having hypochondria issues-help!

pixiesis

pixiesis

Cathlete
I've gotten so much better over the years with my worrying/anxiety/hypochondria, but today I'm having trouble. It started out with me finding some insulation on the floor that the cats brought up from the basement. I went down there to investigate and found a small portion of exposed pipe with insulation around it. I immediately panicked, thinking it MUST be asbestos! :( I threw it away and ever since have felt itchy and I have the paranoid feeling that my lungs hurt.

Luckily I called my dad and he had me described it and he reassured me that it was NOT asbestos. I trust him, but it triggered my hypochondria. In college, I had a job on-campus that became full-time during breaks. One summer, there was an asbestos abatement in our building (on the floor that included our office area actually). They moved us to another floor, sealed everything off, and did the abatement. We were all a bit worried since we knew that removing asbestos can be more dangerous than leaving it alone. I think it was handled well, but I remember that we were getting headaches and we were all worried (not good for someone with irrational fears). Needless to say those mesothelioma commercials freak me out big time!

So anyway, I know it's all pretty irrational and that there's nothing I can do about it anyway, but the anxiety is still there. Anyone want to try to talk me down? THANKS!

Amy
 
I can offer you ((hugs)), Amy. <3 :)

My DH and one of my daughters suffer from various degrees of anxiety. Take a deep breath and hang on...this will pass. Does finding something else to distract you help at all? I know my daughter turns to her guitar or to her writing at times like these, and it seems to keep her mind occupied until the storm passes.
 
Amy - If you handled the insulation at all, it can make you itchy. That crap is bad news without gloves. Do you have any reason to think there is asbestos in your house? How old is your house?

We had asbestos abated (i.e. covered up) at my office too. They basically told us unless someone really disturbed this stuff and we all started breathing it in, it wasn't a problem (who knows who to believe though). They have signs on all the floor boards now that say, no drilling or anything in the floors. I think we had asbestos tile or something like that. I'm not a very paranoid person most of the time, but if I do get paranoid about something like this, I try to educate myself on it more and I often find that helps. Like with your house, age will tell you if there might be any asbestos and if there is, then there are ways you can minimize your risks. I find that not knowing the facts makes me more likely to be a hypochondriac about some stuff.
 
Thanks for the hugs Lori! I do try to distract myself. I think it does help, but it seems like once the physical part of the anxiety starts it takes a bit of time to go away, even after I've decided to let it go. I think in the past the physical feelings would re-trigger the thoughts and it would become a cycle, but I've learned not to trust them and they do eventually go away. And I am starting to feel better (though I still *think* my throat is itchy from breathing in the not-asbestos). You're right, this WILL pass. In the meantime, I'm listening to podcasts and trying to get some work done (I work at home).

Amy
 
The house was built in 1952, so it's possible we have asbestos somewhere and maybe we should get it checked out. We just bought the house in June and the inspector looked at the insulation and didn't say anything about it being asbestos. But the stuff I found wasn't asbestos (it was the orange/pink stuff). I shouldn't have picked it up with my hands though! I'm weird--I'm terrified that it's asbestos and then I go and pick it up!

Asbestos tile? Well, I have heard that we've all been around it and that it's not harmful unless you work with it, which is why those law commercials are targeted at people (older men mostly) who worked around it before they recognized it as dangerous.

Amy
 
I recommend a beer. It will calm your nerves a bit and tantalize your taste buds. I'm glad to know I am in good company with the anxious types ;)
 
A beer huh? We do have some. Should I wait until noon or just go for it now? :) I was thinking of some fresh-squeezed OJ (my latest favorite treat!)

Amy
 
I am kinda glad I am not the only hypochondriac around here ;)

I was reading up on asbestos the other day because of my own hypochondriac tendencies. What I found was that it takes high concentrations of asbestos fibers to be inhaled over a long period of time. The people who become sick from asbestos are usually the ones who work with it on a day to day basis and are directly exposed. Disease is very unlikely to result from a single exposure even at high levels or from a short period of exposure to lower levels.

There won't be high concentrations of asbestos fibers flying around unless it is ripped out, cut or otherwise worked with.

ETA: It's 4 pm in Germany, you can have a drink :D
 
I don't even like beer and I feel like having one! :p

{{{{{AMY}}}}}

I can't say that I deal with anxiety issues, but lately I've just been feeling a bit blue. So, whad'ya say we drown our collective sorrows or anxiety, or what have you, and have a good time!

Party on Beavs Patio!!
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Some days, a good drink is just good for you, no matter the time! Remember, it used to be used for medicine all the time :p

If OJ is your favorite new treat, try getting popsicle molds (the little plastic things that you pour juice into, pop the stick in, and make your own popsicles). I get Simply Orange and OH MY GOSH - yummy. DD has even given up store bought for these, plus she got tired of reading the labels and knowing she couldn't have what she wanted, with all of the crap they put in most of those.

About the itchy - I was going to say what Liann said- that stuff will make you itch. And abestos doesn't go to work on you that fast with the breathing. I've had my share of anxiety, panic attacks, and hypochondria so I know the feeling though. {{{{{{{{MORE HUGS}}}}}}}}}:)
 
Awww, you guys are the best. (((HUGS))) back at you. I knew you sweeties would make me feel better, and you really have.

Blue Moon with orange slices huh? I'll look for it at the store. Maybe I really will have a beer with lunch today. Why the heck not right? Anyone care to join me with an "adult beverage"? :)

Oh, and Shana I do have some of those popsicle molds, and I was really into them last spring/summer. I need to try the fresh OJ ones!

Amy
 
Miss Lee said:
I can't say that I deal with anxiety issues, but lately I've just been feeling a bit blue.
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((((MICHELE))))! I'm so sorry you're feeling blue. It sometimes seem like the blues just go around, like the cold or the flu.

If you don't like beer, how about a daiquiri or a margarita? YUM!

Amy
 
Awwww.. thanks for the hugs you guys! I guess it wasn't very nice of me to intrude upon Amy's thread for my own needy self -- LOL!!!

You're on, Amy!! I love a good frozen daiquiri or margarita!! :D

Lori, can... can I please have 2 brownies? :eek: :D
 
relax

Its unlikely that you are going to get sick. It sounds like the placebo effect ( a real thing) having an adverse effect on you. Your hands are probably itchy because the insulation may have been made from fiber glass which can introduce minute, small cuts. Wash it with peroxide and you should be fine. Don't use rubbing alcohol because that will sting really badly. Its only when you really inhale the asbestos or are working in it without any kind of mask that it seems dangerous. My Dad is a civil engineer and has worked in construction for all of my life (I'm 31) so I really know what I'm saying.:)

It sounds like you may have an anxiety problem. My brother has had one. I get that way sometimes too. My parents call it "borrowing trouble" which is a phrase used by a lot of people in reference to seeing trouble where there just isn't any. Unfortunately for you and me we still suffer from the effect of anxiety. I find that some yoga, taking my probiotic (because the gut is a source of stress hormones.) and writing down my fear and talking myself out of it helps. Also, reaching out here was a great idea.

In other words you will be fine.
 
RapidBreath said:
Its unlikely that you are going to get sick. It sounds like the placebo effect ( a real thing) having an adverse effect on you. Your hands are probably itchy because the insulation may have been made from fiber glass which can introduce minute, small cuts. Wash it with peroxide and you should be fine. Don't use rubbing alcohol because that will sting really badly. Its only when you really inhale the asbestos or are working in it without any kind of mask that it seems dangerous. My Dad is a civil engineer and has worked in construction for all of my life (I'm 31) so I really know what I'm saying.:)

It sounds like you may have an anxiety problem. My brother has had one. I get that way sometimes too. My parents call it "borrowing trouble" which is a phrase used by a lot of people in reference to seeing trouble where there just isn't any. Unfortunately for you and me we still suffer from the effect of anxiety. I find that some yoga, taking my probiotic (because the gut is a source of stress hormones.) and writing down my fear and talking myself out of it helps. Also, reaching out here was a great idea.

In other words you will be fine.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your very reassuring post. "Borrowing trouble" is a perfect description. It was actually a huge relief for me to realize that the problem was the anxiety, not the current incarnation/focus of the anxiety. I still have it sometimes, but it no longer spirals out of control or turns into an endless cycle. Being able to name something is very powerful. It's too bad that I suffered as much as I did in the past, especially as a kid. But now I can control it to a much greater extent.

I'll look into the probiotic. It makes sense that it would help me--my biggest anxiety symptom is a nervous/upset stomach.

Amy
 
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