Disclaimer: this post is in no way a substitute for medical advice or treatment. For your physical and mental health needs, you have to make the best decisions for your healing, and seeking professional help may be necessary. Please consult with a trusted medical provider for all medical and mental health concerns.
Medical anxiety is a REAL hurdle particularly when you’ve been put down, dismissed, gaslighted, and lied to by the medical community. And we need to talk about it.
(Please understand up front - as a registered nurse myself, I love and value medical professionals. There are SUCH good, caring healthcare workers out there. But we could ALL stand to learn from those who have had life-changingly BAD experiences with the healthcare system as a whole.)
Part of my story and my health journey with Lyme disease and co-infections has been dealing with years of medical gaslighting, my health concerns being dismissed, being told I'm incompetent and making symptoms up, and tonsss of medical anxiety developing before I found a path to healing (body AND mind!).
All of this struggle for answers and help started for me when I was a child - barely a teenager - and sooo super sick from undiagnosed Lyme disease. It continued into my adult years even as I got answers and treatment, and then as my kids started on their own paths to healing from Lyme and cos. All of this, even though it was turning into helpful medical treatment, triggered more anxiety within me. Believe me, KIDS being told there’s nothing wrong (when there CLEARLY is), that it’s all in their head, that there’s a quick fix, etc is all doubly egregious. The doubt it creates when you're thought to be faking it is so very real. This continues to be something I must work through and forgive for my own healing to manifest.
I would have panic and anxiety leading up to my appointments and my kids’ appointments (even once we had a GOOD, helpful provider on our team). I'd come home from appointments, even "good ones," and have panic attacks.
But this isn't healing. This isn't living.
So I decided to change the script and I started using 4 specific tactics to help myself slowly overcome my medical anxiety. They are tools I can take with me whenever and wherever. And they work. They help empower me to kick doubt OUT & let FAITH and LOVE in. Here are my best tips I happily share with YOU for overcoming medical anxiety in the simplest, most effective ways:
Deep Breathing: there are a number of ways to execute this. At the very least, taking big, deep, cleansing breaths in and out slowly for a few seconds to a few minutes can be hugely effective. Focus on filling your lungs completely and then letting them empty completely. While doing this, you could try visualizing breathing IN light and healing into your body, and exhaling OUT fear, distrust, and worry. There are also other very simple breathing techniques you could try, such as Box Breathing.
Accessing the Limbic System: this area of our brain is in direct contact with our nasal passageway/olfactory nerve/sense of smell. It controls and regulates our emotions, behavior, memory, and motivation. My favorite and most recommended way to access and regulate the Limbic System is by using essential oils aromatically. Specific oils and blends can impact our emotional state DIRECTLY and when used with positive affirmation and conscious thoughts can drastically impact mood within seconds. Some oils I recommend trying are Lavender, Frankincense, Valor, Peace & Calming, and Spruce oils. (Get yours HERE if you don’t yet have your own account.)
Mindset Upgrade: what we think and choose to allow into our mind definitely has influence over our mental, emotional, and physical state. Choose to upgrade your mindset through conscious language, positive affirmations, and meditation. It’s easy to look up ideas for how to accomplish this, BUT I’m also a fan of pushing the EASY BUTTON! I like to use a few free apps to help reset my mindset quickly and easily (within a matter of minutes!). My top 3 favs right now (that also have FREE options!) are: Soulspace, Headspace, and Calm.
Know Your Worth: YOU are your own best advocate. Understanding that humans are ALL flawed can help even the playing field. You are worthy of health and wellness, and you do not deserve to be dismissed, put down, or ignored. Your journey is sacred and you deserve to pursue health. I speak these truths over you and pray that they will become your reality as you accept them for yourself.
Implementing new practices can be part of the challenge too. I mean, what good are these ideas if you can’t make them work for you? Here’s some advice that has helped me create healthier habits for overcoming medical anxiety in my life: I choose to make the time for it. It’s not that hard, actually! The one biggest way I created the time I needed to work on my anxiety was by creating “time buffers” around anxiety-producing appointments. I would choose to practice 1 or more of the above anxiety busters either before or after my appointments...and oftentimes BOTH!
So I would simply choose to arrive at my appointments 5min early, park in a secluded spot if possible, and take 5min to run through some of the techniques above. Then, after my appointment I would often sit in my car either in the parking lot at the office or when I’d pull it at home and spend 5-10min decompressing and using the techniques above to help me unwind and allow me to time to feel and process what I had been through (whether positive or difficult).
Know that if medical anxiety cripples you at times, you are NOT alone! Healing isn’t linear - it’s an up and down journey with plenty of plot twists. I’m here to help you cope and navigate the steps you need to take.
I invite you to get plugged into my free online community for even more support too! Hop in HERE.
Also, catch my video on this very topic - Overcoming Medical Anxiety - over on my YouTube channel. I hope hearing me walk you through each step will bring even more clarity and comfort to you.
Be blessed. Be well.
