Debilitating Health Anxiety & Panic Disorder

Mental health
1

Hello everyone, 

I made a post similar to this before, but I need to make another post because my health anxiety and panic is back to the worst its ever been and I need to let out my frustrations somehow. About 2 years ago I developed terrible health anxiety.  It developed my junior year of college and at first I had no idea what was happening to me. First, it was mainly fear of long-term chronic illnesses. Eventually, this lead to me developing regular panic attacks. Now I'm terrified of developing sudden life-threatening health problems such as a heart attack or pulmonary embolism, instead of the long-term chronic illnesses. I think this is because panic symptoms in general can sometimes resemble some of these sudden health problems. So every single day I have been having at least one panic episode that results in having to resist the urge to rush to the ER. These episodes can last 30 minutes or all day. My health anxiety feeds off of my panic symptoms and my panic attacks feed off my health anxiety. It's like a terrible snowball effect. I feel like I'm going crazy (or have already gone crazy lol). I have become a full on hypochondriac. Exercise used to help me control it, but now I'm even terrified of exercising for fear of causing a sudden health crisis (which I know is completely irrational because regular exercise is how to maintain health!). It's completely twisted I know. I haven't been able to get it under control, and I do not want to get back on antidepressants (which actually did help me some). I am starting graduate school soon and antidepressants make me feel like I can't think as well. Has anyone had any kind of similar experience with panic and health anxiety, and has anyone been able to get it under control? If so, please tell me your methods!! I haven't always been this way, and I want to get back to how I used to be.

2

 Hey Regina, 

 for starters you were normal, more than you think. 

 most people who have anxiety disorder, it’s always rooted in something, such as health, or just sheer worry about trauma. 

 and when OCD is connected to it, it just makes life very difficult to manage because of overthinking. 

I would have to tell you off the top of my head that you are someone who is going to need to know a lot. Knowledgeable combat your anxieties. If you were like me, you need to know how rare pulmonary embolism is LOL, you need to know that her ta I would have to tell you off the top of my head that you are someone who is going to need to know a lot. Knowledge will combat your anxieties. If you were like me, you need to know how rare pulmonary embolism is LOL, you need to know that heart attacks are not easy to get too.

 People who have diabetes, smoke, excessive drink and on top of that have excessive stress are the most prone to chronic illnesses. 

 looking at your family history, your father and mother can give you an idea what potential’s you could have, although I have to stress “could”.   Resemble my parents are unhealthy, but the eat horrible, they do not exercise,. So I do not follow that example LOL. 

 but I have educated myself very well in the medical field, pharmaceuticals, supplementation etc.   This at least allows me to know exactly what it’s not. The problem with Google and limited information, nearly everybody has brain cancer LOL just because of the symptoms.

3

Hi Regina. I'm in a similar situation. Health anxiety is one of my worst triggers. I just tell my mom about it, and she'll just reassure me that I don't have cancer, it's too unlikely for my age. Sorry I can't tell you how to fix it, but know that you're not alone. Best of luck.