- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
@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!
- Date posted
- 6y
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
- Date posted
- 6y
Have you tried Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? You sound so much like me and CBT was life changing. You aren’t alone!
- Date posted
- 6y
@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!
- Date posted
- 6y
Hi! I have really bad health anxiety too! You’re not alone :)
Related posts
- Date posted
- 23w
hello. i have been going through health scare obsessions for at least 5 years now and it terrifies me. i mainly fear of cancer. i have no reason to fear of cancer because it is not a predominant condition in my family. i have been to check ups for skin cancer and been told it was nothing which relieves me for a short period of time but then i start thinking of other cancer possibilities :( it doesn’t help that im a smoker to deal with the stress of adhd and ocd which just fuels the obsession of lung cancer. i know it would help my fear to stop smoking but thats easier said than done. i have only been a smoker for 3 years and its the only thing that helps right now. on top of this, my brain makes me believe that every intrusive thought i have WILL MANIFEST into existence just from thinking about it! this has scared me so much in the last 5 years and once i told my mum about it and she said "if you ever got cancer we would deal with it, its okay" but that didnt help it just made it worse and the possibility become more scarier! please help me.
- Date posted
- 22w
Hey friends… I am in a really low place regarding my health anxiety. I am absolutely terrified of cancer. Im only 17 years old and im worrying more about health then living my life its very draining. At the moment I have a very chesty cough which has lasted around two weeks and a runny nose and just full sinuses. I woke up from my sleep tonight and woke up completely wet in sweat and itchy. I am terrified in case ive got cancer. I get so so scared It genuinely is not only affecting me but everyone else around me im pulling them down too. 💔 I am UK based and recently got a job and even then its all I can think about. Im crying my eyes out scared ☹️ To anyone else going through this your not alone and its so consuming. ❤️🩹
- Date posted
- 22w
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.
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