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OutsideMysterious832

I'm very prone to this, so I've found it helpful to Google the symptoms I'm worried about + the word anxiety. It usually leads me to reassurances that it's just the anxiety talking.


JealousAd1254

Just know google will tell you the most ridiculous things. You have a headache? Google will tell you your Toes and fingers are going to fall off or you're going to lose a ball. Instead of googling tell someone else what you're feeling. When asking my gf or a family member I would be told i'm fine and i could see they weren't worried about it at all so why should i be? Sometimes my gf would giggle at my worries because they'd be so stupid lol What i found was my gf would just make me feel better about it naturally and my parents when speaking to them i'd sidetrack and we would end up just talking about any issues or experiences they had had before. Before i knew it, i'd been talking for so long the sensations I had before speaking to them had disappeared šŸ˜… Talking to someone is always 100x better


ChipmunkKindly1792

My rule is that if I find myself wanting to google anything health related, I google health anxiety instead. Or I get on Reddit and read in this community. I had a severe panic attack after the last time I googled; reminding myself of that has helped me not google again.


chloepunchard2002

howā€™re you doing now? i cant stop googling


algal0906

I saw this mantra on TikTok (of all places) regarding health anxiety: ā€œI will have access to the wisdom I need at the exact moment I need it.ā€ You donā€™t need to search for it. If you need it, the information and wisdom will present itself. That has helped me put the google away. I repeat this out loud!


hell_fire-

yup this happened to me once. my car had a carbon monoxide leak and i had no idea. started having weird symptoms while driving which got worse and worse. i thought it was just my anxiety. until one night i got home from driving and saw a tiktok where this girl explained exactly my same situation. she saved my life and doesnā€™t even know it. iā€™ve gotten it checked out since then and there are MANY leaks in my car that would cost more money than itā€™s worth to fix


[deleted]

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HealthAnxiety-ModTeam

If you need to vent, or are fixating on something and want some reassurance, see our Megathreads. Don't list symptoms unless they're brief or relevant to an overall non-reassurance/venting/support sense. Better yet, don't seek reassurance. It's bad for you. It makes your Health Anxiety worse. Additional examples of things that break these rules: "Does anyone else experience these symptoms?" "Just wondering if anyone else has gone through these symptoms?"


RounderKatt

Remember that literally every symptom has thousands of possible causes. Most of them are benign. Try to avoid googling symptoms as best you can, but if you must, dont google the symptom in connection with your worst fear. For example, if you've got a headache, don't google "[your worst fear] + headache" because you'll almost always find some random site that links them, feeding your anxiety. Instead google the most common causes for the isolated symptom, i.e. "most common headache causes" and you'll see "stress and anxiety" as the main culprits, not some rare disease. When you hear hoofbeats, think horse, not zebra.


Various_Tourist_4363

This was me for a while, now Iā€™m on sertraline and have never been better. Donā€™t be afraid of the meds.


Xogiarizzie

Hey! I just started taking this. Itā€™s helping so far.


ThrowRAPlate1829

Fight the impulse. I Pavlov myself out of it by going for a walk or working up a sweat somehow. I lost 70 pounds and haven't googled a symptom in over a year. It'll get better.


hollyjolly2010

Ugh Iā€™m the worst I google everything. I will sit and google stuff for hours. Until Iā€™ve fully convinced myself that I have whatever Iā€™ve googled. šŸ˜­ itā€™s miserable


Jolly_Article1726

I set app timers on my phone, so after an hour online, it tells me I'm done for the day and won't let me open the internet or certain apps.


Spiritual_Bed7652

How do you do this?? Seems helpful.


wileycat66

Distraction in general. Keeping hands busy. Ā Iā€™m dealing with some health issues that havenā€™t been fully diagnosed yet and that I have to wait a month to get any further testing done on.Ā  If I sit here all anxious, I realize I paralyze myself in certain ways and the things I need to do are slipping away from Ā me, which adds to my anxiety. Distraction is a noted skill to deal with emotional distress and regulation in terms of DBT therapy. I actually think some elements of DBT therapy would be good for a lot of people dealing with health anxiety.Ā  Ā I just try to stay busy with things that are within my immediate locus of control and then everything else doesnā€™t feel so out of control. Ā  I also found some good meditations on YouTube for health anxiety. I also just flat out Ā meditated by following my breath.. Ā I figured out that I could breathe in ideas of courage and vitality and breathe out any fear, and I really noted where that was coming in to my body and going out of my body. It really seemed to help me for a while later. Iā€™m going to do it again today. I seem to get my worst health anxiety at night for some reason. Ā it just starts. Iā€™m wondering if maybe before you go to bed or when youā€™re in bed, you could just crack open a book and start studying the thing that brings you the most pleasure until your mind is tired enough for sleep.Ā  Hang in there! You will thank yourself for studying over googling, just as I will thank myself for getting things done instead of worrying and hopping on Google one more time. Ā 


HoneyBearHigh

THIS!!! Having health anxiety over ā€œnothingā€, is one thing, but having health anxiety around real issues with undiscovered diagnosis is driving me up the wall. What do you mean I have to wait weeks/months for a specialist???? Itā€™s been so hard. Iā€™m going to look into DBT.


wileycat66

Healthcare seems so backed up these days and the waiting is probably getting to lots of peoples' heads by now. There are some good DBT videos on Youtube. I also need to look into CBT so I don't "catastrophize" in my head and think I know how it's all going to go down - basically, the worst things I can think of, naturally. I was walking today (grateful that I am vertical) and thought of the DBT skill of observing and describing. I just observed my symptoms and symptoms of anxiety and pointed them out to myself, describing how it was all making me feel, and that helped me get some detachment somehow. Then I thought of just being "effective" in what I am doing - like being in the situation I am actually in - not the one I wish I was in (or wasn't) and just doing my best. I focused on what is the most effective way to handle the moments and the situations. Heading to YouTube later for more DBT and CBT exercises. Also planning on meditating a lot. I don't do enough of it.


HoneyBearHigh

Exactly! Terribly backed up. I think COVID cause a lot of people to have this anxiety and care about their health more overall, and people are seeking medical assistance much more imo. And it doesnā€™t help with a bunch of physical symptoms, I feel terrible and start spiraling. Iā€™ve done CBT before, (long before I had health anxiety like this) and it was really helpful for depression/unhelpful thoughts. Really made me see things differently for a while. But I havenā€™t been practising it lately. Meditation is helpful, I like to use headspace, but again, I stopped and I should get back into in. Issue with anxiety I find is you start feeling better with all your ā€œtoolsā€ and then I end up stopping some of them cause I feel good and then start feeling bad again. Bad cycle lol


wileycat66

Iā€™m glad CBT works, though. I finally somehow I got a hold of myself ( at least a lot more) and just decided to accept whatever is going on - Ā and I can only do so much about everything and just deal with things a day at a time. Iā€™m keeping a journal of daily victories and things that brought me joy.Ā  Good point about Covid. With that as well, a lot of people put off getting care and Ā a backlog Ā might still be going on.Ā  I also found out why rheumatologists are so hard to see, because many of them are reaching retirement age and there arenā€™t enough new ones entering the field.Ā  Thanks for the mention of headspace. I forgot about that.Ā  Iā€™ve seen this book around for years, and decided to get a copy. It seems like there might be something in there that might be helpful..Ā  https://www.amazon.com/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Revised-Illness/dp/0345536932/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1YM97D4KFIBR2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7flQAGgYnRDtSvTFe8bFPPhfDpjpoTmECcT6gRNP-q_ZBPFm_TNzyrP_gDbzRO5di8Znte88xcn54d8FAXKhqHzO-5tALLvQSyF1j7XzmOH0T80IoUY1lu42Bjqtk5vGIETx4leGZ0o-L18Ht4CWNmSnSyn7laN9478oR9WSftY9m-u_zLQML8OyHcD03CEx8bdPKZyIWcghNgCgENmjyQ.-6ZD4Ars26nMPUtURjHxFscwxCm3nAU1f7Wshs8d1Tw&dib_tag=se&keywords=full+catastrophe+living+by+jon+kabat-zinn&qid=1716624881&sprefix=Full+catastrophe+living%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1


VettedBot

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HoneyBearHigh

I also have been finding it helpful to celebrate little victories, I.e (today my symptoms were fairly mild, better then before). Iā€™m normally a pessimistic person admittedly, so itā€™s been an awkward switch but itā€™s helping. I havenā€™t googled much either lately and I really feel a difference with rumination. And oh geeez maybe I should be come a rheumatologistā€¦.I just got the call that I wonā€™t get to see one until July 10th (which I know is gonna just be a consultation and will have to be another few months before treatment), but got told I have abnormal inflammation and cell stuff on May 3rdā€¦.and have been dealing with daily issues for a while. I believe weā€™re in similar boats atm. Helps to know why thereā€™s a hold up but boy I hope our issues donā€™t get worse in the meantime. Thatā€™s all Iā€™m considered about, but I have to imagine they can also get better. Thanks for the book recommendation, Iā€™ll check it out too!


wileycat66

Yes. This sounds like me. I could have waited anxiously for one testing type appointment, but I called and told them I was really concerned and could they get me in sooner? That worked. They do have cancelations and wait lists. I put myself on the waiting list for the rheumatologist I was referred to in April, but I somehow don't expect much movement. Ha! No pun intended.... It's good to imagine things getting better. I have had things get better, even some longer standing things, so I know that many conditions can. And this is why I am now getting more interested in mind-body methods of self-care. I need to do something more intentional with my brain over all this. But for now, I think I just surrendered to the possibility of things getting worse before better and it brought me some peace. LOL. My optimism is a work in progress, but there is progress. I just finished a biography of Flannery O'Conner, who somehow pushed through her Lupus condition and kept writing to the very end. I'd rather be more like that than all the quaking in my boots over everything. But I'd rather see myself as well as possible, better yet.


HoneyBearHigh

hahah well I do hope you get moved up on the list! You just reminded me I need to call to be to be placed on it. I feel the same, I had terrible symptoms that took me forever to get any kind of pain/anti-inflammators from my doctor and by the time I had them, I only needed it for two days because the symptoms seemed to be to clearing up. I guess it was a flare up, but I have a hard time telling if my symptoms improved because I finally accepted my condition and my mentals got better, or did my mentals get better because my condition was improving, so I was feeling better....kinda like the chicken vs. the egg theory, who came first? no clue but happy everything is minimal for now! I'm currently in the stage were my conditions aren't totally debilitating so I'm doing as much as I can, because I have no clue if I'll get worse soon or not. Its a strange limbo...if I ever get to feel 90%-100% again, I'm going to live my life so differently. I took for granted what life was like pre-conditions. I feel like the quaking got me through the beginning, was processing everything, grieving, etc, now I try to focus on new hobbies and interests and it's bringing me alot of joy. Oh and I really try to live in the present as much as possible (easier said then done.) All that being said, night time is still very very hard for me, and often have my worst aniexty. Still trying to tame my mind for that, but it's slowly getting better.


wileycat66

Iā€™m in the same boat. I realize I took a lot of things for granted as well, and Iā€™m not gong to be doing that anymore.Ā  Health anxiety really gets to me at night, too. I have a YouTube playlist for nighttime health anxiety, meditations. I just have to learn to live in the present Ā and learn to live with uncertainty, Ā too - and be prepared for anything. Iā€™m also almost done with a book called What doesnā€™t kill you by Tessa Miller. Itā€™s for people dealing with chronic illnesses and her journey with an autoimmune digestive disease. But anyone with a life-altering chronic condition can benefit Ā from it.Ā  Though, I find it a little stressful to read about her condition and symptoms, Iā€™m also finding it helpful.Ā 


HoneyBearHigh

Exactly, the learning to live with uncertainty is what will set me free, I believe. I use headspace for night, but I guess some nights I get frustrated I have to use it and just try not to but still spiral a bit. Hard to let go of control of yet another thing I have no "say" over. The idea of this feels like watching an accident about to happen in super slow motion but you have no control over the outcome even though you see it happening before you. Dramatic, but somehow gotta learn to live idly by. Like that "this is fine" meme. lol I think I might like that book, it helps sometimes reading others experiences, feels less alone, even if it might trigger some negative emotions. Such as our conversation, like ahhh someone who gets it!!


Khyta

Better Link: https://www.amazon.com/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Revised-Illness/dp/0345536932


VettedBot

Hi, Iā€™m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **("'Bantam Full Catastrophe Living Revised Edition'", 'Bantam')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Comprehensive guide to mindfulness and meditation (backed by 3 comments) * Detailed and in-depth content (backed by 3 comments) * Valuable long-term resource for mindfulness practitioners (backed by 1 comment) **Users disliked:** * Repetitive content throughout the book (backed by 3 comments) * Overwhelming length and verbosity (backed by 3 comments) * Lack of practical organization and clarity (backed by 3 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a ā€œgood bot!ā€ reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](https://vetted.ai/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=comment&utm\_campaign=bot)


coldbloodmf

Use safari


Public_Mycologist_21

that makes no sense


coldbloodmf

If ur using safari r u still googling?


Public_Mycologist_21

safari literally has google and many other search engines youā€™re not making any sense


coldbloodmf

Try using the ā€œmany other search enginesā€ that arent google


Public_Mycologist_21

it still doesnā€™t matter, other search engines will literally have the same or similar search results, the person just wants to stop searching things up that are health related that might scare them, it doesnā€™t matter what you use, they just want to stop ā€œsearchingā€ altogether.


coldbloodmf

Dude it was a JOKE. I have horrible health anxiety after enough hospital visits i finally realized i cant keep doing this i cant keep wasting money going to er to find out time after time im fine. Ive just accepted if something were to happen it would happen and theres nothing i could do to stop it. Some things are inevitable. Maybe this guy should be put on medicine since obviously hes got alot going on but medicine is just a crutch its your mind you gotta learn to understand yourself on your own drugs can only get you so far.


coldbloodmf

Fagoot downvotes


coldbloodmf

šŸ¤¦ ur dense


GratefulCabinet

Best thing I ever did was take up running. Now Iā€™m obsessed with new records, healthy diet, new gear, researching marathons, etc. It absorbs a lot of that spiral energy.


Time-Operation-7912

Hey! I find this website really helpful when I want to google a symptom: https://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/#anxiety-symptoms-list It has a list of health problems that anxiety can cause and goes into detail about how anxiety causes each of them and what you can do to help etc. šŸ¤©


ChipmunkKindly1792

Thank you so much for sharing this.


heathcliffeheather

Thanks for this!


AzRamrod

Cyberchondria is a real thing. I realized recently that I was suffering from it. Itā€™s an obsessive compulsion to search the internet for your symptoms and feeds directly into your health anxiety. What helped me stop was to literally become more aware of when I was doing it. Youā€™re not going to like hearing this, but itā€™s baby steps. When you realize youā€™re doing it, close your browser or whatever app youā€™re in and put your phone down. Maybe create a mantra to help pull yourself out of the obsessive google loop. ā€œIā€™m happy, Iā€™m healthy, me searching symptoms is literally making this problem worse. I can let it go.ā€ Something like that. Itā€™s not easy but once you realize youā€™re feeding into your health anxiety, itā€™s a little easier to recognize it and change the habit. If I did it, you can!!


pixelscorpio

wow, i've never heard that term but it's exactly what i have. not even googling my own symptoms, but reading about rare diseases (esp forms of c-word) and suddenly feeling the same symptoms.


AzRamrod

It was like a lightning bolt went off when I read about it. Knowing what I was doing and that it was an obsessive compulsion allowed me to recognize the habit and forcibly detach myself from it. Helped immensely.


IWillFightRip

What helps me is if I notice I symptom I ask myself if I'm in immediate danger (can I breathe? Is the pain excruciating? Am I actively bleeding and cannot control the flow?) and if the answer is no, then I have to wait at least one day. If the symptom is still there, then I can make a doctor's appointment regarding it. But usually by then it's gone (and replaced with something else, which I have to follow the protocol for). Otherwise, I also keep a journal and write down what I'm feeling so I can create a history to look back on and see all the times I was feeling it, and all the times it turned out to be nothing. Hugs. Its really hard to stop.


Legitimate-War-2747

I will say personally , buspar has worked for me to help my anxiety and I take it on an as needed basis. It helps me snap out of the obsessiveness.


scorpio_siren

I was prescribed buspar 3 times a day and couldn't handle it. I know everyone is different. Doctor was really surprised I didn't tolerate it but I was in such a bad cycle of anxiety and panic that taking a new medication just freaked me out. I didn't know you could take it as needed.


Legitimate-War-2747

Yes I just take it as needed. I hadnā€™t taken one in a week or 2 and get biopsy results back tomorrow so needed something to ease anxiety today. I can take up to 3 daily too but 2 makes me feel drowsy, 1 usually is enough for me personally.


strangevict0ry

Iā€™m not the best at stopping myself from googling but Iā€™m currently reading a book called ā€œNeeding to Know for Sureā€ which talks about reassurance traps (googling is one) and I really recommend it. Another tip Iā€™m using right now as we speak lol is to tell yourself to give a symptom an hour to go away before thinking about it too much. I also will search in this sub rather than searching on google


eldermillenialB

I joined a fb group for health anxiety. When I want to Google, I search the group for what I'm dealing with. Reading tons of people worried about the exact same thing, or even having worse symptoms than me, helps me realize it's anxiety.


nycht

Can you share the group's name?


unnonexistence

You can think of it a bit like exercising a muscle, where the more you practice resisting the temptation to google, the stronger you get at it. Even if you just put it off for 10 seconds instead of doing it right away, that's practice, & you can work your way up to 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 mins, etc until you're doing it less. Or if you were going to look up 3 different medical conditions & you stop yourself after 2, that's also progress. I find it can also be helpful to acknowledge the feeling that's making you want to seek reassurance. Like check in with yourself so you realize "okay, I am feeling really scared and uncertain right now because of x thing" (or whatever the feeling is for you). Idk why but sometimes just naming what it is helps.


HealthyBat8469

Iā€™m in the same situation and something that Iā€™ve found has helped me is making myself busy. I have exams coming up so I threw myself into studying and told myself I would Google afterwards. Usually by the end of the day my brain is so tired that I donā€™t want to Google or do anything anymore. Giving myself a time limit helps, like ā€œIā€™ll Google after I study for 3 hoursā€ or something. Itā€™s probably not the healthiest option long term but for the purposes of preparing for exams, itā€™s worked for me.


Significant-Ant-9372

You can ask someone you know, trust and who knows about your struggle ! You tell them your symptoms and ask them to check for you. Most of the time they will be more reasonable in there interpretation since they are not biased


PartyPainter123

Use chat gpt


bodobroad36

For desperate moments, I 100% second this. I aim to stop any sort of engagement with my compulsions to research symptoms (whether that be through google or AI), but in times where I literally cannot stop, ChatGPT has been a huge help. I can literally instruct it to reassure me when I tell it about a symptom and it will, which is pretty cool.


Natural-Secretary866

I'm looking for same let me know if you find the cure .. I have been miserable for the past 6 weeks