I noticed a spot on my lip that looks to be a mole and I never noticed it before. Anytime I notice a change in my body or skin I just get scared I have something really deadly and I don't survive it
Sorry that you deal with this.I understand.Maybe you can go to a doctor to calm down your anxiety?
I want to see my doctor again but I'm just so scared. Eventually I'll have to push through and do it though.
@BigGyro09 I am sorry ! Take your time
But I am sure you will feel better after
Thank you. Maybe my therapist can help me with this next time I see them.
Wish you the best!
Hi friend. I know this feeling all too well and actually am in the middle of the exact thing. It’s so easy to fall down the rabbit hole of obsessing but here’s where I’ve settled. Find a dermatologist and visit them once of year for a routine skin check. If you notice anything new or a mole changes, make an appointment to get it checked out. I just had a brand new mole pop up and it grew really fast. Scared tf out of me. I went to the dermatologist, and she removed it. Said it probably wasn’t anything but is having it biopsied just to be sure. I’ve had some things biopsied in the past and it’s all been fine. It’s sucks but I’m managing. And you will too! You can do this 💖
I don't think I've ever seen a dermatologist before but I should. I got a regular checkup with my newest doctor and they didn't say anything in return, so I just assumed I was okay. The last time i went to a health clinic about a concern was something entered to a UTI and the doctors kept reassuring me that I didn't have a UTI, which helps to fall back on. I told a good friend on here about my HPV worries and they told me that reasonably speaking I shouldn't have it. But then this came up along with just getting random bumps on my skin. I was thinking of telling my therapist about all of this. Just to try and tell someone I guess. I'm happy that you've been doing okay and it's good to hear from you again. :)
@BigGyro09 I don’t know that I’ve been doing ok, but I’m managing 😂 I had never gone to a dermatologist before either. Until my mom got sick and the ocd started flaring and I decided to get all my appointments done. I find that when I’m on schedule with all my preventative care, the ocd isn’t as loud. But it’s so hard and scary to go sometimes. Definitely talk to your therapist about it. I’d be curious to know their response. Mine is pro going to the doctor…once! Lol. She just doesn’t want me going back for the same thing over and over, which I get.
@emilytravelswild That's what I'm afraid of. Aside from struggling with confidence and self esteem pretty badly, it's the health related stuff I can't bear. It's hard for me to go to the doctor because I'm worried that there's something really wrong, even if there aren't any symptoms. I've searched for so many different things that it could be but it still wasn't enough for me. It's annoying. I think my therapist would have the same response as yours. They already know about my previous visits too. Then there's other times where I don't think I need to go. It's a mess.. I'm glad you're hanging in there either way. That's always good.
@BigGyro09 Sorry I didn’t see your response the other day. I so understand. Everything you describe is exactly how I feel too. Health ocd is so so tough. Does the searching make it worse for you? Googling my symptoms gave me the worst panic spikes so I finally stopped doing that. Though I still want to. How are you feeling about it today? I just got the results back from my skin biopsy and all is good there. 🥰
@emilytravelswild The searching did make it worse for me. I talked to my therapy about it and they just equated it down to OCD because that's what it is primarily. I feel a little more calm about it though. I still notice the mole on my lip but I've also noticed other people have moles on their lips and they're okay. I'm glad your biopsy went well!!
@BigGyro09 Glad to hear you’re feeling a little calmer now! Did you decide whether or not you were going to the doctor for it? That’s probably the hardest part for me, making that decision. But you are so correct. People have lots of moles all over and they are fine!
@emilytravelswild Hi. I told my therapist and they chalked it up to OCD. I'm thinking it could either be from the sun or from anxiety. A lot of people have moles in many different areas. I never worried about them until I noticed them on my lip I guess. I remember when I noticed a new mole on my cheek that I don't think I've ever had before.
@BigGyro09 Hey how are you?
@emilytravelswild Hi! Yesterday was a big tough but I'm having a good day today. Just trying to keep my self compassion routines up and accepting everything as is. How are you?
@BigGyro09 Sorry to hear yesterday was tough but I’m glad to hear you’re having a good day today! I had a bad day recently too. It’s such a journey 🙃 I’ve also been trying to focus on acceptance but it’s so hard! Things are good. I’ve been traveling a lot this summer which has been fun. I had a really great week last week camping at an antiques festival in Massachusetts with a bunch of friends. It was the most normal I’ve felt since this OCD flare. Was so nice.
@emilytravelswild All of that sounds really amazing. I'm glad you had the time to do that and it's really nice to see you say it made you forget about OCD completely. It would be great to have more days like those! :)
@BigGyro09 You’ll have days like that too! There was a time I didn’t think I would at all and here I am. I posted here yesterday about a book I’m reading that’s really helped me and I’ve ended up starting a book club for people with OCD. Is this something you’d like to join? It’s in the very beginning stages but I’ve had a lot of interest so I really want to get it going!
I am really suffering with health anxiety at the minute I am absolutely PETRIFIED of cancer and Im only 17 its draining the life out of me Ive had a cough / cold for two weeks now and ive felt itchy - Has anyone else ever just felt really itchy Im terrified in case I have cancer Im really really petrified I get so scared of death im really frightened SO frightened Im so so scared of the C. Uts scary
I went from intrusive thoughts of hurting people, thinking I did horrible things and not remembering it like running people over with my car etc, to my brain trying to convince me I that I had split personality disorder to now health anxiety. The intrusive thoughts weren’t as bad as this. I’ll get physical symptoms like my heart racing, chest pain, can’t swallow. It’s been causing panic attacks but I’m constantly scared I’m dying. If my mole looks like it changed I freak out and think I have cancer. I had to get a stethoscope to listen to my heartbeat to make sure I don’t have an aortic aneurysm to buying a Fitbit to constantly check my pulse. I went to the ER bc I thought I was dying and now I’m paying a 2 thousand dollar bill when they say my heart is fine. It’s just exhausting.
I'm going to try and be coherent because I know that sometimes during these moments I tend to babble in fear. I have a mole on the left side of my chest that I've had since I was a kid. Been there for as long as I remember. And I never paid attention to it; it was just a part of my body. I even felt a little sad considering that I might not have it anymore whenever I get top surgery. Yesterday I went down a rabbit hole and landed on Melanoma. Which, of course, prompted me to look at my mole again. And again. And again. It's large, bigger than my other moles. Always has been, at least to my knowledge. I always thought it was cute whenever it crossed my mind. Now...now I'm just scared... I'm not asking for reassurance. None of us on here are medical experts (unless youre an actual doctor) (also insert OCD joke here). I sent a picture to my doctor, and she said that if it hasnt changed size that's a good sign. But she also suggested a follow-up with a dermatologist. And that's what scares me the most. All of this started yesterday, but I sent the message to my doctor this morning. And ever since then...I havent been okay. I can barely eat, and every time I try to I can barely swallow. I've isolated myself in the guest bedroom of my parents house. I cant move. I cant think straight. And...let's just say my thoughts havent been good. Like I said, I'm not asking for reassurance or medical advice. I just...I need help to not feel like I'm dying. I didnt mention that yesterday, in the midst of going down the rabbit hole, I realized how badly I didnt want to be afraid, and yet I also felt like I needed to be afraid. And I realized that that's what ERP is (at least for me in case it's different for everyone). I really did naivietely think that it was just going to be about avoiding compulsions. I didnt realize that accepting uncertainty would feel like a death sentence. And now this has happened. I just...I'm scared. And I dont want to be. I dont want to live in this reality where I'm sick and dying. I dont want to have to tell my family. I dont want to live in that world, but it feels like I'm already in it. My body is just preparing me for it. I dont know. I dont know why I'm even making this post. No one can help me, can they?
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