What are /r/HealthAnxiety's favorite Products & Services?

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I might as well have written this post...I feel the exact same way. I just don't think there's anything any therapists or psychiatrists can do or say that will ever help me get over this. I'm reading a book The Feeling Good Handbook my therapist suggested by Dr David Burns, and there's a chapter about the fear of death but like it basically just says "oh living forever would not be good imagine how frail you'd be". I just can't accept it though, and I know I'm wasting my life being afraid of death, but I think it's coming for me every single day. Like every day I think it'll be my last.

Hey there. Health anxiety is truly awful, I'm so sorry you're going through it. There's a workbook I recommend to a lot of people on here because it's full of actual helpful tools and tips to help people with different kinds of health related anxieties. Just reading the book would soothe me a lot, it's really well written and helpful.

Other than the book, to combat my health anxiety I used LSD once therapeutically, which helped a lot. LSD is also good for migraines, which were what gave me health anxiety in the first place. I'm not advocating everyone with anxiety drop acid, but I do think it is a useful tool to do some deep emotional digging and find the root of your anxiety--or just to relieve the pain for 9-12 hours and remember what it's like to enjoy living! Either way is therapeutic, and it's absolutely possible to get there without drugs (cardiovascular exercise, diet changes, holotropic breathwork, meditation, floatation...etc). Just try to stay away from benzodiazepines! GABA supplements are your friend.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/mobile/p/worried-sick-the-workbook-fredric-neuman/1121120998/2671014170669?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Books_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP1948&k_clickid=3x1948

Just make sure your tea is 60c or lower when you drink it. You can get a cheap cooking thermometer to check pretty easily. If you want to cool it down faster, add milk or pour it between different containers after it's steeped to your liking.

Also, if I understand the study correctly, this risk only applies to people drinking more than 700ml per day of >60c tea. So if you only drink a cup (250ml) a day of hot tea you should be okay too.

Even at 700ml+ with temps above 60c, the increased risk isn't that significant. A 90% increased risk isn't even twice as much as people who don't drink hot beverages. That's like the difference between a 0.004% risk of getting esophegal cancer and an 0.008% risk (made up numbers, but hopefully this puts things into perspective).

As always, consult a medical professional, but there is some info here: https://www.webmd.com/brain/brain-eating-amoeba#1

IOW, it's very rare to get ill from it. Go buy some lottery tickets - you have more chance of winning. ;)

Hah! the dreaded "Attack of the Sleepies!"

I was like this on Saturday!

First of all, this can happen if you had a large meal when the blood sugar spikes and then drops. Or a high simple carb snack can do it to me too. (Like a bagel on an empty stomach.) That happens to me sometimes at work, and I don't like to do caffeine, which sucks.

If it's not food related (like me on Saturday), I think it's just exhaustion, depression, or a combination of both.

Don't forget that you cant "catch up" on sleep in a day or two. Even if you slept well last night, you may still be fatigued if you don't consistently get enough good sleep. So give yourself time being on a regular schedule before you get frustrated about not feeling awake.

This past Saturday I thought I was getting sick because of feeling like that, but I think since I finally had a day off, my body was like "OK, I'm going to rest now!" I kept napping and napping and could barely get up off the sofa. I was fine the next day.

And PS - if you, like me, don't like having too much caffeine, I would like to introduce you to matcha. Yes, it has caffeine, but the way it's absorbed, it does not act the same way as caffeine from coffee. I would explain more, but I'm pressed for time and some of these links explain it pretty well. The caffeine in matcha gets released slowly, plus there are other things in it that help keep you mellow.

I know this is an old post, but I have these individually packaged UTI strips and I usually get a negative result... until yesterday. I had leukocytes, went to urgent care, they tested my urine and prescribed me antibiotics. The strips are good to have around and from my experience, accurate.

Yeah, I’d agree that it’s more common than most people think. Our modern world is so noisy that a lot of people probably have a slight noise-induced hearing loss (which shows up as a “noise notch” or “noise drop” on the hearing test) without even knowing it. It typically isn’t severe enough for people to even notice any effect on their communication. And honestly, it can happen at any age. I understand that it can be really scary to be told you have a slight hearing loss, especially if you didn’t think anything was wrong, but it sounds like you’re taking all the correct steps.

By the way, if you’re new to hearing protection, I recommend purchasing something like this instead of wearing those cheap, foam earplugs. The foam ones are fine for mowing the lawn or whatever, but if you are in a situation where you want to protect your hearing while still hearing the people speaking around you, the musicians earplugs are better for that :)

I’m not sure if there is a surgery that can help reduce or get rid of anxiety since it’s psychological (in the mind). At least for now; hopefully in the future surgeons can one day scan your brain and snip that shit out because it really effects me on a day-to-day basis as well. There’s a book I’ve been trying to read that has helped a little, I don’t have a lot of time to read it with school/work and considering this book is designed to take time and help you overcome health anxiety. I’ll attach the link below it’s in Canadian dollars just so you or whoever wants to buy it is aware.

Feel free to PM me if you need to talk. Just remember you’re not alone.

health anxiety book

There's a book called Full Catastrophe Living. Great book on Mindfulness meditation. I also use an app called Headspace to force me to do it everyday. It could be something physical, but stress also has a profound effect on the body. More specifically, how we process it.

I'd let myself refer to what /u/c4ldy wrote.

So yeah, anxiety is usually form of experiencing emotions which means exactly that if your life is shit you don't feel sad about this, you just go nuts over some lump or headache. That's a mechanism which lets us deal with emotions since (if that is your problem too) we can't deal with them in a healthy way. Often it's just like you wrote - just a bad way of thinking, which means we need new way of thinking.

If I can recommend anything:

Meditation (eg. MBSR) or relaxation (eg. Jacobson's relaxation). Why? Because our brains have this part called sympathethic nervous system which is responsible for fight&flight response. Regular meditation and relaxation "relax" this part of brain so it helps in the long-term (if done regularly).

Book called "Learned Optimism" by Selligman - it's about power of our thoughts and it's NOT motivational bullshit. Of course it's not magic pill for anxiety but in his other book I was just reading on anxiety, depression and panic attacks that very very often thoughts are not a symptom but the root of it. Chagne your thoughts - change your life.

By the way:

Never ever asks doctor Google about diagnosis, you'll always find worst case scenario and you know what happens then.

Oh, those are nice! My husband printed them out for me when I was in the thick of my worst health anxiety. We went over them a lot. I also got a CBT app on my phone that walked me through meditations that helped a LOT.

The thing about HA is that you're going to be worried no matter what's going on. You could be feeling fine, or you could have a headache, or some muscle pain and you're going to obsess about it. Health anxiety is actually a type of OCD; it deals with recurrent and obsessive thoughts and you kind of go in cycles, get lost and can't get off the train, so to speak.

I used to get myself so worked up about things that my chest muscles would literally seize up and charlie horse. It was the worst pain I'd ever felt in my chest area. I thought I was dying the couple of times it happened. I didn't even know chest muscles could do that!

One other helpful thing that I remember is that if I'm wondering if it's serious, it's probably not. When shit gets real, you know. There's no question about it. My husband reminds me of this as well when I start to get a little anxious/obsessive about my health.

Laying down and doing guided meditation (through app or Youtube or whatever) is extremely helpful for this kind of problem.

Headspace is a good one for your phone/tablet, but not the one I used. I used this one and it really helped me go to sleep many, many nights!

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/best-sleep-positions#1

This article has several sources at the end citing the statements made in it. It was also reviewed by a medical professional.

Also, I experience regular back pain as a result of my preferred sleep position + I have an uncomfortable bed.

Are you saying at your annual checkup two months ago your doctor didn't take your blood pressure? That is very unusual. But if they did and you didn't have an issue then, it's very unlikely that you've developed blood pressure problems in the meantime. In my experience all doctors check your blood pressure at every visit, with the exception of maybe psychiatrists (though some do).

The free blood pressure machines at drug stores may or may not be accurate. You can buy your own blood pressure monitor if your'e concerned about it.

Hey again! Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Hey again!

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Hey again!

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Hey again!

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Hey again! Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Thanks! Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Thank you! I'm just glad that it helps out so many people :)

And since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Hey again! Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Hey again! Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Awesome, thanks!

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Thank you! It is always important to take a moment for yourself :)

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Wow that is amazing to hear, glad it helped you out so much! The app will be launched in two weeks :)

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

That would be amazing ;)

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Awesome to hear, thank you!

Since we got so much positive feedback, we decided to launch the site on ProductHunt. If you could support us there and upvote it, that would be great!

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/one-minute-anxiety-helper

Sorry for spamming my own post, but I think we can really make a difference together

Wrong there is a ton of harm in being worried. Are you going to live your entire life in fear?

https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/how-worrying-affects-your-body#1

>Chronic worrying can affect your daily life so much that it may interfere with your appetite, lifestyle habits, relationships, sleep, and job performance. Many people who worry excessively are so anxiety-ridden that they seek relief in harmful lifestyle habits such as overeating, cigarette smoking, or using alcohol and drugs.

>Chronic worry and emotional stress can trigger a host of health problems. The problem occurs when fight or flight is triggered daily by excessive worrying and anxiety. The fight or flight response causes the body’s sympathetic nervous system to release stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones can boost blood sugar levels and triglycerides (blood fats) that can be used by the body for fuel. The hormones also cause physical reactions such as:

Difficulty swallowing

Dizziness

Dry mouth

Fast heartbeat

Fatigue

Headaches

Inability to concentrate

Irritability

Muscle aches

Muscle tension

Nausea

Nervous energy

Rapid breathing

Shortness of breath

Sweating

Trembling and twitching

Sounds like TMJ/TMD. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders-tmd

Really common and often linked to anxiety- I clench my jaw out of stress/anxiety, which has given me TMJ. Wearing a mouth guard at night has helped a little, because that’s when I clench the most, but it’s generally something that comes and goes with stress but isn’t dangerous. Good luck!

I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm at a "level" point right now. Something that helps me a lot is HeadSpace which has made meditation and relaxation very accessible to me. Also, my wife bought RingFit recently and the exercise is helping I think, too.

Mag oxide is a waste of time and won't help you feel any better because it's so hard for your body to absorb. I would also stay away from magnesium citrate as it will give you a lot of unwanted bowel movements. This is what I use.

I take 300 mg in the morning and at bedtime, along with a B Vitamin.

I've been taking both for a few months now. My panic attacks seem to have calmed down a bit as well as lessened in intensity when I do have them. My general anxiety is still there, but it's not as bad. That said, I'm also on daily Buspar for anxiety and carry a small amount of Xanax for when things get unbearable. But I only have eight pills a month so I can't/don't really use it all that often.

I think you’re ok. I experience the same symptoms with my anxiety and much more. You will start to feel better as soon as you start taking care of your anxiety. Try reading about it. There are a couple great books to help you like this

Yep! There's an entire chapter about Health Anxiety OCD in "The OCD Workbook," which is one of the first books that my therapist recommended that I use early in my therapy. https://www.amazon.com/OCD-Workbook-Obsessive-Compulsive-Harbinger-Self-Help/dp/1572249218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511722537&sr=8-1&keywords=the+ocd+workbook

For what it's worth, she also recommended the book "Coping with Anxiety" https://www.amazon.com/Coping-Anxiety-Simple-Relieve-Worry/dp/1626253854/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1511722618&sr=1-1

This one is really good, although it's not specific to health anxiety: Hope and Help for your Nerves by Claire Weekes It's a little dated, but her approach is a good one.

Here is the link! https://www.amazon.ca/Overcoming-Health-Anxiety-Letting-Illness/dp/1572248386

I'm about halfway through - hoping it gives me some tips and tools to self manage. Lots of CBT techniques in there.

Also, and sorry for the late reply, I meant to type more earlier and got sucked into a meeting. This product is what I feel did me the most good. Twitching stopped, also, magnesium is a natural anti-anxiety and promotes restful sleep. I've never felt better since using it. A word of caution, it can also act as a laxative (gross, I know), so if you try it start with a low dose (like half a teaspoon in water) then work up. Your body will adjust. I currently take about half a tablespoon a night. Work up and give it about two weeks. The "unflavored" kind tastes like poo, this is my favorite flavor. Hope this helps!

Natural Vitality Natural Calm Plus Calcium Raspberry Lemon, 8 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K9FF4M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bnkuybK0QMETA

Is there anyway for you to see a therapist and be put on meds? It sounds like this could really help you if your health anxiety is this high. I wouldn't want anyone to live through this sort of stuff -- it's horrendous. I'm reading a book I found on Amazon about health anxiety that's helped me a LOT: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572248386/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This book has helped me a LOT. Please get it! I got mine for a few dollars used. I also go to therapy but when the thoughts start creeping in, I refer to this book. It explains all about the way we think, our triggers, and how to overcome them.

I also do CBT which helps a LOT. I'm also reading a book called "Overcoming Health Anxiety: Letting Go Of Your Fear Of Illness" which I bought used on Amazon for $2! Anyway, this book is SO helpful because when I'm not in therapy, my mind starts to wander but the book gives me exercises to follow and talks about all our patterns of thinking. Like automatic thinking and how we, as anxiety sufferers never question our most automatic thoughts.

Anyway, I don't want this comment to be me selling you a book, but I find reading about the way we think and how it affects our behavior, is super helpful in the recovery process. If you don't understand your thinking, you can never modify your behavior.

Btw, I also had an MRI after thinking something was very wrong. Came back negative, of course. ;-)

I've had that strobe light EEG too! Isn't it so uncomfortable? If that didn't cause a seizure, then worrying definitely won't either. You'll be okay. In the meantime, you should read this book. It's really helpful

http://www.amazon.com/Worried-Sick-Exaggerated-Physical-Illness/dp/0981484344

Wow, I can really relate to the teeth thing. I had braces as a kid, and I've taken really good care of my teeth yet I'm in constant fear of losing them, gums receding, or some other major catastrophe. I go to the dentist regularly and they never tell me anything is wrong so I know its all in my head. Like you everyday its almost always something new skin cancer, stomach cancer, tumor, etc.

A few weeks ago I read the following book and I've tried to implement these concepts and it seems to be helping. The main idea is that when you first experience a trigger (like touching your teeth) you rationally de-escalate it immediately through many of the methods the author gives. The idea is that its much easier to stop/prevent a panic attack at its earliest stages than before its escalated to something more severe.