hillbillygirl

If anyone out there is like me, I hate to go to the doctor, to the point I would call it "fear." Obviously with my past drinking habits, I have had to do some damage to myself. I have seen a couple of doctors in the past few months, but have withheld that I am a recovering alcoholic. I'd like to get a full physical check up, but I cannot bring myself to do it.
Also I have a relative that I do not want finding out about my issues this person works at a one of the largest hospitals in our area, and it seems impossible to get checked out without them finding something out.

Anyone have any tips on dealing with health anxiety?

SoberLeigh

I have found that dealing with the 'known' is much easier than the dealing with the 'unknown'. The 'unknown' is greatly exaggerated and dealing with health anxiety can be absolutely exhausting.

Many of the tests that your doctor might order might be able to performed at an outpatient clinic.

hillbillygirl

You're right about the known and unknown, not knowing right now is eating at me, the possibilities that are in my thoughts are all over the place...scary. I just need to figure out how to get over the hump of going to the doctor.

I'm almost just as scared to know...

newlifecy

Sounds like a lot of fear and a bit of paranoia. I can relate! Give it a bit of time....do you have a sponsor? That's who I discuss all of those types of feelings with so that I can hear a rational point of view.

SoberLeigh

At least in 'knowing' we can either put our fears aside or take positive action for health remediation and improvement.

(((hillbillygirl))))

hillbillygirl

Fear and paranoia could be my middle name. I dont have a sponsor, or really anyone that is supporting me at all. :/

hillbillygirl

I try to tell myself that, but the voice of negativity is so much louder I can hardly hear the positives. I wish there were a magic wand I could wave and make myself feel brave.

SoberLeigh

I, too, have longed for that 'magic wand'.

Do you see a doctor for your anxieties?

hillbillygirl

I have, the doc gave me a 'script of anti-depressants and sent me on my way.

I'm not a very good patient, as I didnt take any of the medicine they gave me.

I dont feel depressed, nor did I want to take medication daily for something that isn't a daily problem.

VikingGF

HIPPA will prevent anyone knowing about your medical visits and tests except for those directly involved.

Our imaginations are usually far worse than what is actual, look at it this way, maybe getting a full physical is a great way to put your mind at rest. That's exactly what happened for me, and I was sure I had done irreparable damage.

Good luck.

hillbillygirl

Thank you! You're right, it would give my mind some rest, and it could use it. It's hard enough fighting to stay sober, let alone having worrisome thoughts about my health. Its good to hear that maybe things will be ok, instead of constant negativity.

mns1

hillbillygirl you need to understand that the doc is there to help you. So any health issues that you might have, seeing a doctor is only going to help it, not be a death sentence of some sort!

I used to have extreme fear of seeing the doctor in addition to denial that poor health could befall me. But nonetheless, I have battled a chronic illness for the last nine years, and I have had to see many doctors on along the way. But if I never went to begin with, things could have gotten ugly real fast!

This is not to say that you have any underlying health issue, it is just a reminder that your doc is there to protect your health, not further threaten it.

Best of luck!

hillbillygirl

Thank you, this seems to be helping me feel less nervous about it all.

Maybe tomorrow I can muster up the courage and go to a walk-in clinic.
Fingers crossed. *

Jillian2563

Hillbilly girl I was the same way. Then one day I went to work and not 15 minutes later, bring hungover and all, I started getting anxiety. I went straight to the dr for the first time in a while. I found that my dr was incredibly supportive and took the time to talk to me. I was honest about everything. Now I go on a regular basis.

Soberwolf

This is a really good idea i had the same fears when i got sober seeing a Dr helped me a lot

good luck HBG

PurpleKnight

For me I had to think about it like, what's the worst that can happen?

Either my health is already damaged and I do nothing, or a I go to a Dr and they tell me it is damaged, it doesn't make much difference in terms of my health.

But there are good sides to seeing a Dr, we can get treatment, reassurance that things maybe aren't as bad as we thought, and some hope that the body can repair itself!!

Focus on the positives!!

hillbillygirl

I have a bad feeling that if I were to get bad news, it'd make staying sober more difficult. Staying sober is so important that I dont want to do anything that could alter my train of thought/focus.

EndGameNYC

The longer you put off seeing a doctor, the worse your anxieties around doing so will become. That will most certainly make staying sober more difficult.

And if there is bad news, it will only be worse news the longer you wait.

I was half hoping that the doc would find something terribly wrong with me in early sobriety, so I had no anxieties about getting tested every which way. If he did find something serious, I'd either have an excuse to drink myself to death, or wake up enough to stay sober.

Everything was fine and only getting better, and I'm still sober.

hillbillygirl

Though its hard to dismiss my anxieties, I find it would probably be easier to dismiss them as just a worried thought, as opposed to seeing a doctor...making something that was just a worry, a reality. Maybe my logic is screwy... Idk... just scared, honestly. Glad to hear things worked out for you, that really does give me a confidence boost I need.

Dee74

I think going to the doctor fears are pretty common when we get sober.

Most of us find the results are far less frightening than what we've imagined them to be.

I hope you go ahead with that check up HG

D