Anyone here struggling with health ocd at the moment? I’m making myself physically sick over the thoughts of me having cancer. If anyone can share their experiences and what they did to get through it I’d appreciate it so much.
Hello. I have the same theme when it comes to health ocd. I am afraid of getting cancer or a terminal disease that will end my life especially at a young age. I unfortunately don't think I did anything in particular to get over it. It still comes. However I try not to obsess over it. I tell myself that if I get there, I will cross that road. But for now, I enjoy life. I know this may not be assuring or may not give you the piece of mind, however for now, you are okay and that's what matters currently.
@Anonymous Thank you for sharing with me
I had the Cancer Health OCD. If you have a genuine concern that you need seen to by a doctor. Go. But trust your doctors. You don't need to Google for hours. Or read every possible symptom. Going for various tests. I made all these mistakes. And turns out the doctors were right, it was all anxiety. But because I kept going at it, it took me ages to get over it. I'm at the stage now I can think about it and it doesn't bother me. You'll get over it! Trust me.
@djkaz I went a week ago to check my moles and she said it was all good but my brain doesn’t want to trust it. I’m driving myself insane feeling like I’m the only one who has so many moles on my body like this and that the doc missed some. My thoughts are bringing me to my kids growing up without me, me dying, just like the worst possible things and I’m completely drained. Idk if this is common? Did you have this with yours?
@Anonymous 25# Not to give reasurence as it can be a compulsion. But I get you, I do. I had the same thoughts. The doctors have probably looked at a million moles and would raise concern if they seen something sinister. OCD just loves worst case scenerios.
@djkaz I had the brain tumor health OCD, and then the throat cancer OCD. Anxiety is so STUPID Looking back on it now..
@SomaticSun🌤️ Yeah, I can think of these subjects now and it doesn't phase me at all. Actually, I see how much I over-reacted.
Scripting and realizing your reassurance seeking/compulsion are really good starts to fighting health ocd. Djkaz gave some good advice also.
Thank you. I was terrible for reassurance seeking. But at the time, I wasn't aware I had OCD. It was actually put down to GAD. :/
@djkaz I had that diagnosis for a bit. I'm glad you got the right one cause now the work can begin!
I’ve been struggling with health/allergy OCD lately. I’d love to hear some stories from everyone to help me cope and move through this.
I’ve struggled with health anxiety for about 11 years, and it’s been horrible the last 3 years. Health related stuff wasn’t my first theme though. It started out with contamination OCD and magical thinking, and then I was diagnosed in 2015 after being hospitalized. Throughout the last 5 years or so, I’ve been hospitalized a few times for debilitating health anxiety OCD, been on countless meds and struggled to find an OCD specialist. I just want this nightmare to be over. I’ve been convinced of having breast cancer, lymphoma, bladder cancer, brain tumors, ovarian cancer, skin cancer, cervical cancer, and many other health issues. I’ve been to the doctors multiple times, I’ve demanded tests, I’ve compulsively gone to the ER and urgent care to “check” for reassurance, I’ve been convinced that doctors aren’t looking good enough or are lying to me. I do a lot of body scanning, and reading and rereading doctors note for reassurance. I also call the doctors office a lot. Again, I just need this to end but I don’t know what to do because I am so burned out.
Hi, im relatively new to the community. I’m hoping I can reach out and hear from some people who have health ocd. I used to have perfectionism, or “everything right” ocd, but ever since an incident involving a health issue last year, it’s manifested into health ocd. It may have exacerbated by the death of someone close to me, as it was cancer-related, and that’s what my intrusive thoughts seem to be about most of the time lately. How do you deal with it, especially when you ARE someone that’s prone to health issues?
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