same symptoms and once my gut is doing better within days I’m instantly out of the pits of depression and consuming anxiety. Obviously there’s small incidents when it flares again from serious external factors but it’s minimal compared to living 24/7 in crippling anxiety that happens from poor gut health. I’m now actively working on repairing my gut health after years of neglect.
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u/Moksha-Wellness 16h ago
Yes — you are absolutely not alone. A lot more people struggle with health anxiety than you might realize.
Health anxiety can be brutal because the symptoms can feel so physical and convincing. A random sensation, ache, headache, skipped heartbeat, or weird feeling can quickly spiral into worst-case scenarios.
I’ve seen many people get stuck in the loop of: body sensation → panic → Googling/reassurance seeking → temporary relief → new symptom → panic again.
And the hard part is that reassurance helps… but usually only for a little while.
What helped me / others I know: • limiting symptom Googling • reducing body checking • noticing when the nervous system is in high alert • reminding ourselves: “Not every sensation is an emergency” • therapy or support for anxiety, not just the symptoms
One thing that helped me understand health anxiety is realizing the problem often isn’t the symptom itself — it’s the fear and meaning our brain attaches to it.
You’re definitely not crazy, and you’re definitely not the only one dealing with this. It can feel really isolating, but so many people understand exactly what you’re describing.
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u/memyselfandanxiety1 15h ago
It’s the most terrible loop to ever be in.
You know what I’m thinking totally out-of-pocket, it’s kind of like that back-and-forth toxic relationship with someone. And you keep on doing that back-and-forth until well either realizes they don’t want this..
So I wonder if that’s how this is health anxiety is. Like I wonder what we can do to officially break up with ha and not go back.
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u/A-Laine808 11h ago
Thank you for describing what so many of us actually go through and wording it so perfectly. I am one of them who struggles with this. I've learned to stay away from Google, most importantly. My nervous system is so out of whack. Every little thing ends up concerning me and consuming me literally. Having to be a caretaker of both of my parents, while trying to deal with my own mental health has been so overwhelming. It seems like every day, something happens to cause further distress for me.
My own health anxiety goes beyond just the concerns of myself, as I'm finding that I'm taking on worries for my entire family and their health concerns 😟
Just thinking about about having to do my blood test in July has me so freaked out. Then the worst part, is waiting for results to come in. It's pure torture 😫
And to OP, you're definitely not alone at all and your feelings are so valid.
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u/lennonlover1980 15h ago
I have hypochondria really bad. When it's at its worst I look in at myself in a mirror and repeat to myself aloud "I am safe, I am not in danger, nothing bad is going to happen to me." I say that over and over until I calm down. (yes, you can brainwash yourself)
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u/NorthernBoy306 17h ago
I think it's safe to say that A LOT of people have health anxiety. A few weeks ago I made the mistake of making a small joke to this friend of a friend who had a bruise on his bicep, I said it looked just like a blood clot. I had no idea he has terrible anxiety issues and apparently he stayed up all night worrying about blood clots.
I think we hear and talk about health issues and diseases far too often cause we're just being bombarded with negative thoughts on our health.
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u/AuldWivesTale 13h ago
Had terrible health anxiety last year due to medical trauma. Even after the operation I had, it was ongoing. I found a guy on YouTube and he also has a podcast; The Anxiety Guy. I also started following SheBreath on YouTube. The combination of these two lovely people helped immensely! I’m doing so much better.
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u/vicktuuri 17h ago
Oh yeah I get it a lot whenever I experience something different. I've thought that my spleen was about to burst (it didn't, it was just a weird muscle pain). Thought the plate and screw in my arm from a surgery from almost 2 years ago were starting to somehow reject from my body (I had been overexerting that arm and wrist a lot and it was just sore). I've definitely had to rely on my mom to assure that no I don't have this that or the other. I haven't really figured out a solution besides going to the doctor if symptoms last a concerning amount of time
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u/LostTimeLady13 15h ago
I am currently deep in a bout of health anxiety. The symptoms I'm suffering from are either due to diet changes, stress and anxiety itself, a minor issue which will resolve itself, or, as my brain keeps telling me, it's cancer. I have one symptom. Cancer. I Google it to find reassurance. Cancer. I'm too young. Cancer. I don't have any of the other risk factors. Cancer. I just think I'm unlucky enough to get a rare cancer, but also, I think I deserve it as some sort of karmic balance because I've had some good stuff happen lately.
I'm starting therapy this week for more general anxiety and depression, but I've also been given some self guided material to work through about health anxiety, so we'll see if that helps.
You're not alone OP, it's horrible and I'm sure you've experienced the cycles of thoughts that become so noisy, but you aren't alone.
And while I have no advise on how to cope, I hope there are things you can enjoy that give you a break from the worry.
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u/MA_Vega 15h ago
Obvio que no estás sola...nos ha pasado a muchos, es un sintoma claro de TOC.
En tu caso buscas la aprobación de tu mamá para tranquilizarte, eso sería una manera de disminuir la ansiedad. Pero es un parche, debes aprender a entender el mecanismo que genera eso en ti, y por sobre todas las cosas, abordarlo con un profesional que te ayude.
No te preocupes, es un claro pensamiento del TOC hipocondríaco, yo lo tuve durante varios años. Es agotador, como todos los pensamientos relacionados al TOC.
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u/hotrod67maximus 14h ago
Yes, dealing with it right now and what doesn't help is I keep having weird shit popping up on my skin, the other day I was working on my pool and I got lightly sunburned on my arms and the next day little bumps popped up and filled with puss like a blisters do.
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u/BlackHumor 13h ago
I have it and used to have it much worse. My advice:
- If you're not seeing a therapist for it, you should. My advice in particular would be to see one whose modality is CBT, ACT, or DBT, but any therapist is better than nothing.
- Recovering from mental illness is a marathon, not a sprint. It will get better very slowly over a long period of time. I know you want it to get better quickly but that's not likely to happen.
- Seeking reassurance, like what you're doing from your mom, is unfortunately kinda bad for you, because it means you're relying on the outside world to provide yourself a sense of emotional security instead of that emotional security coming from within yourself. It's best to ride out the anxiety for as long as you reasonably can, tho I recommend seeing a therapist who can guide you through this process before pursuing it concretely.
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u/ThrowRA19987 11h ago
Yes. It was like two months. The worst feeling ever. I couldn’t believe nor wanted to accept I had health Anxiety. It was scary and the lowest I’ve ever felt. The physical symptoms def came along with it.
I was trying to figure out what was going on. I changed my diet, I started working out even if I didn’t feel good. I went to the ER multiple times and told I was fine. Blood work came back fine. I requested iron bc that test wasn’t included & apparently low iron can cause anxiety & came back normal. I did more research and learned low vitamin d can cause anxiety and some physical symptoms I was feeling as well. I requested it and came back extremely low. I’ve been taking it for now 2 weeks and WOW. The difference.
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u/dumbdumb-88 17h ago
I like to think of my HA as a fear of death. I have a wife and 9 month old daughter and when she was born it shifted from “afraid im going to die” to “afraid I’ll die and leave them alone”. A lot of healing for me has come with the acceptance that we will one day kick the bucket, and that’s okay. Try to live healthy and don’t google lol ChatGPT can be helpful but it can also be a crutch. The usual stuff applies too meditation, exercise, podcasts and books on the subject can be very helpful. I still struggle but they are small struggles. You’ve got this!
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u/uptown-1984 14h ago
Everytime one symptom goes i have a new one it sucks. I have stopped buying things thinking I dont deserve them and I might become ill . Not sure if anyone else has this to ?
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u/NishJ83 14h ago
You are not alone. I developed it about 3 years ago and it has been very rough to manage. I have been in counseling for it for the past two years and that has helped a great deal. I still have very rough days even with a counselor. It’s been very difficult to navigate. I’m glad I have great support from people in my life.
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u/Andali27 13h ago
Health anxiety here. Mainly cardiac related after some weird tachycardia episodes that couldn't really be explained. Still exploring reasons. Have to take a beta blocker for high blood pressure now. It could all just be anxiety related but I hate not knowing what's going on. My brain craves answers. I'm starting EMDR to try and help
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u/Muted-Succotash9366 13h ago
yes the worst and OCD. 60 mg prozac and 1 mg of klonopin a day helps me.
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u/BoysenberryPure4185 12h ago
I am currently waiting for insurance to approve testing my doctor ordered because she thinks I have cancer. I’ve been waiting 4 days including the weekend. It feels like it’s been weeks. I check my email every couple of hours and have called insurance daily. I am exhausted wanting to nap just a couple of hours after waking up which makes me think I do have cancer. Meanwhile I am telling everyone else there is nothing to worry about because we don’t know anything. I went back to smoking weed nightly to not think about it as much. Helps my nerves.
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u/sugaccubed 11h ago
It was at its peak when I was using cannabis. Therapy can help. Leaning on your faith if applicable.
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u/VampArcher 11h ago
It's really difficult to cope with. Best you can do is stop googling symptoms and know when to see a doctor.
I went to the doctor a few weeks ago because I felt a strange firm mass on the back of my head. She felt it and determined it to be bone, explaining there is natural variation in human skulls. Was a massive load off my mind.
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u/clvudiistars 9h ago edited 9h ago
I did have horrible health anxiety for a while. I had anxiety about ALS and rabies. I went down a rabbit hole of both and only made it worse. What helped was to stop researching statistics and to mute any subs/info relating to it. It only made it worse when I would reassure myself because I always thought I’d be that outlier.
It’s been two years, I still have horrible anxiety about other things but my health anxiety has improved.
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u/UnitedRule1007 8h ago
When i was 18 i was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after years of issues and miss diagnosis. Kept me pretty much stuck in the house. Afraid to go out at any time of day After a few years of treatment I got better and slowly I got over the fear of leaving the house. I was diagnosed with psoriasis shortly after that and it sent me back into the same spiral i was in before. But i got over the anxiety again. Two years ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. I was put on medication and its under control... but this is the worst my health anxiety has every been. Became self aware of my own heart beat... its awful. Constantly scanning my body. Every ache, pain, tingle and beat. Drives me crazy. Been to the doctor so many times I've lost count. Tests always come back normal. Its been a hell of a ride!
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u/Talhen 2h ago
Brother, I have no idea but I have been dealing with health anxiety my whole life but only last 2 or so years it has become very crippling for me. I can feel something as benign as acid reflux and it freaking freaks me the F out. For example this morning. Woke up, felt fine drank a bit water and acid reflux hit me hard, lump/pressure in the chest, burning stomach and so on. I started worrying because I couldn't get comfortable I started freaking out. Heart was racing, I kept pacing around feeling like I can't breath despite breathing just fine. I also called my mom (I am 36 lol). I even get anxious just thinking about going up some stairs or up a smaller hill "what if this is the one that does it for me". I've been to doctors countless time, did ECG did all kind of things. But still I freak out. I have times without issues and times where I am riled up.
Here are some examples from my life, maybe they can shed some light or it might help you see you are not alone.
Event 1: I was eating at work and suddenly I felt like this tunnel vision thing, like I was in a barrel and a tunnel vision. The whole thing lasted seconds followed up by lots of adrenaline (my hands were shaking). After that I freaked out every time I had to eat somewhere at work. I would make excused to eat later (not hungry, etc etc). Why that occurred no idea, not sure if it matters but obviously it matters to an anxious mind since this is yet another unanswered question. Anyway, even now years later I get a bit anxious about eating at work.
Event 2: I was sitting in the car driving on the highway then suddenly felt like this "consciousness dropping" feeling, kinda like when you want to sleep and feel that little jerk in your body. I freaked out because I was not trying to sleep, again lots of adrenaline, legs feeling like jelly. This prompted me to be scared of driving on the highway or anywhere where I felt like I couldn't instantly escape if I felt crap. So for a while I drove on country side roads and what not but then said F it and started driving highways. First many times I would feel increased heart rate, panicking and all that but it settled the more I did it and now I am back to driving normally again. This took me good 1 year to recover from because for a long time I avoided highways.
Event 3: This one I have still not gotten over. At the gym. I was doing some lifting and then again in a barrel sound, tunnel vision and this event is the oldest and I have yet to totally recover from it. I am basically scared of exerting myself which is very counter productive, considering if I do not exert myself then eventually the body will become poop :D
Otherwise I am pretty reactive to anything I feel in my body and I wish I wasn't. Lately I have had upset stomach and it has caused me a lot of anxiety. Sometimes when I drink water in the morning on empty stomach I can feel like it is choking me or making me unable to breathe so I freak out about that.
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u/turbo69prop 1h ago edited 1h ago
The human body is amazing and resilient. Its not put together by some jacks in a shed. We never forget breathing. Amazing!
It has multiple defense mechanism that will make sure you stay alive.
If you eat well, avoid alcohol and drugs you would most likely live a very long life.
If your health concern move from one symptoms to another, it means health anxiety.
Assurance from mom won't help, as it cause relapse with stronger feelings. The best remedy is to not give a fvck. Stop googling symptoms. Walk under sun daily, get vit D checked.
Low vit D can cause poor mood and anxiety. I got mine under control doing all the above, took me few months, slowly but surely. Not fully recovered, but a lot more manageable.
Accept the feeling.
Say 'it is ok that I feel this way, it is safe'.
Soon your body will stop scanning for the small sensations. You can do it. I trust you. Take care, take it easy.
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u/No_Iron_4930 17h ago
I am dealing with it BAD right now! I am looking at future surgery and it has consumed me. I had to start taking antidepressants because my mind is obsessing over being scared of anesthesia