STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH - By George Zgourides

Hi all,
First, GabbyVeg and TV girl, how about the three of us work as a team here keeping the conversation going so someone is always checking in? We are all working towards the same goal so let's go for it!!

Each week's questions will be a seperate post so people can just "look in" and benefit from reading, even if they choose not to participate weekly. This will hopefully keep us from having incredibly long threads to sort through.

Week 1 - The Introduction & Chapter 1
Let's each share an answer to one of the following questions: (or brief answers to several)

-Page 12 talks about self-help therapy. Were you able to have positive thoughts about tackling this issue on your own?

-How did you feel when reading the details of the diagnostic sections of chapter 1? What were your "what if" thoughts?

-Describe the thought process that you go through when you feel/discover a body symptom/abnormality.

-How did you do on the self-test on page 31? Did this surprise you? Concern you? Encourage you?

-What was your main "revelation" as you read through the introduction and the first chapter?

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to share!

Many blessings,
Psalm91
Tricia McQ

Hi All,

I actually just skimmed through the intro and first chapter. (I felt uncomfortable while reading them and felt that it doesn't matter to me how it is defined or if I fit the label..I know I have issues with health anxeity). I actually scored better on the quiz than I thought I would, which is credit to the Midwest program and proves to me how far I have come. What is interesting to me is that my blood pressure (I am on two kinds of medicine) has been higer this past week than it has been recently. I'm wondering if this is related to resistance behavior for me because I had ordered the book and knew I was going to participate in the book study. Maybe it is just a coincidence. Has anyone else experienced increased health symptoms since starting this book?

Curly

Curly, I know what you mean. Facing this is bound to give us more anxiety because we are putting ourselves right in the middle of it instead of burying our heads in the sand. It's OK. It has to be that way for us to get better.

OK, here goes. I didn't answer all of the questions; I chose the ones I related to the most.

<<<<<<-Describe the thought process that you go through when you feel/discover a body symptom/abnormality.>>>>>>

1) I notice something. Today it’s a floater (a thing in my eye that looks like a hair obscuring my vision).
2) I worry that it might get worse and maybe cause blindness.
3) I feel sad because I don’t want to have to worry about this.
4) I feel bummed because I am getting older and more things like this are going to happen (although, honestly, the same nonsense has happened all of my life).
5) I focus on this body symptom and think about it repeatedly throughout the day. I “scan” for it even when it’s not there (anticipating that it will show up). This heightens my awareness of it.
6) It drives me crazy until a different health worry comes along to take it’s place.

The positive part of this is that I’m dealing with it much better. I know what a floater is because I've had them for years. I’ve talked to my eye doctor about it and have been reassured about it. However, I know when I have my annual checkup in May, I will ask about it. That’s kind of obsessive, but on the other hand, I want my doctor to know what’s going on with me.

<<<<<<-How did you do on the self-test on page 31? Did this surprise you? Concern you? Encourage you?>>>>>>

I was encouraged. I thought I would score the highest, but I scored 14. Even so, I think I'm a genuine hypochodriac. (I used to hate to think of myself like that. The first time someone called me that I was shocked and hurt. But I realize that it's true for me.)

<<<<<<-What was your main "revelation" as you read through the introduction and the first chapter?>>>>>>

I felt reassured that there are answers out there and comforted that I am not alone.

I look forward to hearing everyone else's reactions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey folks,

Sorry I'm late chimming in. I took the day off yesterday.

Well, I only scored a 12 on the self test.

I found one aspect very interesting in that one connection was childhood experiences.

My main anxiety is about my blood pressure, & I lost my father to a heart attack when I was 17. He suffered from hypertension. So, that was an interesting connection for me.

Has anyone else had this type of connection?

TV girl,
I lost my father to "C" as a teen and that is my "big obsession" each time I have a symptom. I found that connection interesting too and of course, it makes perfect sense from the outside looking in.
I am working on writing out a "plan" as to how I am going to respond each time I have a symptom. It seems that I can go from point A to point Z in a split second with my racing thoughts. Remember the blue cards that came with the MWC program? I want to develop a little blue card for myself as an outline when I have symptoms that scare me, so that I can steady my thoughts and focus on what I WANT to be thinking when I start to panic about my health. I was thinking about making this an exercise for all of us at the end of the book study. How does that sound to any of you????
Blessings,
Psalm91
Tricia

I am going to participate...I will go read chapter one and get back here later!!!

Hi Tricia,

I love the idea of a having a plan for dealing with the panic surrounding health issues. I know just what you mean about the thoughts racing so fast...sometimes I don't even realize it is happening. I have made myself an audio tape of who I want to be and it helps me to focus on my goals...I think I will add symptom related positive self-talk to my tape as well as making a reminder card.

Curly

I'm sorry guys, I've been so lost. I was out if town working that's why I wasn't onthe forum. I think it's great the way we're going to do it. I'm gonna read chapter one tonight and respond to thi thread. I just wanted to let you know that I back and ready to start the discussion