Severe Health Anxiety. Please Help!

[ZoeyCrazed]

Hello everyone, I’m a 31 year old female and have been suffering from severe anxiety and depression most of my life, but thought I had gotten to the point where I could at least control it. Well, I tested positive for Covid back in early July (re tested negative since), and have been having extreme anxiety issues again ever since. My entire gi tract is messed up, to the point where I went to the hospital twice in the past month. They’ve done ekgs, ct scans, and bloodwork, all of which came back normal. Everyone keeps telling me that I just have really bad acid reflux/GERD, which I’m taking otc medicine for, but I’m still feeling SO weird. My chest gets incredibly tight, my stomach hurts right under my ribs in the middle, and if I am presented with any stressful situation, they all hurt way worse. I’m trying to eat as much as I can, and all healthy foods, but I can only manage to eat some in fear that I’m going to have some horrific stomach flare up. I keep thinking I have a hernia, even though I really don’t think so because it would of shown, or think there’s something wrong with my heart. I tell myself over and over it’s just anxiety but it’s just not working. I also just don’t have the money to see a psychiatrist right now and get put back on medication. At this point I just feel lost and alone and want to know if there is anyone else out there having similar issues or if anyone can give me any advice. Thank you all in advance.

 

[saha]

Hi Zoey, clam down . Take a deep breath and say everything is alright . I am perfectly fine . I am healthy and happy . Now you recognized that you are having anxiety attacks . That's a good sign . Now the question is how you are going to recover from it? and the answer is start counting how many times you are getting anxiety attacks in a day . You can write it down if you can't remember the number . Next day repeat this process start counting and write it down . Do this every day then after 4 or 5 days you will be bored thinking about the same thoughts again and again . So you will try to think about something else . Now feel your mind with happy thoughts or do something nice like make a nice cup of coffee and simply enjoy it . Repeat this activity . Now Zoey you made progress . Try this again and again and again . No matter how many times you fail . In this way you will be free from your anxiety but it's not an easy task at all . BE STRONG . I had depression and anxiety attacks . It's been 3 yrs I am fighting with my anxiety attacks . I can't say that I am completely overcame my anxiety attacks but I am much better now . I followed this method and meditation . Meditation helped me to balance my emotions . TRY IT

How do I start practicing mindfulness? • Mental Health Forum

Have you ever wondered how to start practicing mindfulness? This article describes a mindfulness exercise, with detailed instructions.

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[Anxiety_freak]

Hello zoey! I’m so sorry to hear about your anxiety! I too suffer from horrible, crippling health anxiety. I’m 28 years old and been dealing with it since the age of 14. I have thought I had every disease known to man. But my main trigger is my heart. I obsess over it 24/7. I actually have a cardiologist appointment on the 8th to get some peace of mind. You are NOT ALONE!!!! anxiety is REAL!! and only us sufferers can truly understand one another!
sorry about your COVID-19 experience, I am also horribly afraid of contracting it. Bit the GOOD NEWS is, you recovered!! Do you have a family dr? I would recommend you see he/she and present to her all of your symptoms. It may very well be nothing at all!! Are minds are very powerful and can present real physical symptoms if we think we have them enough. Psycho somatic symptoms if you will. We’re living in really weird and stressful times right now. It’s a burden for all us health anxiety sufferers. Hope to hear back from you!!
inhale the positive, exhale the negative!!

 

[GhostOfLenin]

Hello everyone, I’m a 31 year old female and have been suffering from severe anxiety and depression most of my life, but thought I had gotten to the point where I could at least control it. Well, I tested positive for Covid back in early July (re tested negative since), and have been having extreme anxiety issues again ever since. My entire gi tract is messed up, to the point where I went to the hospital twice in the past month. They’ve done ekgs, ct scans, and bloodwork, all of which came back normal. Everyone keeps telling me that I just have really bad acid reflux/GERD, which I’m taking otc medicine for, but I’m still feeling SO weird. My chest gets incredibly tight, my stomach hurts right under my ribs in the middle, and if I am presented with any stressful situation, they all hurt way worse. I’m trying to eat as much as I can, and all healthy foods, but I can only manage to eat some in fear that I’m going to have some horrific stomach flare up. I keep thinking I have a hernia, even though I really don’t think so because it would of shown, or think there’s something wrong with my heart. I tell myself over and over it’s just anxiety but it’s just not working. I also just don’t have the money to see a psychiatrist right now and get put back on medication. At this point I just feel lost and alone and want to know if there is anyone else out there having similar issues or if anyone can give me any advice. Thank you all in advance.

Welcome to the forum of issues, lost and dispossesed. Xxxx

 

[Bellaone]

Hello everyone, I’m a 31 year old female and have been suffering from severe anxiety and depression most of my life, but thought I had gotten to the point where I could at least control it. Well, I tested positive for Covid back in early July (re tested negative since), and have been having extreme anxiety issues again ever since. My entire gi tract is messed up, to the point where I went to the hospital twice in the past month. They’ve done ekgs, ct scans, and bloodwork, all of which came back normal. Everyone keeps telling me that I just have really bad acid reflux/GERD, which I’m taking otc medicine for, but I’m still feeling SO weird. My chest gets incredibly tight, my stomach hurts right under my ribs in the middle, and if I am presented with any stressful situation, they all hurt way worse. I’m trying to eat as much as I can, and all healthy foods, but I can only manage to eat some in fear that I’m going to have some horrific stomach flare up. I keep thinking I have a hernia, even though I really don’t think so because it would of shown, or think there’s something wrong with my heart. I tell myself over and over it’s just anxiety but it’s just not working. I also just don’t have the money to see a psychiatrist right now and get put back on medication. At this point I just feel lost and alone and want to know if there is anyone else out there having similar issues or if anyone can give me any advice. Thank you all in advance.

It is very scary. I used to be in and out of hospital with health anxiety. The mind takes over. Medication was the only thing that eased it for me. Mindfulness is good too.