So I've been dealing with new TMS symptoms and some small relapses too. I've come to recognize that Health Anxiety is a constant theme for me and I think it's driving some of my fear and my TMS symptoms. I wound up working with a therapist and taking an online course to deal with this.
Here some learning I found that may be useful to others.
1) Recognize that your perspective can be off by doing the following:
Catastrophizing - thinking the worst case only
Fortunetelling - predict the future (which we can't)
Negative Filtering - Only looking at the bad
What if thinking (similar to fortunetelling)
Ask yourself do I have firm evidence that my health anxiety is warranted. Would that evidence hold up in a court of law that I actually have a brain tumour for example?
2) Realize your default behaviour patterns and making things worse or perpetuating your health anxiety
For example, most people with health anxiety will do some of the following BY DEFAULT over and over
Search google for answers/images
Visit online health forums
Constantly scan their body for issues
Seek reassurance from a loved one many times
Visit many doctors over and over
In each case, you may get a small temporary relief but in most cases these behaviours will be repeated again and again and actually worsen and feed your anxiety. They will not help you move forward.
If you must engage in one of these behaviours, recognize that is a bad habit and limit it to only x amount of time for that day but ultimately you should try to replace these behaviours with good ones such as guided mediation or yoga or exercise. Something more positive.
3) Trust your doctors. If they have not found anything significantly wrong with you it's mostly like related to TMS/anxiety
4) Recognize that stress and emotions can cause many strange physical symptoms such as headaches, tingling, pain, stomach issues etc. Basically TMS. No need to be catastrophic about it.
5) Change your lens of focus when dealing with health anxiety triggers. For instance if you are watching a commercial about cancer. Try not to focus on the term cancer.
Take a larger view of things such as looking at what the lady is wearing in the commercial. What does the background look like. Get rid of that laser focus lens and widen the lens to reduce the anxiety
I did also read Claire Weeks book Hope and Help for your Nerves but the advice above is more specific towards health anxiety
and remember... "My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened"
I hope this helps some folks!
Here some learning I found that may be useful to others.
1) Recognize that your perspective can be off by doing the following:
Catastrophizing - thinking the worst case only
Fortunetelling - predict the future (which we can't)
Negative Filtering - Only looking at the bad
What if thinking (similar to fortunetelling)
Ask yourself do I have firm evidence that my health anxiety is warranted. Would that evidence hold up in a court of law that I actually have a brain tumour for example?
2) Realize your default behaviour patterns and making things worse or perpetuating your health anxiety
For example, most people with health anxiety will do some of the following BY DEFAULT over and over
Search google for answers/images
Visit online health forums
Constantly scan their body for issues
Seek reassurance from a loved one many times
Visit many doctors over and over
In each case, you may get a small temporary relief but in most cases these behaviours will be repeated again and again and actually worsen and feed your anxiety. They will not help you move forward.
If you must engage in one of these behaviours, recognize that is a bad habit and limit it to only x amount of time for that day but ultimately you should try to replace these behaviours with good ones such as guided mediation or yoga or exercise. Something more positive.
3) Trust your doctors. If they have not found anything significantly wrong with you it's mostly like related to TMS/anxiety
4) Recognize that stress and emotions can cause many strange physical symptoms such as headaches, tingling, pain, stomach issues etc. Basically TMS. No need to be catastrophic about it.
5) Change your lens of focus when dealing with health anxiety triggers. For instance if you are watching a commercial about cancer. Try not to focus on the term cancer.
Take a larger view of things such as looking at what the lady is wearing in the commercial. What does the background look like. Get rid of that laser focus lens and widen the lens to reduce the anxiety
I did also read Claire Weeks book Hope and Help for your Nerves but the advice above is more specific towards health anxiety
and remember... "My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened"
I hope this helps some folks!
