Hypochondria??

[rachelMcK]

I'm pretty convinced I have this. All my life, if I had a headache, I had a brain tumor. When going through puberty and developing, I was positive I had cancer (my mom had to actually take me to the ER because I wouldn't stop freaking out). I swear when I read about an illness or someone I know gets it, I actually feel the symptoms. I know its irrational. For example, my mom told me that my aunt had a stroke and about two hours later, I went numb, my one eye hurt so bad, i felt dizzy. I knew I wasn't having one, but I had to talk myself through it. Sometimes its so hard to live like this. I bought a DivaCup yesterday because I'm sick of the waste that sanitary pads cause, but I read about TSS in the pamphlet, I used it yesterday and now today, I feel naseaus, I have muscle aches, I'm light-headed and dizzy. I know I don't have TSS but my brain makes me think I do. Its like everyday is constant battle with what is real and whats not. It makes me terrified (actually gives me panic attacks at times) that one day, I may try to talk myself out of my "heart attack" but then I actually am having one.

Does anyone else have something similar to this, I just need some encouragement from people who have something like this, so that I know I'm not alone. At times I think Im crazy.

Thanks

[powerfm1]

I am not a therapist but I know that in your concern for being ill, it also sounds like your having panic attacks, the electric bill used to put me over the moon.

I was put on an anti-anxiety medication and it really helped. You may want to talk to your doctor about how to approach this and also, I would suggest, doing and internet search on hypochondia and also on panic attacks and see what you can find out.

[PrairieRose]

I think you should she a professional for it b/c you need some help with the anxiety it causes you. Sounds really difficult to deal with

[Sara Noel]

I think many types of things are normal such as whenever someone mentions lice on the forums, I start itching. If someone mentions cancer and statistics, I am over aware that it could happen to me, etc.

You should mention it to a professional and see what they think.

There are a lot of people that are aware of their fragility and mortality (ie. when a friend has surgery or a loved one passes away) and don't have anxiety, but seeking a professional can let you know whether what you're feeling is within the spectrum of "normalcy" or something that requires treatment.

[TreasureFinder]

A lot of people have phobias, OCD, or similar things where they can stress so much that they feel sick or in pain. However, if it's happening so strongly that it interfers with your life, please definitely see someone about it. Find out what's making you panic so you can do something about it. I've been through a little of this myself, so I know it's no fun.

[Nishu]

I get issues like this before only to a much lesser degree. I think it started when I started to get the body aches and headaches that I've mentioned in another post. I definitely FEEL like a hypochondriac and I told my neurologist that I'm totally open to the idea that it's all in my head.

My advice to you would be to never, ever look up illnesses on the internet. I had to stop doing this. Go straight to your doctor if you think you have a problem.

Also, when someone you know gets an illness, don't ask and don't encourage them to talk about symptoms. The other day my neighbor was telling me about a friend who had an illness that caused her veins to show very darkly through her skin, and I honest to goodness started looking myself over saying "I think I have that."

You definitely need to go see a mental health professional, imo. Just explain to your doctor exactly what you posted here.

Good luck and I hope you feel better

[mikandmari]

This is just one of the things that causes me to have panic attacks. I completely avoid many women's magazines because they are so preoccupied with horrible, deadly, and ~extremely rare~ diseases! If someone dies from a pain that began in her big toe, I'll think.... "I've had that pain!"

Anti-anxiety meds can help this. I'm currently taking Cymbalta. I no long obsess about every little thing.