I am having some health issues and health anxiety. Both of these issues (which are inter-related) are very old news for me; I’ve had a number of semi-mysterious/hard-to-solve health issues in my life (I am 33). Usually when one issue ends or is solved, a new one emerges. These are generally verifiable circumstances (for example, I have this diagnosed esophageal condition, or I am getting tons of UTIs, etc). Then the pain and physical sensations, as well as worry about what to do, lead me to obsess and think negative thoughts, and it becomes an anxiety feelings cycle. On some level, I think that there is some lesson I am failing to learn here, since I always end up with a new issue almost as soon as I get rid of another one. On one hand, I don’t exactly believe that I have caused all my health issues with my thoughts (I think they are circumstances?), but on the other hand, I cannot deny that there is a clear pattern, repeating since I was a teenager.

In my current situation, I have somewhat conflicting medical advice from two doctors, both of whom I trust, and it’s leading me to get stuck in the anxiety cycle (complete with WebMD reading, which is bad bad bad). I’d love both specific advice about this particular situation (making a choice when it’s wrapped up in pain and anxiety and conflicting info) and general advice about this physical/emotional cycle I seem to be stuck in.

Thank you in advance! -K