Okay so this is going to be a sort’ve fanboy post where I just talk through some of the methods that I’ve learnt to deal with my health anxiety, and hopefully someone might pick up these observations :). TW: HIV/AIDS and Health anxiety.


that classic spiral of googling symptoms which makes your anxiety worse, and just completely had this all consuming draining anxiety take over my life. Since then I’ve done some reflection on the situation and learnt some things about how to handle having health anxiety. I kind’ve wanted to share these for my benefit and maybe for anybody reading:

1.) Write down and logically deduce what claims are rational and reasonable and what aren’t

(My note on this: I found that in my personal experience - particularly because it involved physical sensations - sometimes knowing that something is irrational doesn’t remove that irrational fear, but this is useful for the next step)

2.) Don’t google your symptoms

So lots of the times, the things I think I and quite a few other people struggle with is vague physically symptoms, like lumps and sensations. These are very hard to diagnose and the illnesses they’re symptomatic of are so broad that really, the answer you give yourself whatever you read into it, and usually when you’re stressed that’s a very concerning answer. It’s the advice of medical health professionals that really matters because they’re actually qualified to interpret your symptoms, run tests and decisively conclude what is going on with your body - which is most of the time nothing significant.

Obviously it’s important to look after your body and it’s good to check up and make sure everything’s alright, but in depth medical conversations and diagnosing should ONLY be done with doctors.

So I make a rule to myself of only taking concerns about my health to my doctor - something which I take time out of my day to prioritise.

3.) the anxiety is the illness

I’ve changed the way I talk about this to people, anxiety is really debilitating and it is like being sick - in fact in my case it’s accompanied by being sick, because I’m ill too!

In my case I’ve had swollen lymph nodes for two weeks, and in that scenario, it’s recommended that I see a doctor about it, but I’m trying my very hardest to stick to the truth that I in fact don’t have HIV and am fine.

I hope that this has been helpful to anyone struggling with health anxiety, and if not - maybe it’s been an interesting read nonetheless.

P.s. please comment you’re experiences with health anxiety I kind’ve want to know that I’m not alone 🥺