“To Get Completely Irrational & Catastrophic In Your Thinking While Waiting For Test Results Is Easy, To Question Those Ideas Is Freedom.”
You’ve been there, I’ve been there, others have been there. You’re in the waiting room awaiting the doctors test results, while pulling your hair out simultaneously. Interestingly, no amount of franticness will change the test results, but in the moment you forget that completely. The worry and anxiety provides us with the idea that we are doing our best to alter the results in a positive manner, but it’s again delusional at best. Anxiety While Waiting
Firstly, know that a little worry is normal
No one wants a ‘bad’ result to show up after their medical tests. I’d be concerned for you if in fact you showed no worry at all. So to accept these jitters and the uncomfortableness of waiting for your test results is ok. You’re human for god sakes, and you must stop beating yourself up so much over a little worry going on. These normal emotional and bodily responses are due to the potential future occurrence that might show up, and the mind is really good at jumping to conclusions during an uncertain event.
Here are 10 key pieces of advice to lessen your anxiety while waiting for doctors test results:
1. Prior to getting to the doctors office, visualize the experience going just the way you want it to (this video will help).
The truth is that the subconscious mind, which is a storehouse for all your core beliefs and memories, understands emotions, images (visualization), and metaphors very well. This means that if you can play a movie in your mind prior to arriving at the doctors office that reflects calmness and optimism, it will show up physically as well.
2. Take total control of how fast you drive there, talk to others, and move. In other words SLOW DOWN.
I can’t begin to tell you how much this helped me during my health anxiety and GAD struggles. Speed sends direct signals to your nervous system letting it know whether a legitimate threat exists, or not. Depending on the speed you do things at, you’ll begin feeling much more confident in the doctors test results.
3. See the worry as your inner protective system just doing its best to read the situation.
It’s not your body’s fault for feeling anxiety while waiting for doctors test results. The fight, flight, or freeze system is constantly scanning your environment through your sensory systems, and many times gets it wrong. The motto behind this kind of panic and anxiety is ‘better safe than sorry.’ In other words, better to be prepared than caught off guard in case the threat does show up.
4. Replace jumping to conclusions with the evidence that supports your good health.
You’re the only one that can turn the anxiety volume down, no one else. So you must take a ‘countering’ approach to any catastrophic thoughts that show up. You’ll find that there are 100’s of more reasons to support the fact that you’re healthy, rather than physically sick. This type of thinking can play a major role in whether or not a person experiences anxiety while waiting for doctors test results.
5. Focus on depth in your breathing over shallow breathing as this will also affect which thoughts you attach to.
Breathing is the central point for all mindfulness. The right breathing patterns can open you up to seeing the experience from a much broader perspective. This is key because anxiety builds due to a person allowing their emotions to do the thinking for them. Most people never take the time to question their emotions, and a deep breathing rhythm will help you do just that, and overcome anxiety while waiting for doctors test results.
6. Remind yourself that no matter what the conclusion, this will be a wake up call to make your health priority #1.
Think about why you’re there in the first place. A pain, a discomfort, a hunch? Whatever the reason, the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual parts of you are out of balance. To align these 4 components is to be in tune with a tremendously healthy and fulfilled you. Take it as a wake up call, and take better care of the most important person on this planet… you.
7. Remember that your body is the worlds greatest healing system, as long as your emotions improve.
It’s unfortunate that studies today don’t involve ‘miracles’ or spontaneous remissions enough. If they did, people would really start understanding the power that the emotions hold over a persons physical body. This would lead them to understand the mind/body/spirit connection better, and make changes in their lives to align themselves better with inner healing.
8. Fix your posture while waiting.
This simple physiological shift can make all the difference in countering anxiety while waiting for doctors test results. Have you ever noticed what your posture looks like when you’ve achieved something you’re proud of? On the flip side, have you ever noticed what the posture of people with office jobs on their computers all day look like? Empowered vs depressed, stay empowered no matter what.
9. Get into a conversation with someone else (not as a distraction, but to show your subconscious that more adrenaline is not needed in the situation).
Remember how we said the subconscious mind is constantly scanning the environment for threats (based off of previous experiences)? When you begin engaging in a deep conversation with someone at the doctors office what do you think that will do for your nerves, and convincing the subconscious mind. That’s right, it will associate the experience with safety, and you can begin naturally feeling calmer.
10. Be gentle on yourself.
The uncertainty of waiting for doctors test results can affect even the strongest willed person. This makes compassion and gentleness for yourself key in these types of moments. This rule shouldn’t just be applied during challenging external situations though, it should be constant. Remember, you’re never healed but always in the process of healing. So keep up with the healing journey with compassion and understanding for yourself.
Conclusion
Experiencing anxiety while waiting for doctors test results means that you’re terrified of losing control. It all stems from childhood traumas, and repetitive experiences where your expectations weren’t met, or surprises showed up. To end the anxiety while waiting for doctors test results you must learn how to embrace all of life, the good and the bad. Combine these tools with building your relationship with source energy (god) and you’ve got a winning recipe to become the next true warrior.
I was over visiting last year..and havent went since last year..i refuse to go
Congrats on the progress Rhonda. ❤️
Replace jumping to conclusions with the evidence that supports your good health.
This is one of the most effective ways to combat the anxiety while waiting for medical results to be out. At the end of the day, the decision that we make and the way we decide to control our thoughts and feelings are crucial in being able to overcome everything.
I’m glad it spoke to you Monica.