Health Anxiety and the Power of Understanding – Izzy's Story

At the start of 2017, when I was in my early 30s, I began to experience strange physical symptoms: achy, tired legs and arms, unsteadiness, a stiff neck and jaw. While I knew quite a lot about anxiety, health anxiety itself was new to me. I'd never have imagined that anxiety could produce or worsen physical symptoms.

When anxiety was suggested as a cause, I thought that just wasn't possible. Instead, I became convinced that I had a very serious, terminal illness. I felt the GPs weren't listening to me. Even when they told me they weren't concerned about my symptoms, I struggled to believe them. This dragged on for three or four months, in utter panic.

Then I became busier when my Mum had an operation and needed more support. With less time for overthinking, slowly, imperceptibly, life started to open up again and my symptoms lessened.

Having experienced such dreadful anxiety set me thinking a lot more about wellbeing and mental health. Online resources like the Rethink Mental Illness website were very helpful. The information on anxiety disorders helped me understand more about how varied anxiety can be.

I got back to drawing and painting around this time – something I enjoyed on and off for years – and learned how helpful art can be for mental health. I'm interested in how art can help express mental health issues directly – but also how any form of creativity can boost mood and clear your mind.

Rethink showed me just how complex mental health can be and that I was very far from alone.

Originally published on Rethink Mental Illness