How do you convince yourself that Anxiety is NOT causing body symptoms?

Sheils75 · Post by **Sheils75** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:31 am

Hi all-maybe you can help me with turning this negative thought around!! Here's the deal: I have had stomach issues the past few weeks (actually, it will be 3 weeks tomorrow). I don't want to get into all the details, but I started off thinking it was a stomach virus, then I convinced myself it was my anxiety. Then, I did the whole hypochondriac thing and worried that it was a whole host of issues. So, I finally went to my doctor's on Monday. She did some tests, but she too thinks it's a virus. On top of that, her medical assistant told me she had the same symptoms recently that lasted a few weeks, my friend's mom has similar symptoms right now, and I went to a herbal/holistic store to see if there was something I could take for the discomfort... the owner of the store told me that a lot of people have been coming in lately complaining of the same thing. In addition, one of my friends told me that she had the same symptoms about 5 yrs ago. It lasted a month total and she would have some days where she felt ok and thought it was gone and then the symptoms came back (like me last Thursday and yesterday). So, all signs point to a virus, right? A nasty one thats lingering... My problem is that I can't stop the negative thought creeping into my head that this is all in my mind. When I start to feel sick, I start to get anxious b/c I think when will I finally be over this? And then I start to think, am I causing it? Which makes me more anxious! I'm trying to be as positive as I can, and I have been really good about keeping the anxiety in check, but it's soooo frustrating. We learn that our anxiety can cause all these body symptoms and then in my case, it seems like it is NOT the anxiety, but I can't seem to convince myself of that. It's that nagging little thought that just creeps in. I don't know what else I can do but keep positive and wait for this to pass, but I really needed to vent to people that can understand! So...sorry to be negative, but I really needed to vent!!

Ok, change it to a positive...this sickness has made me lost 10 lbs, which I was trying to do

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:02 pm

I am sorry to hear you have been under the weather for the last few weeks with a stomach bug. Hopefully the virus will pass and you'll begin to feel better soon.

I like the positive spin about losing the 10 lbs you've been trying to drop.That's a great turining a negative thought to a positive one.

Take care and God Bless.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:45 pm

You sound so frustrated, confused and worried. Try the relaxation CD several times a day. Don't eat anything fried, overly spicy, sugary or anything with too much caffeine. Do something sweet for yourself and calm down. Everything is going to be alright. This will pass if you take care of yourself. This is mind over matter. Keep up with turning the negative positive and listening to your doctor. And of course vent if you need to anytime. I believe that is part of what we are here for.
I'll be rooting for you.

suecity · Post by **suecity** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:44 am

If it is Anxiety, then your tests would not have shown a viral load in your body, or whatever they call it, I loose my words alot, part of my anxiety. I have very recently had a very violent virus that coursed through our home, and I got worse, having had to go get fluids, pheneragin, and pain shots for the stomach cramps. We really thought it was food poisoning. When I went to the hospital, he told us it is a particularly violent virus that affects different people different ways. The rest of my family got through fine, were sick for about two weeks with lingering symptoms. I had them for a month.
In your case, I am serious when I suggest that you take sort of the same approach as if it were anxiety, except follow the docs medical advice as well as any medications. Possitive talk made me feel better while I was sick. I tend to get really deeply depressed if I get sick, since I never hardly get sick with real illnesses. I have Fibromyalgia, but it is under very well controll. While the symptoms are depressing, it helps to tell my self that I am not debilitated like a lot of people with this condition, and i have my pain under control without narcotics. Maybe with this virus, you could just reassure yourself each time you feel a negative thought with something like, "Doc said it is a virus, viruses pass. Besides, even if it is anxiety, I am dealing with that now also, and so these uncomfortable symptoms will go away with time. So either way, virus or anxiety, it will go away, and you will be stronger for having went through it. You may never know what kind of stronger, but believe me, you feel stronger for having been possitive through it. Good luck, and i hope you get to feeling better very soon. My deepest prayers are with you and yours.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:32 pm

Thanks everyone. It does help to vent on here and hear back from others who have walked in my shoes. After a particularly rough night last night, I called my doctor this morning and was able to get a referral to a gastroenterologist and get an appointment on Monday. If this is not a virus, then it's best that I start working on finding answers. I just get so down because I am exhausted and stressed and not eating and it is wrecking havoc on my body and my mind. I was lying on the couch earlier, feeling crappy and achy and I started to get scared that I was going to die alone. How silly is that? I'm not going to die and I will be ok. It's just hard sometimes to get past those negative thoughts. Just have to keep thinking that tomorrow is a new day and maybe I will feel better. Maybe not, but maybe so. In the meantime, I just have to get through tonight and if I can sleep, I will probably feel a whole lot different in the morning...