sickness anxiety

Hi I just signed up for the forums and I had a question about my general anxiety. I was prescribed lexapro a few years ago but I stopped taking it because I felt I had calmed down a bit and because I was diagnosed with crohns and have to take so many other medications for that. My one problem ive had since I was young is I'm terrified of my family and friends when theyre sick. Not afraid of getting sick myself just scared of them because of the fact that they are sick. Is this just part of the general anxiety? I had just told my boyfriend about this because we were fighting because he was testy with me after getting his wisdom teeth pulled and I was scared of him. I was wondering if anyone has heard of this or had it. I want help because my grandmother was just diagnosed with lymphoma and I dont want to be scared of her.

Hi,
this isn't usually a part of general anxiety, it sounds like a specific phobia. I can imagine it causing a lot of problems for you when you want to be supportive of people you care about.

Do you remember ever having a bad or frightening experience when you were young because of someone who was sick? If you could remember something like that, then it might help you to get over the fear. Sometimes hypnosis can help to unlock forgotten memories of traumatic events.

Specific phobias are easier to overcome than other kinds of anxiety disorders, especially with the help of a therapist.