My experiences with Health Anxiety... does CBT help, triggers and ways to help health related panic

[@AmyClarkesinger]

I actually remember the brain tumour storyline on Waterloo road scaring me too ! I’ve had acid reflux symptoms for the past four months and have been offered a cytosponge, I think I would rather have the endoscopy though to check everything. I suffer from bad health anxiety too and this new health issue has been making me anxious. I tend to comfort eat when I’m anxious and have gained weight and have also realised my acid reflux issues started around a really stressful time in my life, so I feel like it’s all connected. I also struggle with ocd, I would recommend Nathan Peterson videos about reassurance seeking and health anxiety, I’ve found going on Reddit late at night googling symptoms was a bad symptom of mine. You’re not alone

[@rlh273]

Thank you for making this video. It really brought me a weird amount of comfort. I’ve been struggling lately with pretty bad health anxiety and I feel so crazy and terrified and alone all of the time. it’s just oddly nice to really see other people deal with it too and to the same extent as me.

[@easewithjohn]

Raquell Holton thank you for watching, I’m happy to hear the video brought you a sense of comfort. It’s important to reach out and realise that health anxiety is real and affecting for so many people - you are not alone!

[@BeckyWakelam]

Thank you for making this video and sorry that you are/were struggling with this. I am in my 20s and relate to almost everything you said. I have recently started counselling and was asked to recall early experiences with health anxiety, one of which was the overwhelming fear that I had a brain tumour at the age of 12/13, which was partly triggered by the Sambuca Kelly brain tumour storyline on Waterloo Road!! Can’t believe somebody else had such a similar experience! Glad you managed to seek help and are able to understand and control your anxiety more now :-)

[@easewithjohn]

Oh my god. I’m sorry but this has really struck me because it was the exact storyline on Waterloo road that triggered me at a similar age. Hope the counselling is helping, keep me posted x

[@crazydrummerofdoom]

Have you used the DARE program, yu can find it on KZbin, audible and they have an app on Google store, its helping me tremendously.

[@laurenhowarth8708]

Hi john just popped over and subscribed as i too struggle with health anxiety

[@easewithjohn]

Thank you Lauren, hope this video brought you some aide and thanks for subscribing, I'm doing more videos on my experiences this week.

[@91pinklipstick]

I can sadly relate to all of your health anxiety symptoms 🙃 😕

[@carey579]

I have social anxiety (in the extreme) but never had health anxiety. I had a number of health issues growing up including a month long typhoid spell during my teens but it didn't affect me mentally. I have a skin condition which I ignored for years. However last year I actually suffered an existential crisis I think. I was almost certain I was going to die (which could still be we never know right). It started with a rash on my tongue which healed but then I had nausea and stomach pain almost daily. A lot of GP visits and tests and searching on google and even crying of despair. I also finally realised why many people thought of the NHS negatively but it is what it is. I have been diagnosed with mild antral gastritis with biliary reflux and still have several other conditions which seemingly continue to pile up. I haven't died as soon as I thought I would but still there are days/moments where one of my various conditions/symptoms lead me into a spiral of hopelessness. Anyway I was checking for an update from your GERD videos and it's comforting (which idk if it's wrong) to hear another person especially also in their 20s speak about health anxiety. Hope to hear more 🙏

[@easewithjohn]

Thank you for reaching out. Sounds like you've had a really hard time of it. I don't know a lot about your condition, but take comfort that it's being dealt with (I assume?) and that you are ok. I am happy you were able to find some comfort in my video.

[@carey579]

@@easewithjohn I've had two endoscopies - the first one of which had to be changed from non-sedation to complete sedation and I was searching for endoscopy experiences on KZbin and came across your video. Not only was choking a problem for me (I even choke when I brush) but the cannula for IV is just as much of a nightmare. Idk what will happen to me if I have to have actual serious treatment! Do you still take medication for GERD? I think I'm supposed to because mine is technically even more serious than normal reflux because it is bile reflux which apparently harms the esophagus more. I sleep on an incline, gave up fizzy drinks, try to eat smaller portions and thats it. I don't get chest pains as much as I used to but still wake up with sore throat/acid in mouth?

[@carey579]

@@easewithjohn I'm actually not from the UK. I hadn't even registered with the GP at the new place I had moved to with my family. So booking a lot of appointments immediately after registering probably also led to the doctors thinking I'm a hypochondriac even more. They keep telling me it's anxiety and I'm thinking why would I come to speak to total strangers instead of avoiding them if I didn't have actual physical symptoms. When I first came here I thought why would some people complain about free health care and now I find out the UK is among the worst in treating certain cancers among the developed countries because of waiting times. I actually traveled back to my country where I was diagnosed with the gastritis and biliary reflux. Here I had to wait several months just to see a specialist before the endoscopy (April - December 2019). Also because of my social anxiety I'm like mentally/vocally crippled in public so it's difficult communicating and I feel stupid afterwards.

[@m.kambli4777]

I don't know if anybody can relate to my condition but beside being hypochondriac .. whenever I realised my body is in good condition my mind started focusing on my body parts like brain ,heart or any important organ and start feeling that it's getting worsen like it's a fantasy for my brain and I can't stop thinking about it . Does anybody have any. Solution for this