Waves of worry

[hopeful927]

I am new to this website but I am hopeful it will help me. My story is that I have health anxiety that mostly is directed towards cancer. My mom died of cancer at 59 and I was very involved in her care and death. It was extremely hard. Now I had always been a worrier, but after her death this went to a whole new level. I am constantly checking my body, and sometimes I check myself so much I bruise myself and then I worry about the bruise. So silly. I have some rituals that I go through most days, feeling my collar bone, feeling my neck ect. I just feel like I am constantly on guard. I have a great doctor who doesn't mind if I can't move beyond something, she will check it out and help me. It just feels like I move from one wave of anxiety over one body part to another, with few breaks inbetween. It affects me at work and at home. I have been on citalopram, and paxill, but the paxill had side effects for me that I didn't like. I am now on nothing and trying so hard to do CBT to try to stay off meds. Anyone else out there like this? What have you found to be helpful?

[sial72]

Yes, I am like this too. It is exhausting.
I have found Claire Weekes to be very helpful, not specifically for HA but anxiety and fear in general and after all what is HA but fear.
I am now reading Self Help for your Nerves and you can watch an interview if hers on Youtube x

[hopeful927]

Thank you so much! I will definitely check her out. Do you constantly check and evaluate yourself physically? I'm having a hard time controlling that and looking for pointers.

[Nervous_Nelly]

Cancer is my biggest HA worry as well. I check myself MANY times a day.

[Susanne81]

I don't have anything helpful to add, hopeful927, except to say that I feel much the same way you do. My mom passed away at age 63 after a 17 1/2-month fight against brain cancer. It was awful and not something I'd ever wish on anyone or any family. My health anxiety seems to have started because of that experience. I will have to look into Ms. Weekes' book, too.

[hopeful927]

So for all of you that check yourself, and find things, how do you deal with it? I go right into anxiety attack and am having a hard time talking myself out of it. Any ideas or pointers would be greatly appreciated!

[Traceypo]

My only advice would be don't Google, if you really can't stop yourself, put anxiety on the end of your Google search, you'll be surprised that virtually anything can be anxiety induced.
Sial, I've just got my self help for the nerves, what other Claire weekes would you recommend?
Xxx

[sial72]

My only advice would be don't Google, if you really can't stop yourself, put anxiety on the end of your Google search, you'll be surprised that virtually anything can be anxiety induced.
Sial, I've just got my self help for the nerves, what other Claire weekes would you recommend?
Xxx
I think that one has almost all the info you need. There is one that is specific for agoraphobia.
What I also got was an audio, which I downloaded onto my phone, so when I had to travel or do things I was nervous about I would just listen to it on my headphones xx