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for a few years now (maybe 4 or 5) i've had problems with anxiety and stress. i have no idea what triggers it but it is ALWAYS health related.
it started when i was about 14 and i became aware of things like HIV and the such. i developed rather large and disproportionate levels of paranoia (if i cut myself on a fence, i would flip out overreact.)
as i got older, it got worse, and i seem to take even the smallest disfiguration, pain or bump as a sign of certain death. i'm sure i dont actually believe it, but it keeps creeping back into my mind and im not sure how to stop it.
like i said, as i aged i thought i would get over it but its gotten worse and even painful to people i live with, especially my parents.
specifically, almost all of the stuff ive worried about have been diseases and illnesses, and always things that i cannot control (im not worried about breaking a leg or puncturing a lung.) its more about shit i cant control. examples of things were pain/enlargement of the testicle area (was just swelling), bump on my scalp (harmless cyst), retinal problems (just regular floaters), odd looking moles (got it removed and there was nothing on it), swine flu etc etc.
latest one has been a swollen lymph node, doctors have said its due to an infection (ive got a nasty cold/flu) and maybe also something to do with my teeth (my wisdom teeth are coming through.) naturally, the first thing i did when i felt a lump in my neck was FREAK OUT. Like, jump off my computer chair and talk to the doctors at 10pm at night in my bed clothes to get it checked.
to date, ive had no problems at all. im pretty sure the doctors are getting sick of seeing me up there every time i have a slight problem, but im not sure how to fix this. im actually quite healthy. i used to run everyday, eat very healthy (i havent had soft drink, greasy food, chocolate or anything like that in about 5 years, no drinking or smokes or drugs), take care of myself etc. im not sure if this is a product of my poor mental health or not.
ive been told the reason i am stressful and anxious is because i have little to do. i dont work and i only attend uni 3 days a week (pretty much 2 days since 2 of the days are only half days), and i dont have many hobbies or social interaction. i play games and i play guitar, thats pretty much the only serious hobbies i have.
does anyone have any advice for me, or similar experiences? how should i overcome this? its not as serious as it may sound, i dont really lose sleep over it and it doesnt really impede my life but its something id like to get rid of because, like i said, people are getting the shits with me.
john
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Wow man, I though you're all cool and fine with life until I read this.. Have you tried, checking out a psychologist or shrink? Yeah, even though it's not a big deal, it is a big deal since you made a blog about it.
I dunno if psychs and shrinks really help since never tried anything like that and it's too expensive here.
Anyway, good luck man! Hope you release your fears. 
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On September 17 2009 22:29 Licmyobelisk wrote:Wow man, I though you're all cool and fine with life until I read this.. Have you tried, checking out a psychologist or shrink? Yeah, even though it's not a big deal, it is a big deal since you made a blog about it. I dunno if psychs and shrinks really help since never tried anything like that and it's too expensive here. Anyway, good luck man! Hope you release your fears.
i havent seen a shrink or anything yet but i probably will go (my family has a history of mental illnesses) later. i havent taken any medication or anything because frankly i dont want to. i saw my cousin on anti depressants and sleepers and he was just fucking loopy
my gf is a nurse so i talk to her about it sometimes but i guess a professional psych would help (if not at least its someone to talk to and share with)
haha dont worry man im still fine :D
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I have had anxieties about a lot of things for a long time, not hypochondria, but I was always nervous all the time about people and places. Then I started doing weight lifting and they just went away.
I don't know if that will help you, but if you have so many days off, there's nothing wrong with hitting the gym three times a week, especially if your college has a good one for free.
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On September 17 2009 22:38 onmach wrote:
I have had anxieties about a lot of things for a long time, not hypochondria, but I was always nervous all the time about people and places. Then I started doing weight lifting and they just went away.
I don't know if that will help you, but if you have so many days off, there's nothing wrong with hitting the gym three times a week, especially if your college has a good one for free.
i used to cross country run and do some weights in the past but i kinda lost interest and stopped going. i do work out a bit doing dips and chinups and the like at home.
i was thinking of getting back into that but my uni is about 30min away and i dont really want to travel back and forth. the area my uni is in isnt exactly a friendly neighbourhood (theres lots of fucking retards that you just want to punch in the head for being so retarded)
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The same thing happens to me.
I often get scared about little health quirks. It's happened for about 1 year now. Every time I read about some guy who had slight yellow coloration in his skin, went to the doctor, then found out he had terminal cancer, I flip out and obsess over every slight discoloration in my own skin.
These episodes vary in frequency and magnitude. Overall it's not as debilitating as it sounds. They never happen when I've got more than 8 hours of work to do each day, so I think mental idleness can cause it. I think there's also a physical component with regards to diet and exercise, but I'll leave that speculation to myself.
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Calgary25951 Posts
I really think this is something you should turn to a professional for.
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On September 17 2009 22:59 ero wrote:
The same thing happens to me.
I often get scared about little health quirks. It's happened for about 1 year now. Every time I read about some guy who had slight yellow coloration in his skin, went to the doctor, then found out he had terminal cancer, I flip out and obsess over every slight discoloration in my own skin.
These episodes vary in frequency and magnitude. Overall it's not as debilitating as it sounds. They never happen when I've got more than 8 hours of work to do each day, so I think mental idleness can cause it. I think there's also a physical component with regards to diet and exercise, but I'll leave that speculation to myself.
seems the case for me too, distractions help and idleness is bad
chill i probably will see someone about it
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On September 17 2009 22:22 JohnColtrane wrote:
examples of things were pain/enlargement of the testicle area (was just swelling)
omg dude like one year ago my testicles hurt and i could feel something out of the ordinary in my scrotum. I had to wait one month until i could see the urologist and he told me it was just a varicose vein and i needed no treatment. The whole fucking month i was worried i had testicle cancer or shit...worst month ever TT
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I used to be exactly like this when I was very young. How I overcame it? I honestly can't remember  but something I changed about myself was being more open to things, if your uni has a gym, join it if you're into it, if not, sports? join a team if you feel like it. try doing things you've never done before just for the sake of doing them and saying later on in life "I did that once."
leave your body alone, I think many diseases start because people actually believe in them (otherwise the word placebo wouldn't exist), as long as you're not feeling bad you will be ok. if you have a healthy lifestyle and nutrition you shouldn't worry about a shit man.
But as chill said, we're not doctors or something like that, we can just give advice.
just my 2 c
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Man, I envy your university schedule.
If they say you need something to do, on a schedule like that you can easily get a job... And if you don't want to, you can just develop some kind of artistic talent? I know you said you play guitar, but that's not a creative (and therefore not artistic) talent unless you start writing your own stuff.
As someone who hates not being in control and gets very stressed as well (about people mostly), I can't help you. But to me it's not that weird to be concerned about swollen testicles, bumps under your skin, etc... It's actually a good mentality to get things like that checked. The only problem is that you seem to let it take over your thoughts even after you've made an appointment with the doctor or seen him.
If your doctors were really getting annoyed with your frequent visits, they'd recommend a psychiatrist or something.
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Hmm I wonder if maybe getting an actual illness (and then recovering) would help you overcome this.
Anyways good luck.
At least it's not as bad as those people who drink water obsessively - like 8+ litres a day, that shit freaks me out..
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EPT
