# Are there any other hypochondriacs on here?



## silvercobra101 (Mar 25, 2010)

I have had health anxiety (HA) for a while, but lately it has become a beast. In the past few weeks I have been so affected by a constant fear of lung cancer that I have dreamed of the day when I could leave the hypochondria forum I belong to and return to this one. I have spent long amounts of time on medical sites, even staying up late into the night saying to myself "I'll just do one more search" or "I'll just look up one more symptom".

I have had periods where nothing matters to me other than the disease I am obsessed with, even to the point where happy young couples can kiss right in front of me and I don't even care. 

The thing is, I don't even fear death. Not only do I believe in an afterlife, but I've always said I will never die in my lifetime, and when I go I won't be around to notice. But there are plenty of slow and painful diseases out there to worry about. And what's more, it seems to have transposed itself to a worry about family members, too. So now, even if I show no symptoms I still worry if anyone in my family shows symptoms.

I know I should probably see a professional about this, but I just wondered if anyone can relate.


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## victorygin (Sep 5, 2010)

_Yes, I can relate to all of that. You're definitely not the lone hypochondriac here
_


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## Fury 0f Osiris (Jan 5, 2011)

The worst thing ive found about being a hypochondriac is that i will convince myself that i really dont have SA and depression, even though ive been professionally diagnosed with both. Which creates alot of self loathing thoughts like 'Your not actually SA and depressed, your just and awkward loser that nobody wants to talk to.' So they really dont mix well.


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## tigrotti (Jan 10, 2011)

I've never been diagnosed as a hypochondriac, but I suppose I might be one? I don't go to the doctor as much any more due to lack of health insurance, but it is hard for me to trust a doctor who turns me away telling me I am just anxious/stressed when I have chronic physical symptoms every single day. I know that something is wrong with me internally, but I have no means to prove it otherwise.


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## Kustamogen (Dec 19, 2010)

Im a HUGE HUGE HUGE hypochondriac.....it sucks....I constantly think theres something wrong with me.

One thing ive stopped doing is looking up things on the internet.....im glad I stopped that....it just fed my fears. I wont look up anything anymore.....it hasnt helped that much in making me less of a hypochondriac....but at least its making me feel less like a crazy person! I take my blood pressure and temperature anytime I feel "off". So almost everyday. I still think theres something wrong with me, docs just havent found it.

I even get more anxious when I know its hard to get medical attention. ie: the local clinic is closed, or theres rush hour and it would be hard to go to the hospital, or snow storms ....etc etc.....I feel pretty ****ed up with all that stuff


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## Jayne311 (Aug 20, 2009)

I am a major hypochondriac. I definetely understand your situation. I'm currently convinced I'm dying of two separate diseases. 

I always used to look up my symptoms also, but it really helped me when I stopped. Try to stop for a little while, and I think it might help. 

I also go to the doctor a few times a year with my biggest concerns, and if they say I'm fine, I don't think about anything health related for at least a few weeks afterward. The worry doesn't go away in that time, but by telling myself that a week or two won't make anything I could have worse than it really is, I get a little break from it and it does make a difference. 

Good luck to you. I understand how hard this can be.


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## Mariee (May 17, 2010)

I have had problems with hypochondria since around the age of 14. I went through most of middle school and parts of high school going from one disease to another. It would often cause panic attacks and I would constantly research information about diseases online. I would be panicky after I researched feeling that all my fears were confirmed, but I would feel panicky not researching either, because I hated feeling in the dark.

Like *Kustamogen* I have stopped researching most health issues online. I still have hypochondriac moments, but usually I can edge them away with self talk, logic, and avoidance or stimuli.

*Fury 0f Osiris*, I also do the same thing. I convince myself that I've just told myself I have these problems and that I really don't, but, that I am just some lame, horrid person that no one likes and I'm trying to come up with ways of making myself feel better by blaming it on anxiety and depression related issues. That was a long sentence. :sus

However, in total, I feel that if you consciously avoid listening to disease related news and researching whatever disease you believe you have online, combined with attempting to use logic about possibility, you can work to get your hypochondria to subside.

If these don't work, perhaps you should consider going to the doctor and getting things checked out. Tell them that you want this testing for peace of mind or talk to the doctor about your anxiety fears. Perhaps they can give you further information as to why you wouldn't have that issue along with clinical evidence that you don't.


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## rdrr (Dec 31, 2008)

I bumped my head the other day. I was feeling woozy and was worried that I had a brain bleed or hematoma or some brain injury. I then started searching about concussions and all things like that, the symptoms. I was starting to feel the symptoms as I read about them. I think for a hypochondriac it is tough when you actually are sick or hurt because you then worry about the worst. I would say I'm markedly better at controlling it but it still affects me.


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## Magical mystery tourguide (Jan 1, 2011)

every couple of months I'll get an MRI or xray done about something I'm convinced is wrong with my body - but all of the tests have shown I have nothing wrong with me.


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## Mellowyellow1 (Jan 9, 2011)

yeah every couple of weeks i start obessing about stuff i think i have. its weird how once u start thinking u have something, all the symptoms of that disease start showing up and u are convinced u have it. i have thought i had like..layers of diseases. one on top of the other. i've been better about it by going to the dr and getting things checked out. u should talk to someone though or mention this to ur therapist if you have one.


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## odd_one_out (Aug 22, 2006)

> The worst thing ive found about being a hypochondriac is that i will convince myself that i really dont have SA and depression, even though ive been professionally diagnosed with both. Which creates alot of self loathing thoughts like 'Your not actually SA and depressed, your just and awkward loser that nobody wants to talk to.' So they really dont mix well.


I didn't really link this to my hypochondria, but it's what I do too. I got diagnosed with atypical hypochondriacal disorder (ICD-10) because my symptoms are relieved after seeing doctors. However, I routinely undiagnose myself of conditions (particularly psych ones) with which I've been diagnosed, sometimes convinced I just fooled the doctors and that no one, including myself, can be trusted to make diagnoses. I ask my friend repetitive questions daily about various symptoms I display. I'm never satisfied with diagnosis.


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## meganmila (Jul 25, 2011)

Yes I believe I have some sort of Hypochondria. I'm so scared of getting sick and dieing. Every symptom I would get I would think it's some serious illness and I will die. Maybe that's the paranoid thoughts I get from people poisoning me...terrified of the unknown I suppose. I try to not look up little symptoms I have cause google is evil. I'm worried about everything especially about my health. :/


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## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

I was diagnosed as hypochondriac until they did further testing and found out that I was actually afflicted with fibromyalgia. My family was convinced that I was lying about being sick all the time and/or joints hurting, etc, since I was 15 when it started. It took 13 freakin years to get diagnosed with fibromyalgia.


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## Meli24R (Dec 9, 2008)

I'm a hypochondriac. I used to look up diseases on the internet and obsess over them but I've stopped that. I still go through these episodes of genuinely believing that I'm dying though. I can be pretty avoidant about medical issues too. I can't read about diseases or watch medical shows. If I'm watching tv and a commercial comes on about an illness I actually mute it and look away.


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## The Professor (Jul 31, 2011)

I have hypochondria. I helped my uncle remove asphalt shingles from an old roof of a barn over the summer. After two days of working and almost completeing the job I looked on the internet and asphalt shingles contain asbestos. After a certain year (i think 1963) the asbestos is a very small and unharmful amount. If you don't know, read about asbestos. It is probably the WORST thing that can happen to a hypochondriac. It is resistant to all heat and chemicals and it has to be removed by a certain person so I feel like everything is infected with it. The clothes I used are bagged up and in the garage now.

My uncle said he called the previous owner and found out the barn was built in 1972 (so low asbestos) but there's no way I'm convinced. And plus it is not a house it is only a large tractor/tool barn so they may have continued using it longer for them. My mom took a shingle and sent it in to get tested like over a week ago. I think she said the results would come back after only a few days. I am at college now and my mom hasn't mentioned anything (SHE WOULD IF THE RESULTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE!) And she needs to come up to bring me some stuff so I think she is waiting to tell me then, in person. All I can do now is pray.

Also, I have been having to cough a bit lately and I NEVER used to cough unless I was sick.


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