YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

I'm having a semi rough time with my health anxiety. My brain keeps sending me catastrphising thoughts. I have IBS, GERD and I'm visually impaired.
I have this ultimate fear of dying from a heart attack, because my paternal grandma died of heart disease at 86, and my dad had heart issues.
I've had all the heart tests and they came out fine. I just freak out when I have chest pains, which is caused by my GI issues and regular anxiety.
I've gotten better, but this week is tough, because I have a UTI (sorry for the TMI), and I'm on Cipro.
I just want my mind to shut up.

I am so sorry that you are going through this -

Having negative thoughts on a repeat cycle is agonizing - and it is the hardest thing in the world to shut off -

I feel so much empathy for you-

WHen my anxiety gets the better of me - which is daily - I *try* to remember to just hyper focus on my breathing - I am breathing I am still alive - I am going to count my breaths and try to slow it down - I am going to feel the air coming in and feel the air going out - ok I am going to do it again - I do this until I do not feel my heart pounding in my throat anymore -

I sympathize! I'm somewhat better about this now, but I used to have really bad health anxiety. Got a leg cramp? Obviously I have a blood clot, which is a rare side effect of X medication, and I'm going to die. I have the occasional fleeting thought now, but I used to freak out all night because of it. And occasionally have a full on anxiety attack.

I find that when I'm freaking out about body things, I need to NOT focus on my body. Think about state capitals, song lyrics, phone numbers, addresses. Anything I can focus my mind on automatically that isn't connected to my body.