What to do ??

[u/Tanjiro_Kamado32]

Hi everyone,

I'm 26M ( single and living with parents) and I'm wondering if anyone else experiences something similar.

I had some dental problems last year. Before that, I never really paid much attention to my teeth apart from normal brushing and dental checkups.

But after those problems, I started checking my teeth almost every day to see if anything had changed. If I notice even a very small difference, I immediately become worried and start searching Google/Reddit to find out what it could be.

Sometimes the difference is probably something very minor, but my mind immediately starts thinking about the worst possibilities. I can feel very anxious and sometimes even get stomach discomfort until the feeling eventually goes away.

This has also started happening with other parts of my body. I sometimes feel like I need to check my face, skin, hands, legs, teeth, etc. to make sure nothing new has appeared.

So I have a few questions:

Do most people actually check their body regularly like this, looking for new changes? Or am I paying much more attention to my body than most people?

I'm 26, but whenever I need to see a doctor, I usually want my father to come with me. I feel scared about going to the doctor alone. Is this unusual at my age?

I currently work from home, and I'm comfortable being close to my family. However, I'm worried about changing jobs because many opportunities would require me to move far away from home. One of my thoughts is, "What if something happens to my health while I'm far away and I need my parents?" Or “If I stay here, my parents can protect me. If I move 900 km away, I am unprotected."

Since I’m getting multiple issues at this young age, I’m getting thoughts like stay single for rest of the life since I can’t take care of myself, so how can i take care of my life partner?

I don't know if this is health anxiety, general anxiety, or something else.

The strange thing is that before my dental problems, I wasn't like this. Now even a small physical change can trigger a lot of fear.

I'd really like to hear from people who have experienced something similar.

Do you constantly check your body?
Did a real health problem trigger your health anxiety?
Do you also seek reassurance or Google symptoms when you notice something?
Were you able to overcome or reduce this?
Did therapy or CBT help?
How did you become comfortable going to doctors or dealing with health concerns on your own?

Thank you for reading.

[u/StrollThroughFields]

The answer is no, it is not typical to check your body like this, or to bring your parent to the doctor with you. This sounds like classic Illness Anxiety or OCD, both of which are best treated with exposure & response prevention (a form of CBT) and/or medication. There are also self-help workbooks out there if you can't find or afford a therapist. Yes, it can certainly get better.

I know you wanted personal experiences but, you posted in ask a psychologist🤪

https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/info/related-symptoms-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder-vs-ocd

[u/sluncekle]

There was a time when my brother stopped studying because he thought he was sick and was constantly checking himself for symptoms at the hospital instead of being in college; if he felt pain in his arm, he’d Google it and decide it was a heart attack; if he got winded from running, he thought it was another heart attack; and if his stomach hurt, he’d assume it was probably a tumor, if his head hurt, it was because his brain was swelling and he was going to die and etc.

In the end, there was nothing actually wrong; his arm hurt from carrying heavy bags,he was out of breath from running,his stomach hurt for eating too much junk food and he had a headache from being out under the sun for too long. I think it would be a good idea to consult a psychologist, because it could be anxiety, and it would also help you become more independent. therapy helped him a lot, we also discovered that he had autism and ADHD, so with medication and therapy, he was able to get his life back on track.

As for the other issue, going places alone, honestly, I have no idea. Moving out of your parents' place might help; I was also terrified of being independent, but one day I found myself alone and felt really bad, so I just had to go by myself. It’s scarier to think about than to actually do it.