Are you worried about getting cancer?

A dread of developing cancer.

A chronic fear of getting cancer, also known as carcinophobia, is a common health anxiety disorder. It is characterized by a deep dread of getting one or another form of cancer and manifested in major feelings of sadness, anxiety, panic, and distress.

These are reactive behaviours which can result in repeated visits to the doctor in frantic search of malignancies which do not exist. In spite of reassurances from the doctor that there is nothing wrong, people with carcinophobia, are only able to sustain the medical reassurances for a short period of time.

Countless people may have a fear of getting cancer harbouring in the subconscious mind, but fortunately it does not always reach phobic proportions, probably because for most people it is not perceived as an imminent threat.

Some ways a fear of getting cancer may develop.

If you have lost a loved one to cancer, and possibly been around for the duration off the illness, a constant fear might have built up that you may also get cancer. This is especially true if it has been a family member with a cancer that you believe could be hereditary. 

You may also have noted that environmental issues such as exposure to airborne carcinogens, radiation exposure, as well as some medications that weaken the immune system, may make your risk higher.

Here are issues that can add to your anxiety about getting cancer, and manifest in many ways. 

•  Headaches which convince you may have a brain tumour, leading you to undergo a MRI scan.

• Nausea can cause you to insist the doctor do tests on liver and pancreas enzymes.

• A slight cough and sinus condition can lead to suspicion that you may have lung cancer, and opt for a chest X-ray.

• Stomach and colon cancer are other major fears, especially if you suffer some indigestion, or have a sore spot when you press on parts of the stomach.

These are just some of the issues which may add fuel to the carcinophobia raging in your mind. 

Reasons why you should not worry about developing cancer.

You will have noted that millions of people are diagnosed with cancer every year, and you may also believe in the midst of your dire cancer fear, that you could easily be one of them. However, there are other statistics to note which are encouraging.

Research has shown that worldwide 2 out of 3 people never get cancer. Studies have also indicated that in many cases, the body has a built-in resistance to cancer cells, which keeps them in check and stops them from developing. The main factor in protection is obviously the immune system which can be kept in tip-top condition by means of a healthy diet and good lifestyle habits. This offers the best protection against the development of cancer, giving you the best possible odds.

A further sign that you should not worry about getting cancer is a family history of a genetic make-up which is not prone to faulty genes that may promote the development of cancer. 

How to stop worrying about getting cancer.

Experts agree that chronic fear of developing cancer is a severe form of health anxiety, resulting in an almost constant state of general anxiety. Mental health practitioners recommend that the key to eliminating devastating carcinophobia anxiety is by means of hypnotherapy. By accessing the subconscious mind a competent therapist can help to find the root causes of the fears which seem to have taken over your mind.

You will learn how to have confidence in your immune system, and create a new mindset which will help you to accept that every little pain or niggle does mean it is cancer.

Step by step, hypnotherapy will eliminate harmful thoughts and allow you to take control of your life, free from harmful thoughts and anxiety.