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Healthy Anxiety?

bnsvessel
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So I recently had a scare when I found a lump in my breast a few weeks ago and eventually they said it was just lumpy tissue, however the experience has really stopped me from living at the moment and i'm constantly looking for warning signs of other issues - I've managed to convince myself, a 21 year old non smoker, that I have lung cancer due to a bubbly feeling in my chest or abdomen. I find myself googling symptoms everyday and they always seem to come back with something cancer related and it's like I have a different problem everyday, but I can't distinguish this from actual problems if i'm having any. I know this may sound selfish as I know there are much bigger problems in the world right now but I just don't know how to deal with all this, any advice would be really appreciated

  • Hi bnsvessel

    I'm glad to hear that you were given good news at your recent breast clinic appointment. It's understandable that this scare may have left you feeling anxious and it does sound as if you're dealing with some physical symptoms of anxiety as well at the moment. 

    Firstly I'd suggest that you stop searching Google for answers to your symptoms. As you've already discovered, if you enter most any health problems on the internet you can find a site that will diagnose you with cancer. This won't help your anxiety and it'll continue to make you feel worse about things. 

    You might like to have a look on the NHS website about health anxiety. They have some advice and tips for coping. I'd recommend having a look at the Anxiety UK website as well. They have lots of advice and information for helping to manage anxiety as well as a helpline that you can call to speak to someone. 

    I'd also say that with the current Covid19 situation that it's been a really difficult time for lots of people so please don't feel that you're being selfish in feeling as you do. Life has changed for everyone and many of the coping strategies that people would have previously used are no longer available but I'm sure that if you'll be able to get through this and feel more like your old self again. 

    I do hope that things improve for you soon. 

    Best wishes, 
    Jenn
    Cancer Chat moderator

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    The odds of you having lung cancer as a 21 year old are absolutely miniscule. 


    Have a look at this graph: www.cancerresearchuk.org/.../incidence

    The number of people in the UK aged 20-24 who are diagnosed with lung cancer is so low that they can hardly represent it on the graph, it's just a flat line along the bottom.

    It's literally approaching million-to-one territoty along with things like being killed by a tree falling on you. It's not worth worrying about.

    Googling symptoms is a terrible habbit, I'm guilty of it too. Without medical training all you do is latch onto the worst case scenario and obsess about it. Try not to do it, it acheives nothing. 

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