Health obssesion

[cosmogurl]

I can not seem to stop obsessing about my health and the way my body feels. I try to positive self talk to myself but then a feeling or sensation will come up and I go right back into anxiety and panic. It might start with my head hurts then I think do I feel ''weird'' and the answer is usually yes so then I say "it's ok it is just anxiety it will go away but then I feel dizzy or something else hurts and then I say again "I am ok it will pass I am healthy and then something else arises and go around and around in this vicious circle and feel like no matter how much positive self talk I do I still end up feeling hopeless and helpless. I switched my medicine from effexor to prosac and I don't think it works as well but the side effects are suppose to be not as bad. I really want to try to beat this without all kinds of meds but I just feel so bad. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. Does anyone have any suggestions? Please Help!!!!

Erin

[tina martin]

My humble guess is that good old Anxiety is the culprit here. Do you have the program and are you giving it the time and attention it calls for, doing it in sequence?

[cosmogurl]

I am trying to do the program again. I am struggling a bit but I am trying. I feel like maybe I need to be more focused but sometimes I feel like I can't focus on it the way I need to and I struggle. I am still pushing on. I will kick this.

Erin

[tina martin]

People have returned to redo the program as you are doing, Erin. It is, after all, a retraining and refocussing of the mind which may need periodic renewed attention. Positive self talk, exercise, and meditation are matters for life.

If it worked for you once it is likely to help again. Try to be confident, determine, persistent. Find a quiet spot, undisturbed, undistracted. We try to be here to be supportive. Best to you.

[SoWhatif]

Hi Erin,
What could we do, to get you, to stop thinking about You?
What I am saying is fill your mind with current in the moment.
Maybe as Tina mentioned get outside and ck your flower beds or count how many times the neibors dog has crapped in the yard. Keep busy focasing on the things your doing so as to keep your mind off of what may be normal aches and pains that most anyone has. Is there a exercise group, sewing, beat the kids, I dare to say you have all kinds of stuff to keep busy with.
R

[SoWhatif]

I just noticed a blue tab on the upper menu bar on the right side " Are your emotions making you sick" Take the test.
I have not read it, allthough there may be some insite in it for Erin.

[tina martin]

Glad I check in here now and then; get some laughs, R, and release good hormones instead of the bad ones with stress. Read about this in Norman Cousin's Anatomy of an Illness. Yes, laughter makes us better. That's what we want for you, Erin.

How are you, R? Just to remind you the flower beds are gone because snow and cold have been here already. Today is nice and I'm going for my usual walk. Hope all is well with you.

[cosmogurl]

Thank you all for your posts. I have got one of the audio books by Claire Weekes and it is great. I really am enjoying it. It along with the program are really helping me. Thank you guys again. I am working very hard and am thankful to have any support offered.

Much gratitude,
Erin

[PhyllisNeri]

I am encouraged (but not happy!) to see that health obsessions are more common than I thought. I was running from doctor to doctor and none of them found anything physically wrong with me. They all told me I have anxiety. I tried many medications but now I think cognitive therapy is what I am missing. I find that when I start obsessing on a symptom it IS difficult to get out of this cycle. What I do is leave all kinds of distractions around the house, puzzle books, coloring books, fiction books, ANYTHING I could pick up immediately to even distract me for a few minutes. Sometimes I take a shower or brush my teeth, cuddle my pets. Anxiety is HORRIBLE and makes me obsess about my health on a daily basis. I know how it feels to feel ill because I have fibromyalgia and those symptoms can really drive me crazy. I try to remember now that emergency rooms and hospitals are for extreme emergencies and not "safe places." I hope this helps somebody even if its for a few minutes. I am very grateful to have these resources.....good luck to the "symptom obsessed ", you are not alone....cheers...Phyllis