When things had got on top of me recently and one more health thing was the final straw, one unsympathetic GP curtly told me I had health anxiety. It wasn't until my next appointment was with a different one that she referred me to someone with more expertise in that area and she eventually told me I don't have health anxiety, that the health things I was anxious about were justified and that it was general anxiety as id had a lot to deal with and my cup and runneth over. She did help me approach my health things in a more measured way though. It's hard, takes practice but it really helped just to talk to someone. For some of us, getting it off your chest is enough. I do think the awareness raising about health has caused some anxiety. It comes on TV, radio, social media, news items, we get invites for screening, vaccination. Prompting us to check out symptoms. And also as you age you worry more that its something rather than nothing. The world feels scarey. And of course anxiety causes physical symptoms so its a vicious circle. I'm managing better, I realised how much of my precious time I was wasting being anxious about things that might never happen and was missing the present moment. I hope you have someone who is understanding and calm, my first GP wasn't, and that you are supported as itbis something that can be eased.
