If someone says a disease near me, I some how convince myself I have it and then end up with symptoms that will go away when I stop thinking about it but come back when I do. Most recently, I've convinced myself I have brain cancer and have been giving myself a constant headache (that is more because I hurt my neck trying to move stuff under my bed) but it freaks me out. And then I google and then I go down a rabit hole of "I have this and I'm going to die" but I am too afraid to go to doctors and most the time my 'symptoms' go away when I figure out a different disease I could possibly have. One time I literally just made an appointment for my annual pap and convinced myself she was going to tell me I'm dying.
It's nice reading threads and learning that I'm not alone in this. My mom just ignores me now when I call her and tell her of my woes and my nurse best friend is like "stop googling you're making it worse for you".
You are not alone its all part of the anxiety disorder. Or i should say denial of the reality you have an anxiety disorder. Dr. Google is useless. It will scare the daylight out of you though. You do realize google doesnt know you, cant see you or examine you right? Its useless.
Hi Rachel, I agree with your friend. Stop googling your symptoms!! Google is never right. I'm the exact same as you, whenever I hear of a disease, I think I have it. The one that has stayed with me for the last 6-8 months is a brain tumour. It started when I googled my symptoms ( as I said, no good comes out of it). The one thing that helps me stop worrying is that my symptoms are not constant. If you did have something wrong ( which you don't) the symptoms would be constant, and get worse over time.
I hope this helps you, and if you have any more questions, be free to ask me, or anyone else on this forum, there great help
Jack
Hey Rachel I had a little girl last October and got postnatal depression and severe health anxiety it's awful I have also convinced myself I have cancer loads of times every type of cancer I have had last week in was leukaemia went to the doctors about 4 times in the one week I have been like this ever since having my baby as I am just so scared of anything happening to me and having to leave her health anxiety is a horrible thing you should go and speak to the doctor maybe get a wee anti depressant they make you feel loads better hope your ok x