FAQ/Help |
Calendar |
Search |
Member
Member Since Jul 2019
Location: California
Posts: 81
4 11 hugs
given |
#1
It has been a while, since I posted on here. I am feeling incredibly isolated and thanks to my ongoing hypochondria, the pandemic has put me in a state of unending fear, which has amplified my fears of isolation.
I live in constant reminders of this pandemic, which further solidifies my desire to shut out the world. The masks, signs, people detouring around me have put me in such a state of helplessness that I come here. Where has compassion gone? Where has empathy gone? I don't want to be so isolated, yet with the constant reminders, I rarely want to escape my cave. Yet, when I venture outside of my cave, I only get reminded of how vulnerable we are as humans. I am not here to debate the efficacy of masks, nor the lethality of the virus, yet it has made such an impact on me. I tried going to a store and had such a massive panic attack that I ran out of the store. I literally feel like I am going insane and trying to keep myself together. Pre-covid days, whenever I would get a stomach ache, I would immediately think it was stomach cancer. Cough, my mind would meander to Pulmonary fibrosis. My mind absolutely terrified of diseases/illnesses and this has been with me all of my life. Now, with this global pandemic, I struggle to surface and find myself dog paddling to just keep afloat and not think of death. Rarely, I can find solace in this world and it has been adding to my paranoia. The ultimate hypocrisy, I fear isolation, yet I fear the virus; yet, this fear leads me to isolate myself to such a point that I question hope. sorry for the rant... --sarc |
Reply With Quote |
Anonymous40506, Buffy01, Discombobulated, downandlonely, eskielover, unaluna
|
Buffy01
|
Guest
Posts: n/a
|
#2
As someone who also suffers from health anxiety I can relate. My HA has increased over the last few years, but I guess I never ascribed the increase to the pandemic. I was just looking at my own family's history and assuming that I would follow it. Fortunately I haven't. Yet. Some days it's less and others it's off the charts. I keep reminding myself that even though I know I'm going to die at some point, I also need to live right now. So, I try to do things during the day to make it the best day I can. I even have this little mirror, self-talk routine to remind myself to enjoy right now, because that's all I really have.
I understand assuming every ache and pain is some terrible disease. That's a horrible feeling. I hope that you can make today as good for yourself as you can. One day at a time. |
Reply With Quote |
Discombobulated
|
Member
Member Since Feb 2018
Location: Kansas
Posts: 161
6 44 hugs
given |
#3
I have the same thing. I'm a total hypochondriac. And unfortunately I have some minor (I hope!) health issues that make me uncomfortable regularly, so there's no shortage of physical discomfort to make my imagination go wild. I try to distract myself from my health anxiety with anything that can engage me--books, movies, work, music, etc. I also try to make myself as comfortable as possible, with hot showers, baths, lying in bed with a heating pad on my stomach, etc. One thing I find helps is gentle stretching, not following any routine, to music. I do it for as long as I feel like doing it--yoga poses like child's pose, cat/cow, cobra, side-to-side rocking with one arm extended. I like stretching my back out and just breathing. I treat this as me-time, not for the purpose of getting in shape or anything, but just connecting with my body. I try to tell myself that thinking about death is a bad habit and I need to gently move my attention to something else. Is there any activity that deeply engages you?
|
Reply With Quote |
Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 9,526
(SuperPoster!)
6 9,709 hugs
given |
#4
Quote:
__________________ Everyone can do magic - Cassie Nightgale the good witch. Dear Diary today will be different today I can smile it will be genuine because today is the day I get to live. This life will be good and beautiful, but not without heartbreak. In death come peace. But pain is the cost of living. Like love, it's how we know we're alive. And life goes on. That my life weird, messy, complicated, sad, wonderful, amazing, and above all epic and I owe all to Stephen. - Eleanor Gilbert Vampire Diaries |
|
Reply With Quote |