Hey guys, I am new to this forum and have been diagnosed with health anxiety in the past. I'm not sure whether I have a serious condition or whether it is psychological, but it would be good to get your insights to see if my symptoms relate. A month ago, I got these brain fog symptoms, which have now progressed into joint pain all over my body. I am really scared because I googled (yup, should have known better) my symptoms and it matches rheumatoid arthritis. However from previous experiences with health anxiety, I know it can mimic the conditions we focus on. Anyway, now I am convinced I have rheumatoid arthritis, and I have barely left the house over the past 4 days. This started a week ago, and it got to a point where I could feel my fingers and my joints stiffening up. Like honestly I thought it was progressing aggressively. Then my friend just told me it's in my head, and oddly enough I went from hobbling like an old man and being immobile to moving my legs much better. I was literally in bed saying I couldn't move, and then all of a sudden I was able to walk properly . I'm trying to ignore it and focus on other things but I have these sharp stabbing pains and prolonged aches in my joints that travel in all of my finger/knuckle joints, feet/toes. Also my joints still feel stiff, but then they do feel normal at times. Can anxiety really create these symptoms? Can anyone else relate? It literally feels like it's in my joints and it hurts even when I'm not thinking about it! :( :( I've been to two doctors and they are doing all of the relevant tests, but if this is anxiety this is intense because it feels so real! I can't help but feel this is a real condition, and that my anxiety is a consequence, but then my anxiety could be causing the symptoms! Your help would be very much appreciated!
get the test results first to see if its a medical condition. if not then u will know its anxiety.
and the treatments for anxiety are many