How To Deal With Health Anxiety and Hypochondria
1,000,145
Published 2018-11-14
What does hypochondria/health anxiety look like?
What’s the difference between hypochondria and generalized anxiety disorder?
How do you get hypochondria?
Why don’t pills work for hypochondria?
What does CBT for hypochondria-health anxiety look like?
What is a self-help version of CBT for hypochondria?
With hypochondriasis, you misinterpret body sensations and assume you have a serious disease, even after you’ve been told you don’t. You may believe that the doctor missed something. You may even believe the anxiety you have will turn into something more serious like dying in your sleep or having a heart attack.
In 2013, the new edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual 5th edition changed the name from hypochondriasis to somatic symptom disorder. Somatic means body. Therefore, it’s a disorder of being over focused on body symptoms and having an illness. People who have this problem, know they have it because they are in a lot of distress.
Self-talk script to use when you are triggered by a body sensation.
I have been checked out by my doctor, my new body symptoms does not mean I really have a medical illness. I have anxiety and this is what I tend to think,. Anxiety makes me believe I have something I don’t. I am not more of a medical expert than the people who have seen and examined lots of sick people. I don’t know what sick people look like, I only know what I look like. I don’t have a point of comparison to know what the illness I’m concerned about really looks like. The internet will not give me a complete picture of what it really looks like to have [fill in the blank with the illness you’re worried about.
Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.
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All Comments (21)
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WATCH NEXT - TWO TIPS FOR HEALTH ANXIETY https://youtu.be/rhy2R1BLdxY
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who else have the symptoms only when they're alone? And not even think about them when you're having fun
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Does anyone else feel like if they ignore a fake symptom it will actually turn out to be something and then by the time you get it checked it'll be to late
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Anyone feels like you tell your body “No,stop, I know this is anxiety, we felt it in the past, nothing is going to happen” and your body is like. “I know that, but what if, like, what if THIS is the actual, real health problem, and not anxiety anymore”
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Honestly a huge thing is seeing cancer all over the internet, on tiktok instagram, everywhere its about getting chemo, or cancer awarness. It's gotten to the point for me where im constantly stressed about having cancer, even with no symptoms. Even just the word cancer is kind of triggering to me.
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My brain to my body :” ok buddy which cancer are we gonna have today”
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I started tearing up when you said how exhausting it is to live this way. I'm so tired of feeling like this.
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And my bigger fear with this kind of anxiety is that one day i might ACTUALLY have some health issue and ignoring it, saying it’s just my anxiety again….
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She literally just explained what I got through every single day
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Googling symptoms is an ADDICTION and never ever ever make things better.
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I’m crying. I’m exhausted. My life has been taken over by health anxiety. Everyday I swear I’m having a heart attack or stroke. I’m afraid to die, I’m afraid to live.
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This is the hardest thing to deal with! Praying for the health and safety for everyone dealing with this.
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It is so saddening and reassuring at the same, to see that I am not alone. Tired of diagnosing myself with all extreme illnesses but it’s so difficult to stop. Sometimes I am able to convince myself that it is just anxiety, other times it blow up the roof and I feel so difficult to breathe. My heart goes out to everyone who is suffering from this!
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I hate living with health anxiety. I overthink too much about my health.
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Anybody else feel emotional because you realize this has been dominating your life for so long :(
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Thank you. I’m a 33 year old man & I feel like I’m insane. I’m exhausted & scared all of the time & you hit the nail on the head for how I feel & how irrational I Get. When I’m going through it & I’m alone at home I’ll take myself to a public place incase I collapse that way people can help. Everything scares me. Hopefully myself & everybody who goes through this can get past it.
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It’s so weird I was having really bad anxiety thinking acid reflux was a heart attack the other day. But when I met my dad at a restaurant for dinner, I felt absolutely fine the whole time, until I got home then started feeling it again that night. The distraction takes it away but I can’t seem to get that distracted on my own at home, these videos help but other than that I’m right back at it. Exhausting 😔
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Does anyone else feel worse at night? I wake up feeling happier and more positive in the morning and as the day goes on my health anxiety just creeps back when there is something happening with my body. And at night I just feel gloomy.
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Your body starts making up symptoms to match a disease process that you are worrying about.
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Ive cancelled vacations, plans with friends / bf because of this… Im so over feeling like this everyday, its no way to live…praying for everyone suffering from this 🙏🏻 hope we get through this 💜
