I know how you feel! It's always the thought of some symptom getting worse that sets me off, too. When you're feeling like that, tell yourself over and over, "at this moment I am feeling ok and the chance of this getting worse and worse is very unlikely." It seems to help me. I started working at a doctor's office a few months ago and one thing I have learned is that the worst case scenario almost always is something that comes on slowly over months or even years and doesn't all of a sudden happen for no reason. Which is something else that has helped me come to grips with my fear of sickness and death. I'm not totally free of that fear, but it does help to remember. Also, another thing that really helps me when I'm feeling like I'm on the verge of death or something is this quote about panic I read somewhere: "How many diseases do you know of are capable of having the symptoms disappear once you are distracted?" Meaning that most of our symptoms are things we are thinking about or obsessing about, causing them to happen. I've dealt with this for 12 years now and only recently am realizing this to be very true. Something I'm working on now. I wish I had known these things years ago. I just figured I was losing it and didn't know all the things I have learned from this website. I hope you take advantage of learning everything you can about this now so you don't have to suffer as many years as so many of us have. Use the Panic Program. It's free and it's amazingly helpful and informative!!
Anyway, hope that helps. Sorry it took so long to respond to your post. I have two teenagers and have a hard time getting a turn on the internet anymore. What's a mom to do? ;p
