Hello Hypochondriac, Tell Me How You’re Doing?

Reigning in a busy mind during the Corona Pandemic

Two of my friends think I’m a hypochondriac. I disagree. I disagree even after I did an online assessment for hypochondria and admittedly ticked all the boxes that are signs of hypochondria on that particular checklist*. In fact, I even laughed that knowing laughter of surprise from something so precise yet so unexpected.

My main arguments against this “diagnose” are 3 fold:

1. Neither of my two friends is a medical professional and the online checklist I did was not administered by a medical professional (though perhaps it was in fact partially designed by one… which probably does not help my point :( ).
2. Of the several times that I was anxious about health matters and went to the hospital for them, the medical practitioners actually did find things that needed their professional care. This reminds me of that famous saying by Joseph Heller that goes “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you”.
3. I had a third point which I’ve forgotten. I wonder if I should search if that is a symptom of something? (I’m kidding, I will not do that… or will I?)

So, I told my friends that unless I receive an actual diagnosis from a medical practitioner, I will not own this label: “hypochondriac”. Quite frankly I feel overwhelmed with the existing issues I am working on and the idea of adding on to it just seems insurmountable. However, I added, that I will take on the helpful advice I read in the assessment that I took: I will provide the self-care one would “if” I was a hypochondriac.

I will be the first to admit that with the pandemic this year, every sniffle, everybody ache, and every soreness of throat fills me with a sense of consternation unless I am otherwise preoccupied. Unfortunately, from the various conversations I have had with others, this feeling is not unique to me. Countless times people suspected they had Corona when they did not. Unfortunately, with significant numbers of people being non-symptomatic, these concerns should be treated with utmost caution to protect others and the self, of course.

However, the minds: the very switched on and questioning minds that some of us have can be tireless in their efforts to question things. So, along with the advice I saw on the assessment, I decided to do a few things that help me.

Maybe these can help you too?:

1. Warn medical personnel to be thoughtful about how they deliver information to you: I did this with a dentist I received service from for the first time about over a week ago. I accidentally chipped a molar stupidly trying to bite open on something I thought was plastic but turned out to be metal. Earlier that same day, I also informed the doctor I saw on a checkup about my other concerns and received some much-needed reassurance. I also did this with a professional handling the ultrasound scanner. It really helps them to be aware of the impact of their words which may sound straightforward to them but sound like doom and gloom to an anxious mind that is blowing out of proportion even the slightest concerns.
2. Do your utmost to take care of yourself in every avenue. Since June I significantly cut down on my sugar, refined carbohydrates, dairy, and refined vegetable oil intake. Just the other day I had my first Coke since June. I still need to start exercising daily: this has been the hardest thing to become routine but I am at the point where the health benefits of exercise can not be ignored.
3. Take efforts to safely self-soothe: Whether you politely reason with yourself or try to distract yourself, do what works for you. I have taken up chess as a distraction on my phone and laptop. I like to play it moments before going to bed, after getting up and randomly throughout the day. I feel like it has the potential to help me become a better strategist whilst I put my “over”-thinking skills into some serious work. Currently, I am on Level 4 and losing virtually every game at this stage. However, the fact that it is now a habit keeps me going with it and getting better.
4. I have told myself that I will refrain from going to the hospital for at least 2 months (unless I have an emergency). To be honest, I think I may have gone to the hospital this year more than I ever have in any previous year. You will need to speak to your own medical practitioner about this. I agreed with mine for my concerns.
5. Talk it out with a close friend or loved one: It helps to feel heard but also sometimes you can start seeing how you are “over-doing” it. Their feedback helped me analyze if perhaps I was blowing things out of proportion and if so what I could do to stop the loop. At present, the loop seems to have been stopped. Side note: I personally only confide in friends that are open with me about their own concerns because it is nice when the exchange is even and mutually open.
6. Create boundaries for yourself: This is a point from the article I read but I think very useful including. After the tests I took recently, I labeled those the last for now. I considered also the financial cost of it for me so far and I simply could not afford to continue to fret the way I did. However, I think this worked only because I had several check-ups and finally information from a more qualified practitioner.
7. Weightless by Macroni Union is also a valuable resource I use sometimes in general for overthinking. This is an acoustic song that was made by scientists and musicians that has been proven to reduce anxiety by up to 60% in some cases.
8. Taking all the Corona Preventative Measures seriously: There is a peace that comes from knowing that I am doing the best I can. There’s a peace that comes from wearing a mask, social distancing, and staying home as much as possible. I have had instances of doubt and lack of comfort when I slacked on occasions. However, it is harder to overthink when you really have been doing your best and limiting avenues of exposure. Even though you can do your best and still catch Corona you lose less sleep trying your best. After all, our best is all we can do, at the end of the day.

Obviously, the above is not medical advice, so please seek a professional’s help if need be. However, these are the few things I am doing to help myself stay balanced. Feel free to share what works for you.

For now, I’m doing alright… I’ve got other things on my mind ;)

I have since found a list here that seems more intense than the one I evaluated myself on. (But I promise, I only checked for the purposes of researching for this article. I can not find the original link I used for my assessment).

Want to discover more about Maclean Mbepula? Find her on Linkedin or here on Medium. She’s written 3 books (one in entrepreneurship from a grassroots perspective (“Challenge Accepted) and 2 poetry books which are available for purchase on Amazon. Feel free to support her work by becoming one of her patrons at Patreon.