Illness/death ocd

I’m new to this app but wanted to just get it out there. I have ocd that comes out as obsessing that I have some unknown disease or cancer that is killing me. It gets really bad before I travel and causes me heart palpitations. Before I travel I’m convinced I’m going to die on the trip so then I start having heart palpitations which leads me to think I’ve got some rare heart cancer. It’s a weird circle. I’ve had an echo so I know there’s nothing wrong with my heart but my brain doesn’t care. This worry extends to my kids where I constantly think something bad is going to happen to them. It got 10x worse after my stepdad died in a motorcycle accident a few years ago then my mom and brother had cancer. It seemed to have solidified that death is going to happen so no self talk is working. It’s exhausting.

Username: PPittsPPitts

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

Same! Been like this for years. Worries about death or my health. Recently diagnosed with OCD which explains a lot. Mine also worse when a trip is coming. I think being away from home drives that. I have some health issues but parlay them into worst case. At 55 my hip is shot and I have arthritis in several spots, and reflux. Can’t take much for the pain as it makes mu tinitus worse. So I constantly worry about how I will get by as things progress. And of course - any small symptom I turn into something that is fatal. My NOCD therapist helped me a lot. I was great for a few months - but it’s easy to feel good when things are good. Working on managing my ocd and staying positive when things are tough. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of rest. Appreciate the mention of resources above. It always helps to know you are not alone. Hang in there.

Username: Jacalyn W.Jacalyn W.

Date posted: 1y ago

@PPitts Thanks so much! Yes, it drives me crazy. I’ve had this since I was a child but it wasn’t until about 5 years ago when a therapist diagnosed me with OCD. My death anxiety kicks into overdrive to the point of feeling like I’m going to hyperventilate if I don’t accidentally forget something when I leave for a trip or I’m on my way home. It HAS to be an accident or “it doesn’t work.” Basically if I don’t accidentally forget something then it means I don’t have to come back for it therefore I’m going to die for sure. In my mind I have to be alive to come back to get the thing I forgot so I can’t die but if I don’t forget something then I’m for sure going to die. It literally makes zero logical sense but my brain 100% believes it.

Username: VGHVGH

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

Hi, I’m sorry you’re going through this. I spent years struggling with health anxiety. You have found the right place to be. Have you reached out for therapy with NOCD. It was where I learned the tools to overcome my OCD. Explore NOCD’s YouTube channel there are some great videos. “Needing To Know For Sure” by Winston and Seif is a great book. Mark Freeman and Kimberly Quinlan also have some great content on health anxiety. Glad you’re here, reach out anytime.

Username: Jacalyn W.Jacalyn W.

Date posted: 1y ago

@VGH I’ll check out the YouTube channel. I haven’t reached out to a therapist yet from NOCD

Username: OCDisAwful1204OCDisAwful1204

Date posted: 24w ago

I’m going through this right now. I’m leaving tonight for the beach (7 hours away) and I’ve been having anxiety/heart palpitations ALL DAY. Like FREQUENTLY. it’s really freaking me out.

Username: User0313

Date posted: 1y ago

Cancer OCD

I just became a father and now any experiencing pain in the abdomen. Immediately looked for symptoms online but I fear of it being Cancer. I don’t have any tests or diagnostics saying it’s cancer but I can’t stop looking up more info on the internet, I’m 33 and I know it’s rare for me to get it but I keep having extreme anxiety and panic attacks that keep me visiting the ER for further testing. I have followed up with doctors and they are running tests but I keep thinking I won’t be there for my family!

Username: Alittlebital...

Date posted: 42w ago

Health concerns

Hey everyone, I’m not sure if this is super OCD related, but I figured I’d post just to maybe feel less alone. I’m always worried in the back of my mind that I might have cancer, and it’s not for nothing, I have had two types of cancer before I was 10 years old. The fear doesn’t take over my life, but it’s definitely there. I recently got sent to check a large lump that appeared on my thyroid, and all diagnostics coming back so far are ruling out the easy non-cancer options. I’m worried, it’s not an unfounded worry, but it’s starting to interfere with my life in a way that feels like OCD. I’m scared, and if I’m completely honest, I’m extremely sad. The last thing I want to do is get life changing bad news in the middle of an OCD spiral. Anyway, thank you for reading, I think I just needed to get that off my chest ❤️‍🩹

Young adults with OCD

Username: itgetsbetter!

Date posted: 42w ago

Feeling Scared

TW: talk of cancer I don’t post on here much, but I’ve been dealing with Health Concern OCD my whole life. I am constantly searching for mystery illnesses that could be causing even the slightest discomforts in my body. My lymph nodes are swollen, I am trying to rationalize my thinking by saying I could just have a cold. However, I cannot stop thinking about it. I am terrified of having some form of cancer/lymphoma that I may not have noticed until now. I am restless and unable to sleep, all I can think about is what is going to happen if I get this checked out by a doctor. I want to know why this is happening in my body, but I’m scared that my worst nightmare might be true and if I was too late to get seen. I’m feeling very defeated, and trapped in my own head. Nobody knows how debilitating my OCD really is because I put on a very good facade of seeming like I’m cool calm and collected. Most of the time, I’m freaking out over the smallest changes or feelings.

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Illness/death ocd

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