Hello Katie,

                    You have your life stretching out in front of you,get on and go and live it.One thing is for sure,cancer will never advertise its coming,and your best chance of becoming ill is to carry on with what you are doing,stressing your mind and body will leave you more vunerable.So many people on this site would willingly sacrifice their right arm to be where you are,and its a sure bet they would not give daylight to wasting time thinking about what if.

                                                                Get on with your life and make it a very good one,you have the chance so go ahead and make it happen,you could do a lot worse than standing in front of a mirror thinking of something that makes you happy and practice your smile,who knows it might become infectious and spread across your life,higher possibility than of your catching cancer,

                                                                                                                                         David

Hey.

I'm the exact same at the moment. It's taking over my life completely. I've been signed off work, I haven't been able to keep up with coursework and my life all over has been completely affected. Every time I get a small twitch or twang or pain in my body, I'm straight onto google trying to find symptoms. I get uncomfortable with any mention of cancer whether it's on a TV show or it just comes up in conversation. It's completely irrational. I'm a healthy 19 year old with a good health background, adequate diet and exercise regime but this anxiety is crippling and makes me think otherwise.
 

One thing I recommend doing is getting a website blocker. I have an app called BlockSite and I've blocked all medical articles and even the NHS website so whenever I google symptoms, I can't actually look into it. Another thing I've found really helpful is having someone close to google symptoms for you if you're that desperate. I'm lucky that my boyfriend is so supportive and rational. Whenever I'm panicking or feeling anxious, I ask him to see if it's something serious and he will google things for me without showing me the screen and tell me a whole host of things it could be that isn't cancer and reminds me that it's only temporary. He tells me only to worry if the pain continues. Being so scared of something can play horrible games with your mind so it's easy to assume the worst.

I have anxiety and with that comes many MANY symptoms such as shortness of breath, headaches, pain in my chest, nausea, upset stomach, muscle pain (which I experience on my neck and shoulders) and I could go on. Whenever I'm having one of these symptoms, my mind immediately jumps to the worst conclusion even though my doctors have told me I'm fine. I'm also incredibly stressed because of my anxiety and with stress, also comes headaches, upset stomach, muscle pain etc... it's a cruel cycle. 

You're not alone, I too am still struggling. Getting better is easier said than done and we do have to work for it. May I suggest getting therapy if it's affected your everyday life? I find that really helpful. I'm also on antidepressants which I only started recently so they haven't kicked in yet. Antidepressants are a last resort and I don't recommend jumping to the conclusion they're the answer to your problems. I'm only taking them because I'm a student and I have exams coming up. Therapy takes time and I don't have time lol. Anyway, I completely understand how you feel and I hope you find this helpful. I certainly find it really helpful when I talk to people with a similar mindset. One last thing, the fact that you're reaching out is a wonderful thing. It shows that you know you need help and that's a good start to getting better. It may not feel like it now, and I know it's easy to say.. but it WILL get better. I understand it might not feel like that often. Hell, even I think like that sometimes. Find things that work for you. Self help apps, exercise, talking to friends, family etc, meditation. I personally find cooking and baking therapeutic, it's a distraction and a rewarding one. Small steps will get you places. Remember, you're not alone. Don't suffer in silence. Tell your friends, tell your family what you're going through so they can support you. Tell them how they can support you. You've got this :)

Katie,

I understand where you are coming from. I had health anxieties for years, alot of people do. What I found out, through therapy, was that when we constantly worry, our bodies react in all sorts of ways. Headaches, stomach problems, aches, twinges and gurgles. Try taking some deep breaths, holding it in for a few seconds, then blowing it all the way out. Focus on relaxing your stomach.  See if that helps you at all. I found that once I stopped worrying about every little thing, I felt better overall. Don't hesitate to see your doctor to discuss anything that is bothering you. 

Let us know how you are doing.

Laura xx