Content creator reveals her health anxiety ordeal

Amy Campbell is a young mum and well known content creator from Derry. 

Amy has struggled from health anxiety following a sudden illness last year. 

In 2023, Amy’s appendix burst and she ended up very unwell very quickly. 

Amy said: “It was a very late diagnosis. First time I went to the hospital I was discharged from A&E as the doctor thought it was just a stomach bug.” 

Next time Amy went to the doctor she was taken more seriously and they explained her CT scan showed appendicitis and it had progressed quickly. 

Amy said: “It was becoming more and more serious. Within a short space of time I was under the knife, within an hour or two.” 

Amy described the ordeal as 'a very scary time'. 

She says she remembers her partner Eoghan telling her that the doctor said it could have been fatal if she hadn't been got in time. 

Amy thinks this is when the health anxiety really kicked in as this was when the 'what if’s' started. 

“I started thinking things like: What if I never got seen, what if I was just sent home and just went home to bed. I really had crazy thoughts like, 'what if I could have died in my sleep'.”

Amy explained how it just kept spiraling on and on. She said any wee thing would set her off and she would just be thinking about the worst case scenario. 

“I had the thought in my head that I was going mad. If I had a headache or a sore stomach then I really thought the worst. That’s when the googling symptoms started and subsequently getting myself into more of a state.”

Amy said she really struggled on for a few weeks before she decided to go and see the doctor. 

“I was so confused as to what was going on. I felt like I was almost being dramatic but I had to tell the doctor I was feeling like this and acting this way. When I explained everything to the doctor he reassured me that what I was experiencing was health anxiety,” she said.

“The day after seeing him we talked things over and then he got me an appointment with the mental health team. Through this I attended Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I definitely took some positive things away from therapy but I also realised it is something that I will always live with. I’ve always been more anxiety inclined when it comes to my health. When I am having a tough day I just try to stop and take a deep breath. I try to rationalise the thought.” 

Speaking about her time in therapy Amy continued: “I remember my therapist telling me to see how you are in a week and if you still have the same symptoms in a week then you can go to the doctor. Nine times out of ten the next day or even a couple of hours later you are going to be fine.” 

Amy expressed how she remembers to take it easy on herself and if she needs a day to herself to settle then she will do that. 

Amy said of course having a really supportive partner helps and having someone to talk about things with when it gets overwhelming is important. 

The mum has encouraged anyone suffering with health anxiety or any kind of anxiety  to reach out for help.

She said: “Go to your doctor if you are feeling worried, talk to friends and family you trust and let them know what's going on in your head. There can be so much stigma around mental health and therapy still in our society. We can have an attitude of no I’m not doing that. Maybe just try it out and see how it goes.

“Even if you feel you need medication, don't be scared to ask for it. If it is going to make you feel better do it don't let other people’s opinion get you down. There is no need to feel ashamed anymore. A lot of people suffer from anxiety and health anxiety. It is so common now.” 

Speaking on her life as a busy mum and content creator Amy explained how it was hard to juggle everything in the days that she was struggling. 

“In those days it was a lot. I was balancing being a mummy and doing other things. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to get everything done. I took some time off social media platforms. I noticed a lot of followers would message me with concerns wondering where I had gone. I remember I just didn’t post videos for a while and I lived in my own wee bubble.”

She continued saying: “I was just giving myself time to deal with things, heal and do my therapy. I am a lot better nowadays but the odd wee thought does still slip in. I just try to keep myself busy, sometimes when I’m busy I don’t have time to think. That can be a good thing for me in its own way. It is so important to take that time and make sure you are looking after yourself.”

According to the NHS Health Anxiety is very common with approximately 1 in 20 people in the UK reporting some type of anxiety difficulty at any one time. 

The NHS describe Health Anxiety as an intense anxiety and worry about one’s health, usually to the point that it produces significant distress or interferes with one’s day-to-day functioning. Health anxiety involves either the fear that one has a serious physical illness or the belief that one will develop a serious physical illness. People with health anxiety can often become preoccupied by their health and strive to seek reassurance from other people to reduce fears.

If you are suffering from anxiety then you can contact your GP or aware-ni.org has some useful information. They also have support groups all around Northern Ireland.