I’m 20 years old and i suffer from hypochondria and frequent panic attacks. I’ve always been somewhat of a hypochondriac, but once my panic attacks started a few months ago I have been convinced that this is the start of some severe heart disorder leading to my death. It sounds very dramatic and even makes me laugh when I think about it from another view, but it doesn’t give me peace or reassurance. The only thing that settles the anxiety is being told by a medical professional that nothing is going to happen to me.

I have a doctor, but I don’t want to waste money going to appointments every week. Is there someone that could just email me quick advice or help me out when it’s not serious enough for me to go to the hospital? I really don’t see another cure.

You know, I have that problem too. And knowing that there were others out there who had problem made me feel better.

But the thing is, it IS a problem. You cannot keep telling yourself that it is okay to live with this exaggerated form of anxiety. And like you, the medical professional was also the only thing that would calm my nerves. So this is what I want you to do:

1 - Go to your doctor for one last visit about this particular problem (you keep going for annual physicals of course)
2 - Get a physical and blood test done
3 - Your doctor will tell you that there is nothing wrong
4 - You will officially tell yourself that if all that nonsense you were thinking was true, all those diseases and problems you conjured up on your body were real, the physical and blood test would obviously show it
5 - Whenever that little bit of anxiety starts to rise, remind yourself of this, and also that if you were suffering from cancers and everything, your sure as hell would know because there are symptoms.
6 - Tell yourself that you are lucky to be living in this modern day and age where technology has allowed us to have advance treatments where if anything WAS wrong, you would be able to have positive prognosis, unlike living just 15 to 20 years ago, where it was a dim place. And tell yourself that over the past 5 years there have been exponential research and findings in medicine, and in the next 5 years it will continue. Scientists working with computers and machinery are close to finding very good cures for diseases.
6 - Finally, hang out with your friends! Have fun! Tell yourself to enjoy life. Add a little humor and love to your life. Tell yourself: I could also get hit by a car, but the chances of that are about as high as my chances of getting all these diseases I keep thinking of!

Let me know if you have any other problems with this! And remember, if things do not get better even after these steps, you should consult a psychologist, because it may be serious than you think, and those guys can certainly help a lot!

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