Benjamin01

Hello anon123878,

I too used to be like yourself; looking up perceived symptoms online, convincing myself I had cancer, was going blind, had the first stages of heart failure etc. Interestingly this started at about 15 years old also.

Like others have said: stop looking up your 'symptoms' online. I know it's easier said than done but you must. When you're doing your 'death research' (as I liked to call it at the time) online you are actively participating in confirmation bias - you are filtering the medical information you are reading making the worst-case-scenario fit into your self-diagnosis, ignoring the other information telling you that you're fine.

But consider that hypochondria is a result of anxiety - an anxiety probably completely unrelated to your health. If you can find a way to remain less anxious throughout your day-to-day life you may very well find that your hypochondria becomes suppressed as a result.

Sorry I cannot give you any direct step-by-step advice.