Your worrying will only make it worse



Hypochondria:

Just had to borrow this...
The persistent conviction that one is or is likely to become ill, often involving symptoms when illness is neither present nor likely, and persisting despite reassurance and medical evidence to the contrary. It is an interesting word...it comes from the Greek hypochóndrios  pertaining to the upper abdomen (supposed seat of melancholy) - thus a heavy heart?

We have a few of these associated with our family; the ultimate "woe is me"  types who phase into life's little health battles and after a brief skirmish with inconvenience play the "I overcame and survived" card before they traipse on to the next illness great or small.

Look here. I don't begrudge anyone for a little self pity when they are sick....goodness knows we have all been there...but it is a matter of perspective and the realization this too shall pass and the inability of some to grasp that they were not that sick to begin with or, in some cases, it is a desperate cry for attention.  Those are the ones that drive me up the wall.

I'm part of a little support group.  It is for folks who are terminally ill.  One member, she is 32, got married 6 years ago. Three years ago she started getting weak. Two years ago she was diagnosed. Now she is completely paralyzed and is in a wheel chair when not in bed. She has a feeding tube to keep her alive as even if she tries to swallow water she chokes. She types with her eyes. Her ability to breath will go next and she will call it quits - probably in the next few months.

Next time I hear some hypochondriac moan about a perfectly curable condition or imagine they have something to gain attention, you will forgive me if I reach over and throttle him or her?....'cause you are only making it worse for yourself.