Healthy Anxiety - Thank You

[Atw221]

Hello, I have been on this forum for some time now, but I recently just joined. I know I suffer from health anxiety, a panic disorder, and long before everything else general anxiety. I recently lost 3 loved ones this year, but death isn't new to me. One of my uncles died of complications in his heart. I'm only 20, but over time I began to think about my heart. The way it beat, I studied the heart, but soon after I began having panic attacks.

My legs started twitching about a month ago. I never noticed it until I was laying in bed after dinner. They were all over and it was frustrating, but they went away or I just didn't notice them anymore. A week later my knee began to twitch pretty frequently and hard in this single spot. Then I remembered a week earlier, during dinner I almost dropped a small plate of butter in my right hand. Looking back now I think it was a twitch that made my hand struggle a bit. All these twitches and one accidental slip made me wonder what could possibly be wrong. When I look it up, BOOM, ALS is one of the first things attached to twitching. Even now I'm getting twitches all over my legs and recently they started in my arms, chest, and abs. I've been jerking my head or body weirdly and that makes me more anxious. I've been checking my own reflexes and learning about my body more. I can lift things, run, jump, swim, all no issue. Things I should be grateful that I can do, but I dread one day I couldn't.

The problem I have with my health anxiety is that once I think I have something I lock onto it. When I don't understand how something works I study it. It's a constant loop that makes me more and more anxious. Based on everything that I've read on this forum I can safely say I don't have ALS. A rare disease that I have such a low chance of getting that it should never be on my radar of things to worry about as a 20 year old. I think I'm just a kid who has had a rough year and is trying to figure out why he feels the way he does. So, I thank all of you who have helped every hypochondriac who has come through here. It's nice to see your attitudes with them and I appreciate it so much. No nonsense, straight to the point, but also kind and helpful.

I hate that my body is twitching right now, but I've noticed it twitches the more anxious I am. I've had nights where I don't notice any twitching. I now know that feeling isn't something people with ALS deal with, it has to do with nerves dying and losing the ability of using that muscle entirely. Not being able to feel the connection with that part of your body. If I dropped that plate of butter with my right hand I shouldn't really be able to use whatever muscle in my hand the same way, but I can because I can pick up things just fine. That connection didn't die. Just because my right hand feels weird, weak, tired, doesn't mean I have ALS. Just because I'm twitching everywhere on my body it doesn't mean I have ALS. Anxiety is actually known to cause twitching. A lot of things are also known to cause twitching, but ALS is scary and people with Health Anxiety cling to scary.

I just wanted to show my appreciation with you all. For those of you who are diagnosed and those of you that or here for other reasons. Your insight has been helpful to me. I am grateful my heart doesn't have a problem or I have cancer or I have one of those most rare neuron diseases. So thank you. I'll probably still be hanging around quietly. Reading post for my own reassurance instead of hanging out with doctor google.

 

[lgelb]

Thanks for sharing, Atw. I'm sure someone is struggling with the same anxiety and will be reassured to hear your insights as to how you understand you do not have ALS or anything resembling it.

That said, lurking and learning is fine in your situation, as long as it's to your benefit, but this should be your first and last post. It's a good one, so thanks again.

Best,
Laurie

 

[Atw221]

I don't plan on posting anymore about myself. I do see others here who suffer from the same anxiety I do. ALS is a beast of a disease and I'm interested to learn more about it. It may make me more anxious, but I don't care. I think there needs to be a push in helping those who have it and help those who think they have it understand that they don't.

I'm aware my family has heart issues. Over time I've come to learn that if I stay healthy and take care of my heart, then I'll be just fine. That helped me get over my anxiety about my heart. I hope to do the same for those here who think they have a rare disease when they don't. Maybe point them in the right direction.

I know a lot of you who have lost loved ones to ALS and have ALS don't really have the patience to hold everyone's hand. You shouldn't, it's not your job and that's understandable.

 

[GregK]

To be clear, you are not eligible to post anywhere on this forum.

You are neither seeking an ALS diagnosis, an ALS patient nor a caregiver.

Please leave this forum to those who need it. You do not.

 

[ShiftKicker]

Mod note: closed and user banned due to multi id