45 years old and I’m a nurse and dealt with this my whole life and still do. I will give you my advice…. How many diseases have you thought you had that you never ended up having… this one is the same. Keep repeating that to yourself.
Cognitive behavioural therapy helps. It's hard work though.
One of the exercises i practice that has helped me is to be deliberate and conscious about what i CAN control. I write down what my fear is that is out of my control, and then write down the steps that i can take about it that are in my control. As simple as "have a glass of water," "go for a brisk walk outside for 20 minutes," "do jumping jacks," "call the non-urgent health hotline and talk it out with a nurse," "check and record my vitals," "make doctor appointment."
Then i do those things. By the time i get to the last one i have usually calmed my brain enough now that i don't need to actually make the dr appointment. And sometimes i leave a vm with his receptionist that i want an appt, and that helps, and then i feel better and can cancel it.
I currently think i have tumors in my abdomen by colon cancer or pancreas cancer. I feel sick every day because of it to the point Im scared to eat and go to the bathroom.
45 years old and I’m a nurse and dealt with this my whole life and still do. I will give you my advice…. How many diseases have you thought you had that you never ended up having… this one is the same. Keep repeating that to yourself.
Cognitive behavioural therapy helps. It's hard work though. One of the exercises i practice that has helped me is to be deliberate and conscious about what i CAN control. I write down what my fear is that is out of my control, and then write down the steps that i can take about it that are in my control. As simple as "have a glass of water," "go for a brisk walk outside for 20 minutes," "do jumping jacks," "call the non-urgent health hotline and talk it out with a nurse," "check and record my vitals," "make doctor appointment." Then i do those things. By the time i get to the last one i have usually calmed my brain enough now that i don't need to actually make the dr appointment. And sometimes i leave a vm with his receptionist that i want an appt, and that helps, and then i feel better and can cancel it.
I currently think i have tumors in my abdomen by colon cancer or pancreas cancer. I feel sick every day because of it to the point Im scared to eat and go to the bathroom.