Struggling bad - someone close to me had a serious health emergency and since I have had fears about something being wrong with me I never had this before but now I can’t shake the fear of having cancer I don’t know if this is health ocd or just health anxiety how can you tell the difference? I can’t stop googling, getting reassurance off of my mum and checking Pls help
i've had major health problems & emergency surgeries about 2 years ago and relate a lot. After my surgeries I was a complete wreck and I lost a family member to a different sudden medical condition. I have a lot of different forms of ocd but what helps me the most with health ocd is genuinely taking care of myself and my body. Cooking at least 2 meals a day for myself, not eating sugar, getting some daily form of exercise in, doing self care, doing my makeup everyday, having good hygiene. It's so hard to ignore racing thoughts and stop yourself from googling and seeking reassurance trust me I KNOW. i still struggle with my family members death and think i will have a similar thing happen. but the more i take care of my body, the less anxious and worried i feel about my health. keep reminding yourself that u wont just suddenly develop a deadly disease. there will be signs, BIG warning signs not just anxiety symptoms that you convince yourself are related. i hope things get better for u very soon take care of urself <3
@Anonymous Thank you for your advice :)
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@lalalalal166373 - Happy to share! One thing worth knowing before the links: the googling, the checking, and asking your mum are all compulsions, and they work the same way — each one gives a few minutes of relief, and that relief is exactly what teaches your brain it needs certainty before it can calm down. That's why the fear keeps coming back stronger, and it's also why the health OCD vs. health anxiety question doesn't have to be settled before you can get help, since ERP is the frontline treatment for both. "Illness Anxiety Disorder vs. OCD" https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/info/related-symptoms-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder-vs-ocd This answers your question directly — it lays out where illness anxiety and health-themed OCD overlap, where they actually differ, and why the same treatment works for both; it's clinically reviewed by Dr. Patrick McGrath, NOCD's Chief Clinical Officer. "I can't stop worrying that I have cancer. Why?" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/constantly-worried-cancer-ocd Written for the specific fear you're describing, including why a scare close to you can set it off and what the cycle of body-scanning and symptom-searching looks like from the inside. "Why do I keep asking for reassurance when I know it doesn't help (and how do I feel better without it)?" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/why-reassurance-doesnt-help-and-how-to-feel-better-without-it By NOCD therapist Alegra Kastens — this one is about the reassurance piece specifically, including what to do instead when the urge to ask or search hits. Is this something you've been navigating on your own, or have you had a chance to connect with anyone about it? 💬 Was this response helpful? Reply with a rating from 1–5 (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helpful) — your feedback helps us improve!
hi, i have this same exact issue. i constantly convince myself i have cancer, i even got an ultrasound of the part of my body i was scared i had cancer in, everything came back normal, i felt such happiness and release, and then about 10 mins after i left the ultrasound appt i convinced myself i had a different cancer, still struggle with this currently, constantly asking my mom & my fiance for reassurance and googling as well. just wanted u to know youre not alone. ❤️
@julesiemarie Thank you :) sorry you are experiencing this too
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