Does anyone have health paranoia?

[Emzical]

Hi, i'm in my early twenties and i have recently spiralled into a constant fear of dying. I have heard this can happen around 22-25. How do I stop thinking about it? Is it normal?

 

[Monachopia]

In what sense do you mean? Do you mean when a person starts looking at any sign as a warning sign of sickness, or the realisation of the concept of death and what it actually means?

 

[Judge]

"The authors note that it affects up to 5 percent of medical outpatients. In short, the disorder is a mental health condition where a person worries excessively that they are sick, to the point where the anxiety itself is debilitating. Worrying about health becomes an illness."

Hypochondria: What is illness anxiety disorder?

 

[OkRad]

joy

 

[Theta.G]

What procs your health paranoia? If it's a certain health issue, try and get it fixed.

Alternatively you can change your views on death so you no longer fear it but don't desire it either.

If you're worried about your health for valid reasons / troubling symptoms i wouldn't call it paranoia... just worried.

 

[Mr Allen]

Because I'm anti-smoking in general anyway, I object when anyone lights up near me, not being funny but I have enough health issues as it is without passive smoking from one of my carers or someone else.

That includes E-Cigarettes,

 

[Emzical]

"The authors note that it affects up to 5 percent of medical outpatients. In short, the disorder is a mental health condition where a person worries excessively that they are sick, to the point where the anxiety itself is debilitating. Worrying about health becomes an illness."

Hypochondria: What is illness anxiety disorder?

to be honest i did wonder if i was being a hypochondriac

 

[Judge]

to be honest i did wonder if i was being a hypochondriac

Indeed, the article seems straight forward about such a question. Leaving you to decide if in fact you may fit this description.

If so, I suppose the important thing is if this condition persists over time, or eventually just goes away on its own. I know my mother was a hypochondriac in her final years. She paid for expensive medicines only to decide not to use them. Very frustrating...

 

[Emzical]

In what sense do you mean? Do you mean when a person starts looking at any sign as a warning sign of sickness, or the realisation of the concept of death and what it actually means?

well a family member got ill and nearly died seemingly out of nowhere. so i just got paranoid that i could get really ill out of nowhere too. which is true it could happen, i just dont want to be so overly anxious and get over it

 

[Monachopia]

Looking forward to it. Might even expedite the process.

Noooo, don't be silly. TBH if I was with you in person I'd make a similar remark as I'm all for dark humour, but since I don't know you, I'll throw a hug your way *hug*.

 

[Emzical]

Noooo, don't be silly. TBH if I was with you in person I'd make a similar remark as I'm all for dark humour, but since I don't know you, I'll throw a hug your way *hug*.

just noticed you like tool. cool

 

[Monachopia]

well a family member got ill and nearly died seemingly out of nowhere. so i just got paranoid that i could get really ill out of nowhere too. which is true it could happen, i just dont want to be so overly anxious and get over it

I'm so sorry to hear about your family member, I hope they are better now...
But you are right, it can happen... and it is scary... it can trigger anxiety especially after an event like that, but, in a way you have to sit down and think rationally... if you spend your life worrying, you'll never actually live it. Death is a fact of life, you might as well make the best of the moments you have.

 

[Emzical]

Looking forward to it. Might even expedite the process.

I rated this funny because I’m hoping it’s sarcasm

 

[OkRad]

hhg

 

[Emzical]

No. No sarcasm. It's ok to laugh. My life has been a joke.

Sorry to hear that I hope it gets better

 

[OkRad]

Sorry to hear that I hope it gets better

gkdf

 

[Isadoorian]

I was going to say, but someone already linked an article about it; Hypochondria

 

[sidd851]

@Emzical
This doesn't sound like typical
hypochondria, in that it seems to be
not so much symptom related, but
moreso focused on the end result.

@Hdphn33 said:
"Alternatively you can change your views on death so you no longer fear it but don't desire it either."

The "Tibetan Book of the Dead" was
written, not with the dead in mind, but was
written for the living. Specifically, those
dying or close to death.
It is meant to be read to them, not cover
to cover, but as a sort of reference book.

The human psyche often(constantly)
struggles with attachment and aversion.
When it faces the unknown, the ultimate
unknown, it's contortions can do
funny things to the mind of the one
experiencing them.

The TBotD was written as a guide for
those experiencing dying, sort of a
grounding guide, so that one can gracefully
accept the inevitable.
The guide/reader observes the dying person's
words or mental state, and reads from the
section that corresponds in order to ease
their suffering.
Tibetans (buddhists) believe that the
(mental) state of one's rebirth is in large
part influenced by the (mental) state at
the time of one's death. Necessarily,
this is of substantial importance,
to Tibetan Buddhists.
Putting all spiritual/religious beliefs
aside, the book is helpful psychologically,
and has been largely praised, even by
those of different philosophies and
belief systems.
(It has been adapted, several times,
to several purposes, even
to guiding "trips" on psychedelics.)

I highly recommend reading this book,
to gain awareness of both one's current
mental state(s),
and one's conceptions/perceptions
of death.

Death is inevitable, we will all experience it.
As with everything, the greater our understanding, the less our fear.

May you be well.

sidd

 

[BraidedPony]

When I was 25 I was hospitalized with a bleeding peptic ulcer. It eventually healed but left me with a fear that something will make me suffer a long painful death.
I quit drinking, smoking, eating junk food, taking any unnecessary medicine, no X-rays and even very little partying because I didn’t want to be around alcohol and cigs.
I’ve relaxed quite a bit over the years but still absolutely avoid second hand smoke, X-rays, and certain foods that are proven to be full of chemicals.
I had never thought that it was a mental illness though, it feels like I’m being just a little over cautious.
Anyway I’m still alive and have less life altering health conditions than many other people my age and I’ve reached a point recently where I don’t want to die but when the time comes I’ll be cool with it. In fact I’m meeting with an attorney next month to have a will drawn up and have prepaid my cremation.
Anxiety isn’t fun and takes the joy out of life. I wonder if you would feel better if you could talk to a professional. Anxiety is one of the easier conditions to go to a therapist about because they all have experience in treating it and there isn’t any blame put on you for having it. Unlike some other issues...
As Spock would say, Live long and prosper!

 

[Joel's Hear]

Because I'm anti-smoking in general anyway, I object when anyone lights up near me, not being funny but I have enough health issues as it is without passive smoking from one of my carers or someone else.

That includes E-Cigarettes,

Very true. I hate a big cloud of car exhaust too. Every minute a car produces more than enough carbon monoxide to kill a person No one ever thinks of non-driver rights.