Health anxiety has plagued my life for years, and it’s not going to go away that easily. On a bad day, I constantly Google any ache, pain or sensation I don’t recognise to determine the root cause. But then that ends in a never-ending spiral of scrolling through different pages and websites. Ultimately, I don’t feel any sort of comfort, and I fully convince myself that I have a life-threatening disease. Social media can intensify my health anxiety. I could be scrolling through TikTok looking at the latest trends, then BAM – a person describes symptoms they had before being diagnosed with said disease, then there’s me thinking I have that condition because I have had 1 or more of those symptoms lately.
I read somewhere the other day that health anxiety is almost impossible to treat. You can have coping mechanisms in place (like I do), but ultimately, nobody can guarantee that nothing bad will happen to you. Morbid, I know, but also morbidly true. For me, I have to stop reaching for Dr Google when I start worrying over any tiny ache or harmless sensation. Easier said than done.
The thing is, with health anxiety, it’s hard to know what to say to someone who suffers from it. Honestly, the best thing you can do is listen and not judge. Also, if you avoid saying the following quotes I’m about to list, then you’re already doing well.
1) You’re being ridiculous
Not only patronising and ridiculing, but also not helpful. I may sound ridiculous to you, but what I’m feeling isn’t. Health anxiety causes me to worry about my health constantly. Any little sensation, ache or pain triggers my anxiety and plays on my mind for days or weeks on end. Don’t shame me for feeling these anxious feelings. I know I’m being slightly ridiculous, but no need to point it out to me and make me feel worse for feeling this!
2) It’s just your brain playing tricks on you
Do you mind telling my brain to stop being naughty and stop it from making me think these thoughts that there’s something seriously wrong with me? If you can, that would be marvellous.
3) Book an appointment with the GP, then
Seems quite obvious. But when you hear people say on TikTok that they got diagnosed with anxiety and it turned out to be something far more serious, then it makes me slightly lose faith in GPs. Also, with me, going to the doctors to confront a problem and potentially being diagnosed with something serious goes hand in hand with my health anxiety. I know some with health anxiety go to their GPs for their issues easily. For me, it’s so much easier to go into denial and hope the problem goes away. Not the safest or healthiest option I know, but I’m working on it.
4) Oh, my friend’s neighbour’s cousin’s babysitter had that, turned out it was c****r, now he/she/they are no longer with us
How people can see it as ok to say something like this is beyond me. Not only is it sad for the friend’s neighbour’s cousin’s babysitter, but you’ve just fuelled my anxiety and have me questioning whether I’ve had that symptom recently and if I need to get it checked out. Thanks a bunch.
5) Have you considered it might be…
Unless you’re a qualified doctor, don’t tell me.
6) I’m sure it’s nothing
Only reassuring for a few seconds, but then the thought flashes in my mind – “but what if it’s not?”.
If you suffer from health anxiety, how do you deal with it? Do you have any tips you’d like to share in the comments below?
