Comparing my symptoms and experiences with other people really helped me. Tuning into those communities as a bystander has been so helpful, knowing that people also experience these things, I'm not alone, and not making it up is so incredibly helpful

This is exactly what I explain to my family all the time with my Heath anxiety. I'm like yeah I know I have an anxiety disorder but the physical symptoms constantly make me think there's something else wrong. I have been through every test it seems like and everything is normal but my mind constantly wants to get to the bottom of my sensations and that's where the health anxiety cycle continues

Trying to make a list of physical reality/facts and then your beliefs or feelings and comparing those. I may have anxiety about a health issue, like I think I’m having a heart attack or something. The physical reality is I’m young and healthy, I’ve never had any heart problems before so it’s unlikely it’s anything serious, it’s most likely just my anxiety being annoying. If the concerns persist for longer than usual and there’s physical evidence that something is wrong- like a major change within your body that is outside your normal- then it never hurts to call an advice nurse or shoot your doctor an email. It’s better to ask a professional in those moments instead of looking up your symptoms and potentially going down a doom spiral