Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, a relaxing and informative show where we explore

anxiety, panic and PTSD, sharing how you can overcome them for life.

Aloha, welcome back to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast.

In today's episode, I'm answering a listener's question about struggling with hypocondria or health anxiety.

I'd like to read the listener's question to get us started.

Hi, Gina, I'm a relative newcomer to your Anxiety Coaches Podcast website.

As a long time anxiety sufferer, I've been enjoying listening to some of the podcasts.

I have a particular problem with anxiety that I'd like to ask you about in hopes that you may have addressed this type of issue in a prior podcast episode.

I have a tendency to get anxious, worried and concerned quite frequently throughout the day, over the many aches, pains and ailments that seem to affect my body.

Although I've never been officially diagnosed as such, I believe it may be consistent with some form of hypocondria.

For example, on a few occasions I've experienced feelings of chest pain and would subsequently go to the ER and find out it's not cardiac related.

The only conclusion the medical providers can come up with is that the discomfort was most likely caused by periods of anxiety or stress.

Have you ever addressed the issue of hypocondria and any podcast? If not, I'd like to submit a request for your consideration.

I've tried oral medications for anxiety in the past, but have had side effects that have discouraged me from continuing.

I'd much prefer some form of CBT or combination of counseling and therapy in order to treat the condition.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or feedback you're able to offer regarding my comments.

Thank you so much for sending that in. I really appreciate how well you were able to state what's going on with you.

And this is extremely common. This is so common and I can't tell you how many emails I get of people who have visited the ER and have been sent home with the same diagnosis as you got.

It was probably due to stress or periods of anxiety.

And this is not something to scoff at. This is something to work on. This is as if they sent you home and said you had something else.

You need to work on this. This is a problem because anything that could make you have so much pain that you needed to go to the ER is something telling you that something is wrong.

The body is telling you this is too much. We need to do something about this. So it's kind of good that you went.

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