Other Hypochondria/illness anxiety - somatic symptom disorder

[Casey_03]

Does anyone else struggle with hypochondria during times of extra stress? I've never been treated specifically for hypochondria (which apparently is now called illness anxiety disorder?), but I do tend to veer off into hypochondriac territory during times of stress. Lately, I've become convinced that I have some form of cancer or a serious illness, and it keeps me up at night. I feel like I must be rotting from the inside and could die any day now. (yes, that sounds extreme, I know)

My mother and several close relatives have died of cancer, so I do have cause to be concerned about it. And I have been experiencing strange symptoms lately, though they can just as easily be caused by stress/lack of sleep/exhaustion.

It's become a vicious cycle -- I can't go to a doctor because the closest doctor who accepts my Medicaid insurance is 2.5 hours away, and I can't afford that kind of trip right now. So the longer I wait to go see a doctor, the more intense my night-time anxiety and hypochondria induced panic.

I guess I am just wondering how common this sort of anxiety is among PTSD sufferers?

 

[Ponderosa]

Does anyone else struggle with hypochondria during times of extra stress? I've never been treated spec...

I have a sense of foreshortened future, which I understand appears widely in conjunction with PTSD. for me, this occurs as something similar to what you described. I don't fixate on varying illnesses, but rather feel like the high stress I always feel will lead me to an early grave via stroke or cancer or heart attack. So, yes this has happened to me....it's not the worst symptom I have so I'm usually only dimly aware of it.

 

[Friday]

When I do that it's pure avoidance.

Meaning It only happens when I'm stressed about something I don't want to think about, or have anxiety about something that is not my f*cking problem, I'm fine, dammit. There is no way on f*cking earth that is on my list of shit I care about, have to do anything about. It's also completely stupid & does not rate this level of anxiety. :mad: <cough> When I'm reeeeally avoiding what's going on I'll also become accident prone. Which is, mostly, because I'm pushing myself too hard. Rather than deliberately injuring myself to have something to focus on. Which I've also done. Also possibly because I'm dissociating/distracted & not paying close enough attention. When my anxiety is coming out sideways / I'm at that level of avoidance? My distractibility is pretty damn high. C'mon c'mon c'mon... I need to focus of something, anything, that is not that.

So it's become a huge tell for me that if I'm stressing about certain things (like my health)? To stop & look around myself. Because I've found if I can actually address whatever it is I'm avoiding? All of a sudden I'm no longer stressing about this other thing.

My anger doesn't tend to leak out sideways, but my anxiety? Reeeeeally does. First I start stressing about my hair (because, clearly, that's vital :rolleyes: ), then my body (including health, fitness, etc.), then I usually end up breaking something or getting wicked sick, then it's... List goes on.

I know for some people their health/body anxiety Is primary. Mine's pretty secondary. Whether it's coming out as disordered eating or medical improbabilities. (Not impossible. I'm not that smart, but I'm smart enough to pick shit that's theoretically possible. Otherwise? I wouldn't worry. And I want to be worried). Cough. Except I don't. But no amount of logic or reason will help the body anxiety chill out, because it's not about the body. It's about something else. Yaaaaaaay self defense mechanisms :wtf:

 

[anthony]

I've never been treated specifically for hypochondria (which apparently is now called illness anxiety disorder?)

Will correct this: Hypochondriasis (hypochondriac) is now classified as somatic symptom disorder. In a minority of cases, anxiety illness disorder is instead given. It depends on the criterion, hence very few meeting the latter. Somatic symptom disorder is the new name for it though.

 

[Keen]

the longer I wait to go see a doctor, the more intense my night-time anxiety and hypochondria induced panic.

I experience this same thing--frequent illness anxiety, gets worse when I'm more stressed, and gets even worse when I can't go to the doctor/decide not to go. Its super tough to deal with! I'm sorry you're going through the same thing.

 

[Bethan Wiggett]

I have it too (I call it health anxiety). I was actually diagnosed with that first and have had a bit of help for it over the years. I started seeing a therapist a while ago and she drew a link between that and PTSD (traumatic period in hospital when I was dangerously ill a few years ago).
The main features for me are obsessive checking/scanning for physical symptoms, "googling", catastrophising/snowballing thoughts (if I start shivering for example I jump to "I have a fever and I might die"), and avoiding doctors/pharmacies/hospitals. I've heard that for some people it's more to do with going to the doctors too often. I think it's quite individual as some people worry about cancer, while I tend to worry about infections and "mystery illnesses".
It's a relief to know that there are other people in the same boat because I often get the impression that it's quite rare.

 

[Keen]

I was actually diagnosed with that first and have had a bit of help for it over the years.

What help have you received to combat your illness anxiety? Any tips or strategies to help the rest of us?