Stress Center Peer Support

I have strugled with anxiety/stress for years. I have all the text book symptoms(fear,scary thoughts, lightheadedness...). I still worry constantly that i may have some sort of disease causing all my problems. When i get into one of these moods it can last for days and cause trmendous mental anguis/h. Any one else know what i am talking about

YES YES YES!!! that is a huge reason we are all here. YOU live in one of the best places to seek medical advice so trust your Dr. I went though this and had test after test to figure out what was wrong with me, surely anxiety isnt doing this to me... OH YES IT IS! It is all in your head and you are fine. The test eventually put my mind at ease. I thought that i had a virus that attacked my heart and had an ecco and ekg done everything came back fine. I thought that i had a brain tumor, had a CT and it too came out fine. Then i was convinced that i had MS. I freaked out about it and cried to everyone. Scared the crap out of my whole family. Went the the nurologist and yes everything was fine. YOu just have to tell yourself that you are not sick, there is nothing medically wrong with you, this is all from the anxiety. YOU ARE HEALTHY!!! I have stopped obsessing over it. You will be fine and yes we all know what you are going through. Keep you head up. You can do this.

Hi fergus,
I can relate to you. I've had anxiety and panic and all that great stuff since I can remember and I'm still learning how to deal with it. I also go through periods, days, weeks, months in high anxiety, panic mode. Sometimes I feel like i can't breath and i have those obsessive thoughts about dying and diseases. For me it's even worse when i'm actually sick with the flu because my mind will turn it into something much worse and I will freak out that i have some horrible disease. Sometimes the only thing that helps me at all is to be around someone and actually talk about something else to get my mind off of myself and how i'm feeling. I also read a lot of books because it gives me that escape away from myself. It is always a comfort to know that others go through the same thing. You are not alone!

Wow, can I relate to you guys!! I just had a colonoscopy, second one in four yrs., because in my mind my abdominal distress grew into colon cancer. Of course, the test was ok. Nothing wrong. The ole IBS. But man, does the mind take you every where!!! I'm in week two of this program and am determined to get my life back. I don't know if I have full blown panic attacks actually, but I really do obsess about my health. Then that leads to depression. So hopefully this program will teach me how to not obsess so much. Keep the chin up and think positive thoughts.