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Fear of being sick
jess63
Posts: 287 The Mix Regular
How do people deal with the fear of being ill. Honestly it’s getting to the point where I hate leaving the house cause I’m scared I’ll be sick and will be away from home. I’ve been really struggling with my anxiety lately and this in particular. Mainly I get scared of being ill when at work or just when I’m far away from home but it’s stopping me making plans and I need to find a way to deal with it some what. So if anyone has any tips I’d really appreciate it.
The steps you take don't have to be big, they just need to take you in the right direction.
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Emetophobia (if that’s what you’re referring to) is a tough one because you can’t always avoid it. I used to be a lot worse than I am now, I’m worse when other people are sick because it’s completely out of my control.
Have you ever considered any sort of counselling? I’ve got considerably better as I’ve got older but that’s absolutely not the case for everyone and some people do need that extra support.
Also things that can usually help with any sort of anxiety, such as 54321, etc can help with it as well if you’re ever in a situation where things are really hard to deal with
This sounds really tricky for you. Especially as it has got to a stage where you don't like leaving the house. No one should have to live in fear like this, so well done for reaching out and talking about it. You are definitely doing the right thing!
I would definitely consider talking to your gp about talking therapy. Professional help can be extremely effective. You must prioritise your mental health as much as your physical.
In terms of things you could do for yourself- try and challenge your anxious beliefs. Maybe set yourself a small task for the day that scares you. Celebrate your accomplishments and don't be harsh on yourself. You are doing a great job!
I’ve been really trying lately, the past couple months I’ve been off night shifts at work cause I get scared that I’ll be ill in the night and no one will come and cover me but recently I’ve started doing them again. Still don’t really feel that much better though which isn’t great but need to carry on doing my shifts. I know it’s so easy to just say it’s normal and everyone gets ill every once in a while but it still doesn’t stop me being terrified of it, I feel stupid when explaining to my bosses why I’m terrified of working shifts even though their good and understand.
I’m trying to put off speaking to my gp about it cause with things like this I work up what I’m going to say feel really anxious, go to the appointment, they say nothing useful and then I’m upset cause I’ve worked myself up for nothing
I think it can help to try to challenge your thoughts. For example, you are worried about being ill while on a night shift and not having cover. But your employer probably has policies around what to do if someone is suddenly taken ill (perhaps you could ask what would happen if you were ill at night and whether they could get cover? They might help to reassure you a bit if you know they have things in place in case you were to be ill). It's unlikely they would expect you to carry on working if you were also sick at the same time. Sometimes these things just happen, but unless you are in poor health, these times will likely be in the minority. And worst case scenario, if you were ill, chances are those you work with would be understanding about it. It's really good that you have tried to explain this to your employer and even better that they try to be understanding. You aren't being stupid at all. It's also really brave of you to have gone back to working night shifts as well. Even though it doesn't feel good, facing your fear might help to ease the anxiety a bit.
I also understand how it feels to try to talk to a GP about this too. Doctors are there to help you, so all they really need to know is what the problem is and how can they help. You could make some brief notes if you wanted and just say that you are struggling with the fear of being sick to the point of not wanting to work night shifts and that you'd like to be referred for counselling to help you deal with this. Sometimes there might be waiting lists, or they don't have a counsellor at the moment, or maybe the doctor doesn't understand or isn't helpful, and while that can be disheartening, try not to let it get you down. You can always make an appointment with a different doctor or try self-help while waiting for places to open up. Not sure if it's entirely relevant to you but we also have our own counselling service too: https://www.themix.org.uk/get-support/speak-to-our-team/the-mix-counselling-service
Well done for reaching out and speaking to your GP that’s never easy. I can imagine it will be difficult with the extra waiting times, but if you ever just wanna chat about things, you know where we are.Is their any other things you can do when at work when things are really overwhelming to take ur mind of things? Mabye something to focus on in the room like a painting or something.I know this can be really challenging tho. Your feelings are real and valid and ur not alone. Sending love and hugs to you
I hear you about preferring work when it's busy because that acts as a distraction. It also makes sense that you realise you normally feel okay when you are there and it's just the time before that you worry about it. It might help to keep reassuring yourself thinking about all the previous times you have worried about being ill only to find that you are fine and busy with work instead.
Keep us updated if it helps
Calling back to rebook sounds like a sensible idea - I know it's not ideal to wait for that long, and you absolutely deserve to be heard and listened to earlier than May(!). But at least you'll have that coming. In the mean time, is there someone else that you could speak to? It might help to have an outlet for your feelings. Of course, you're welcome to share your experience here and update if and when you feel comfortable to do so - we're here to support you through this
What are u up to this weekend?