Hello, first time posting here. Does anyone else suffer from bad health anxiety? Due to stress mine has gotten pretty bad recently and for a week now I've been REALLY scared of skin cancer to the point I have difficulties sleeping and I worry all the time. Logically, I've had my moles all my life and most of them are very small and round and I don't think the bigger "weirder" looking ones have changed at all (ofc, my brain keeps telling me to check them constantly and looking at them makes me imagine things and causes anxiety). I also keep imagining I'm finding "new" small ones all the time (probably just haven't noticed them before bc they are so tiny, light brown and I haven't been checking myself like this before..). This is just really frustrating for me and is causing distress. If anyone else has experienced similar worry, do you have any tips to calm down or force yourself to stop searching your skin for marks and spots? This new obsession is driving me crazy, and makes me feel really foolish, but the feelings are real and scary!

@timtam Hi, and thanks for your answer. I'm glad that I manage to convince myself most of the time that I'm not being logical, and that there is no way that once I started reading about skin cancer I would suddenly start sprouting new moles everywhere (that just does not happen!!) Today I have managed to calm myself down by crocheting and watching videos, and have successfully distracted myself so that I haven't thought about my skin for a while. Wearing long sleeved shirts has also helped to fight the urge to search for things. Thank you for your support, I'll continue fighting back the urge to google things and check myself!

Hi! You’re not alone with your health anxiety - it’s haunted me for such a long time. It is all so scary when your mind goes above and beyond thinking about what you might have. Keep reminding yourself all of what you’ve said - you have had moles most of your life (normal), the fact that none of them have changed (good! And normal) and also remind yourself that you are okay and healthy, and that if something was to change you would notice it (people without our ocd notice things and they are okay). As we get older, even day to day, we acquire new marks and spots and all of these don’t automatically mean cancer. I also find distracting myself a useful tool. After I’ve reminded myself of these logical things I force myself to walk away from the checking and do something I enjoy - an episode (or 5) of friends, or your favourite movie/ book, go for a walk, say hi to your pet if you have one. Feel yourself relaxing and moving away from the scariness as you enjoy the distraction. I’m so sorry that you’re feeling this way, and sending lots of love and support your way

Have you tried Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? You sound so much like me and CBT was life changing. You aren’t alone!

@boogle Hello, I actually go to therapy weekly (have had a christmas break now) but for different reasons than OCD. I started therapy because of depression which has been getting much, much better, but my OCD has started to get in the way of my life now. Once I see my therapist again I'm planning to have a discussion about this and talk about what kind of options we have and what he thinks I should do! I'm also planning to visit another psychiatrist /doctor (for university students these services are very cheap luckily) to get their opinion. Thank you!

Hi! I have really bad health anxiety too! You’re not alone :)