When Anxiety Mimics Physical Illness

Do you ever feel anxious about your health?

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Same. And it is the fundamental uncertainty of our health which can make this anxiety really exhausting, complicated and, well, hard, to live with.

Back in the studio with our resident psychologist Dr Emily Musgrove, we’re going to unpack this perpetual state of worry; how it’s exacerbated by our fight or flight response, how to respond when someone’s seeking assurance and how to surf the urge and sit with your discomfort.

Josh, being Josh, asks some hard hitting questions about accepting the certainty of death, and Dr Em talks through what it looks like to be so fearful of dying that it’s stopping you from living.

Of course, we don’t ever want people to stop getting checked out by a medical professional. This episode is focused on untangling what is worry, what is excessive worry, and when is it reasonable.

Dr Em, it was so great to hang out.

If you’d like to watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link -

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🫖 Other Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode

• Bryan Brown - The Value of Being Alive - https://bit.ly/4hTxwok
• Dr Emily - Grief Lightening - https://bit.ly/3LnCmxP
• Dr Emily - The Certainty of Uncertainty - https://bit.ly/47XXcfU
• Dyson Heppell - Whatever It Takes … To Forgive - https://bit.ly/4nIym8F

🎧 Things to listen to:

• It’s Not What You Think podcast - https://bit.ly/3LnFg5K

📖 Things to read:

• The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga - https://bit.ly/3JJJnZk

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Chapters:
0:00 – Our fears for our health 
9:54 – Are you a hypochondriac? 
15:59 – Exacerbation of the fight / flight response 
23:08 – The difficult positions of GP’s
29:48 – Not feeding the loop
35:19 – Body checking and post-diagnosis anxiety
39:50 – Accepting the certainty of death
50:55 – First time parent fear
53:24 – Obsession with being well

The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.