Why do I always think I've got cancer?

may be cause you are studying too much about cancer.. when we study something too much we think that we are suffering from it ! also known as Medical students' disease also known as second year syndrome or intern's syndrome !

In one word Google. Our minds like to take things to the worst case. If you friend doesn't call back you think 'uh oh what did I last say, did i make her mad?" When you get a call from the school nurse you think the worst. Its just the way we are wired. It may help you to remember previous times where you thought the worst but it was something minimal. Training your brain to maybe not go full out every time something comes up. It may also help to try to work in meditation daily so you can see how your river of thoughts work.

It sounds like you're experiencing some health anxiety. When we notice something different about our bodies, whether it's a sore throat, lump, bump, or even a headache, our minds might automatically assume the worst case scenario, which is often cancer or an incurable disease, when we are experiencing health related anxiety. We operate in a cycle of "what-if" and often seek reassurance from friends, family, the internet, and medical professionals. I'm sending you hugs because experiencing health anxiety can be very scary and frustrating. We often recognize that the worst case scenario is not likely, but our minds still experience the anxiety and go through the "what-if" thinking like it is. If you are in any doubt, you can always check with your licensed medical professional regarding any health concerns as well as any anxiety concerns.

Thinking you always have some sort of incurable or chronic disease isn't as rare as people think. But it's more about people jumping to conclusions when they present with certain symptoms and of course, symptom searching on the internet leads to drastic conclusions about what you might have. The best way to deal with it is to try to prevent self diagnosing and if there is something you are truly concerned about go to see your doctor/gp about it, for a formal diagnosis. It could be nothing, but everything , especially related to cancer, is worth geting checked out.

You aren't alone! It's probably three factors. First, you probably have a personality that thinks big picture and long-term, causing anxiety. In other words you tend think about death more than most. Second, we live in a world where news reports and internet resources can fill our heads with all kinds of health concerns. Third, you may have some kind of health issue that has similar symptoms, like fibromyalgia or arthritis. Between these factors it's no wonder that many of us get worried about cancer or other life-threatening issues. What to do about it? Pay attention to your feelings of fear and worry, don't try to push them away or pretend they aren't there. Pay attention to the fear as long as you can. This will help to clear the emotional fog so that your mind can logically decide if you should get more tests done. Personally, I've gone through tons of testing due to the same fear. I don't know if I'll ever get over these fears. But I am slowly accepting the fact that it's not reasonable to go to the Dr. for every little symptom. So I'm only going if the symptom is persisting for a couple months. I've also learned that no one can "feel" what illness he has, so there's no point in speculating. Only modern tests can determine whats actually going on, and I'm only going to get those after a couple months of persisting symptoms. Also I'm learning to manage anxiety generally. Good luck!

I find that over-researching is the main culprit. I find it helps to visit my general practitioner and making sure that all is well.

You could be so scared about this, maybe. This could be a good possibility. I hope you'll ever get it.

With all the information available today it can be easy and tempting to self-diagnose ourselves, however it is best if you have any health concerns to see a doctor for their opinion. If the doctor rules out any medical issues and you still find yourself thinking something is wrong you may be struggling with anxiety. A trained therapist can help you resolve the symptoms of this anxiety.

For me, it was because I was raised by a parent who always jumped to worst case scenario. A head ache was a brain tumor, that sort of thing. But our culture does a LOT of awareness around early cancer detection, so I think we've all been "programmed" to some extent, to always be aware of potential symptoms. For me, the best way to control this anxious voice is to get regular physicals and keep up with my other doctor appointments. I can remind myself that I had blood work done in May, and that everything was fine.

It could be your biggest fear and you just can't stop letting your brain go to that extreme. It's a scary thing and something that I've been worried about since I was young as well.