Balance the Bossy Brain: Overcoming Health Anxiety Stories
Am I a Hypochondriac?
Are you constantly worrying about getting a disease? Or believe you may already have one, OR even a few? Do you constantly believe you have new illnesses that you hear about and justify them through mild or non-existent symptoms? Do you excessively Google symptoms you think you’re experiencing? Do you worry about diseases more than the average person? If you’re searching for overcoming health anxiety stories, then you’ve come to the right place.
My Story
I’ve suffered from health anxiety firsthand for most of my youth and it’s something that haunted me throughout my teenage years and early 20’s. I completely understand how health anxiety symptoms seem so real. It was not until I hit rock bottom at 27 years old that I was able to turn things around. I’ve been hypochondria-free for many years now, so I’m confident that you can do the same!
You can hear more about my overcoming health anxiety stories in my book, Balance the Bossy Brain. I go into detail about my personal experience with anxiety and how I overcame it in my book. It’s a relatable guide to overcoming anxiety by finding the root cause and bringing the brain, body, and spirit back into balance.
If You're Experiencing Any of the Following Symptoms, Then Check Out My Health Anxiety Stories Below
- Excessively worrying about having or getting a serious illness
- Constantly checking your body for symptoms associated with disease
- Overly concerned with minor symptoms or normal body sensations and believe they may be associated with a life-threatening illness
- Overly frightened about health status and test results
- Avoid going to the doctors in fear that they may diagnose you with a serious illness
- OR going to the doctor excessively, yet finding little or no reassurance by negative test results
- Constantly talking about health and diseases
- Constantly searching the internet for diseases associated with symptoms you think you may be experiencing
Overcoming Health Anxiety Stories
It all started when I was 9 years old ...
It all started when I was 9 years old and my mom came to pick me up from school. She told me I had to go to the doctor to get a checkup. I asked her why. She told me that I needed to get a checkup once a year so that the doctor could catch any diseases before they turned into something more serious. So, here’s how my “child brain” interpreted this. “Wait … I can get diseases?! And the doctor will tell me when I get a disease?! And I can die from these diseases?! Oh, hell no …” And this is when my bossy brain took over.
I became obsessed and couldn’t even hear the word “disease” without getting a rush of fear running through my body ...
So now I was terrified of doctors, associating them with death and disease. In addition, I started thinking I had every disease in the book, which is when my health anxiety began. I became obsessed and couldn’t even hear the word “disease” without getting a rush of fear running through my body. As a young child, I would eat tons of fruits and veggies in hopes that this would cure or prevent diseases. I would thoroughly inspect my body each day to see if any new marks or lumps had developed. It became an obsession of mine, which I kept to myself for the longest time. I suffered with this horrible thought that I would one day succumb to one of these deadly diseases, and never make it to my 16th birthday. I prayed, and prayed, and prayed. “God, I just want to be able to drive a car. Please let me live to 16!”
In my mind, I could not tell a soul ...
In my mind, I could not tell a soul, because if I did, they would make me go to the doctor, where I would get my death sentence. Therefore, I harbored this secret for more than 10 years. The paranoia got so out of control that I thought I had HIV, even though I was a virgin. How crazy is that? How could it be possible? Well … my bossy brain convinced me that it was definitely a possibility. I would look at the people around me and admire them for being disease-free. In my mind, they were all happy, oblivious, and carefree, while I sat there disease-ridden waiting for my impending death.
I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel ...
This toxic cycle of fear continued for most of my youth, up until I had the worst panic attack of my life. My nervous system was stuck in flight or fight mode and this left me in a haze of anxiety for weeks. for My anxiety was extremely crippling, and I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I was so desperate for sanity that I didn’t even care what the doctor was going to tell me, I just needed to know ...
I decided it was finally time to shut my bossy brain up and go to the doctor to get a full physical. I was so desperate for sanity that I didn’t even care what the doctor was going to tell me, I just needed to know. A few days later I got my results and heard the best news of my life. My blood tests were normal, and I was disease-free.
Hitting rock bottom was one of the best things that ever happened to me ...
I was now more determined than ever to take control of my life, and nothing was going to stop me. I began to slowly wean off the anxiety meds and started to focus on educating myself on health, nutrition, and the gut-brain connection. I would read any books or articles that involved nutrition, disease, and mental health. I became fascinated with health-related documentaries and researching emerging ideas on the root cause of mental issues. I was finding that there were so many deep-rooted issues causing and contributing to mental health challenges that are overlooked by modern medicine. I was finally equipped with enough knowledge and determination to heal my mind and body. I can honestly say that hitting rock bottom was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Free Yourself From Health Anxiety
If you’re interested in more overcoming health anxiety stories, then check out my book, Balance the Bossy Brain. I humbly reveal my vulnerabilities and struggles that I’ve gone through in life so that I can connect with you on a personal level. This way, I can get you to identify and heal your own emotional trauma that led up to where you are today.
I hope you enjoyed this article and I wish you peace, positivity, and an anxiety-free life!
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Author Bio
Taleen Keuftedjian is a mental health and wellness enthusiast who coaches others on the importance of whole-body health, which incorporates brain, body, and spirit. She takes a relatable approach where she uses her own personal experiences to help motivate others to live a healthy, happy, anxiety-free life.
Check out my book!
A relatable guide to overcoming anxiety by finding the root cause, and bringing the brain, body, and spirit back into balance. Coming to you from personal experience!
The connection between stress and anxietyFacing your fearsAnxiety techniques and treatment methodsThe gut-brain connectionHealing stagnant emotional traumaTaming the EgoMindfulness and living the present momentFinding true happinessEmbracing faith over fear
~ Balance the Bossy Brain
