Am I a hypochondriac? How can I stop it?

Question

For me every head pain is a brain tumor. Every tummy ache is appendicitis. Every chest pain is a heart attack or heart disease. Every bruise is leaukimia. Any throat pain means I have throat cancer. Every neck pain means I broke a major blood vessel and I am internally bleeding to death. I have diagnosed myself with all of the above and also diabetes, breast cancer, skin cancer, eye cancer, AIDS (even though I havent had any kind of sex), pneumonia, the list goes on. I have also thought my organs were bleeding. I take any ache or pain and thinks its the worst. I have even caled the doctor a liar because I was totally sure I had some type of disease. I am constantly asking to go to the ER and hen my parents say Im fine I say they dont know what they are talking about and start crying and saying im dying. This affects my daily life. I will constantly stay home from school in fear. This year I got held back because I missed so much school because I thought I was always dying. My parents couldnt do anything to make me go to school Id skip and miss school on purpose if I had to. I also am constantly taking over the counter medicines like advil benadryl nyquil tylenol etc. I am constantly looking on health websites and connect my symptoms to something extremely serious. Even at this moment Im freaking out because I think I have a brain tumor and appendicitis and heart disease. I know I have those though because i have some symptoms. My parents said if i was seriously sick they would be able to tell but they say that until i have to go into emergency surgery. I am rlly freaked out!!! I also know for sure I have asthm but i know that for sure because when im running i will start panting but its different. Okay so anyways my parents say im a hypochondriac i guess i sorta see where they r coming from but i know i have thoe three diseases i listed above. if i am a hypochondriac which i doubt how do i get help. Oh and also i thought i might add that every insect bite i have i think is a black widow bite or a brown recluse bite. and i will freak out so bad over me thinking i have a deadly illness i will have a panic attack and start being able to not breathe.

Answer 1

I'm with Your parents, You're definitely a hypochondriac. You probably don't have any fatal diseases, diagnosing Yourself with something in the lines of WebMD is a horrible idea.

Answer 2

To be honest, with brain tumours and appendicitis, the symptoms can be applicable to other things. For example, if you get an abdominal pain, it's not necessarily appendicitis as it may be indigestion or just a stomach ache after you've eaten a little too much. Actually, indigestion also causes chest pain sometimes as the acid is sitting high in your oesophagus so chest pain due to supposed "heart disease" could even be simple indigestion (dyspepsia). A headache could be a tension type headache or just one of those idiopathic headaches that will go away in time.



The more you think about it, the more you're going to freak yourself out about these things. Appendicitis is quite an acute illness so within a few days you'll be in excruciating pain and should the appendix rupture, it's a really big emergency and you won't miss it. Don't let something like this rule how you live and your life and remember that some symptoms may be idiopathic (without a cause) or just be something really minor that doesn't need treatment. Anyhow, as I say, if you're so worried about these things, go and get checked by your doctor to relieve any doubts you have - speak to him about your intense worry about having all these diseases too. You'll be able to get help and advice from them, even if it's just in the form of reassurance that you're well.

Steph xx

Answer 3

It sounds like you're dealing with a lot of anxiety. It might be that you went through a traumatic experience where you were very sick, knew someone that was, or had some kind of negative experience related to this, and that has drastically affected you. Chances are, more likely than not, that when you are sick, its not going to be life-threatening. However, if you tell yourself this, and you still find yourself searching the web for disease-related symptoms, then it might be that you have an issue that you need help dealing with. Because this is affecting your day-to-day life, it might be a good idea to talk to a counselor or therapist about it. Talk to your parents about it and see what they have to say. Working with a therapist will provide you support, an outlet to vent to, and he/she can help you with alternative ways to cope and provide some understanding into this issue. If you know of a therapy/counseling facility, make an appointment, otherwise you can call or email us at the address/phone number below and we can look up places in your area so you can take the next step towards getting help in dealing with this issue. Hang in there!



MW, Counselor

Boys Town National Hotline

1-800-448-3000

www.yourlifeyourvoice.org

Answer 4

This sounds like OCD to me. (Pure-o maybe?)



Don't worry, my lady. Everything is fine with you.



This is how the brain works: When you give attention to eomsething, the brain thinks: "This is important".



If you ignore it, this will happen:

"Sarah, look, you have aids"

Your reply: "Silence"

Brain: "You have aids!!!! you have aids aids aids aids aids aids aids aids" over and over again

You: "Silence"

Brain: "YOU HAVE AIDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

You: "Silence"

Brain: "Ok you win, you don't have aids".



It will get more intense, but then it will vanish. It's like a child giving a tantrum. Get more and more angry, and then tired and quit. I thin it's some kind of defense mechanism, don't really remember anymore. I think it was dr. stevenson talking about OCD that said this. It's from him that I got this wonderful tool.



The lesson is: Do not ruminate. Don't do it.



Maybe, there is a slight chance that you are right, you may have some sort of pain that may be serious. But ask yourself: Is the probability lower then 5 percent? If so, it's probably ocd.

You should be able to tell the diference. To help you tell the diference between reality and fiction, you have your "gut".



I used to have pretty severe OCD, never went to a doctor, but i know i had it. Now I don't anymore.

It was pretty rough. I went to sleep at 6 in the morning every day too. Didn't eat well (I ate enough, but not the necessary things). I changed my diet and stuff. Started ejaculating less (I was draining myself too much, not giving my body time to recover). Not forgetting exercise. I used this book: step by step tai chi by master lam kam chuen

Make sure you have 100% rda of everything, consider multivitamins or some herbs. or thesse: b--complex and fish oil.

http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/minerals-nutrition-chart.html is a start but search more.

Now I am completely healed.



I know it's very hard. But yours has gone too far. I passed my year. Not with the best grades, but I got into university, which is all that matters. Get your stuff together. Concentrate. You can get over this. Now is a good time. Keep this up and you may be digging a hole for yourself too deep. You got held back one year. Many people loose one year. I did too. You gained valuable experience. It's no biggie, but this must end! :) And now. Go!! :) I am expecting you to not disappoint yourself and get over this. ;) Do it. Keep us posted.



If you have more questions, feel free to ask me. I think this will do wonders for you already. But some things you must do yourself and figure out yourself. It's different for everyone. Good luck...



edit: Lol, I ment dr steven philipson, not dr stevenson. here's his website

Answer 5

Hypochondriacs are ridiculous, politely tell them that you cant feel sorry for them if they keep on doing this, if that does not work just tell the person straight. There is no way of doing this without hurting his feelings a little bit. Tell him to leave you alone!

Answer 6

Eventually you'll have had every test going. If they say you're fine, you're fine. Stop worrying about what could happen and just get on with your life. In the grand scheme of things we're not here for very long at all and to spend your life worrying about getting a disease is such a waste.

Answer 7

Been through,



Yes you are hypochondriac, your description deliberately expresses that.



You need trust, relaxation, proper knowledge and deduction of fear.



If something serious happens in reality, your cumulated stress may give you serious panic attack or even a stroke.



Trust your parents on their duty, relax by breathe-meditation, have proper knowledge of the body by empirical observation before drawing any quick ignorant conclusion from learned knowledge or desperate urge to match the symptom(s) with any serious disease from medical dictionary.



RELAX, you have to let go of the fear of death [Thanatophobia] which I think beyond all the perplexity.

Answer 8

the only thing wrong with you is you are really stupid you cant self diagnose brain cancer you are an idiot and appendicitis would have you in so much pain you couldnt write this in the first place

Answer 9

Yes your hypochondriac, i used to be to for years i thought i was schizophrenic. i had to go to therapy to get better

Answer 10

It sounds like you need a psychiatric evaluation.