Hello! I'm new here and have a nice, big grab bag of OCD sub-types, but the one I struggle with most is health anxiety. I would love to hear from folks who have had success with ERP and this subtype! Maybe without many triggering details 😉
I didn't have this too bad (my stuff is mostly morality) but I struggled with this one year to the point where I got an inhaler prescription even though I don't need it. I would spend hours googling MS, asthma, ALS, etc. What helped me get over it was I just kept telling myself, "it's not a problem till it's a problem". So basically, I shouldn't be worried about something health related until it's actively impeding my life. Eye went blurry? Not a problem till it's a problem. Chest hurts? Not a problem till it's a problem. So far it's worked, I'm not dead or disabled and I'm not worried about it anymore. Now to apply this to my other themes ... :')
Hi! My biggest and only theme really is Health Anxiety OCD and I have been doing NOCD for about 2 months now and I have had so much success. I used to immediately panic about a health concern and let it ruin the rest of my day, usually experiencing anxiety attacks or some sort of emotional breakdown. Now, if there is a concern with my heart or lungs or stomach or something I usually recognize it but that's where it typically stops. I have the thought of concern still but it doesn't cause me to spiral and I don't have a horrible rest of my day, I don't quickly schedule doctors appointments and I don't make trips to urgent care. I still have harder days but as I continue my time in therapy and doing exposures my good day to bad day ratio has improved drastically. Wishing you healing and growth!
Very encouraging - thank you!!!
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond
