appointmentanxiety

At my ED appointments I am constantly being asked about why I don’t like eating, whether it is the texture/flavour of food or thoughts that stress me out, whether my anorexia is fuelled by not wanting to eat or a desire to lose weight, if there are foods I like the taste of/dislike and every time I get asked these I just freeze and don’t know what to say. I feel ridiculous for not knowing how to answer these, not knowing what specifically makes eating so hard and not knowing why I use these behaviours. I just can’t pinpoint what the problem is, and I feel weirdly embarrassed to even say anything about food anyway. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone else know how to deal with it? I feel like I make appointments so awkward and I am wasting my clinicians’ time by never being able to give them straight answers. I’m so frustrated at myself. How can I not know why I feel the need to starve myself? #AnorexiaNervosa #EatingDisorders #Advice #Cananyonerelate #appointmentanxiety #MentalHealth

I've got my appointment with Neurology ( about neuropathy and pain relief and with my GP ( about my fainting, pre-syncope and collapses tomorrow. I'm super nervous that I'll struggle to advocate for myself and end up with them dismissing it as anxiety/in my head and me just going "Okay". But I've prepared as much as I can with journalling my health the past 12 weeks and highlighting the episodes and I'm bringing my partner with me so hopefully I'll be able to use my voice. Hoping I'll sleep tonight despite my anxiety about the appointment #CheerMeOn  #Syncope #Anxiety  #Fainting  #HealthCare #Neuropathy #selfadvocacy #symptomjournal #healthjournal #nervepain #ChronicPain #ChronicIllness #neurology #appointmentanxiety

I try hard not to let myself think and think and think about the upcoming appointment until it is there and I am in the waiting room. When I'm in the waiting room I make sure to have a notebook to write whatever comes to mind. Sometimes when I know I will be waiting long I download a new show to keep me distracted too.
#appointmentanxiety

I visualize myself leaving the appointment feeling I have asked all the questions I have written down and have had them all answered.
#appointmentanxiety

The anxiety before a doctor's appointment, whether it's the weeks/months building up to it, or sitting in the waiting room, can be very real. What's one thing that helps you calm down? For me, I like to tell myself, "Whatever happens, at least I made the effort to seek answers." I remind myself that I'm doing all I can. #Anxiety #RareDisease #MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain