Do you constantly check your body for signs something is wrong? If you find yourself Googling symptoms at 2 AM or convinced that every flutter in your chest is a crisis, this 10-minute session is designed for you.
We tackle the exhausting cycle of health anxiety, illness anxiety, and somatic symptoms using clinical hypnotherapy and real-world medical perspective.Your host, Martin, is a former paramedic and clinical hypnotherapist.
Having spent years in emergency care, he knows exactly what a real emergency looks like—and he knows that what you are feeling right now is a false alarm caused by a tired mind. Today, we turn down the volume on that alarm and help you learn to trust your body again.Ideal for: Health anxiety relief, stopping body scanning, cardiophobia, nervous system regulation, and overcoming the fear of illness.Episode Chapters:[0:00] The Paramedic’s Perspective: Understanding the "False Alarm" of health anxiety.
The script
Transcribed from the audio, so the odd word may be off. Tap any line while it plays to keep the words in step with Martin's voice.
If you're listening to this right now, your mind has likely been doing something incredibly exhausting today. Scanning, monitoring, checking your pulse or your breath, searching for something wrong. I want you to know as someone who spent years working in emergency care that what you're feeling is simply your anxiety, doing its job just a little too well. It's a false alarm.
You are safe. My name is Martin. I'm a clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic, and today we'll turn down the volume on that alarm together. So find your quiet place now.
And where can I be? You can sit all I down, the choice is yours. And if it's safe, close your eyes and turn off the world outside. To settle the nervous system, we're going to use a sying breath, a biological op switch.
We'll take a deep breath in through the nose, and then a long, slow, sigh out through the mouth. Ready? Let's do that together. In all the way, feel the lungs expand, hold, now out, an audible sigh.
Relax. Just keep doing that as I talk. A deep breath in through the nose, hold at the top, and then just melt as you breathe out. Feel your shoulders loosen, just dropping away from your ears.
As you continue this rhythm, let's do a quick little triage for your physical body. Start at your feet, wiggle your toes, feel the floor. Move up through your legs, being aware of the sensations here. Be the pressure of the chair or bed beneath you.
Now your stomach. If there's any tension here on the next in breath, breathe deeply into your belly, and then on the out breath, allow the tension to melt. Now the chest, if you feel tightness for a flutter, I want you to hear me clearly. This is anxiety.
Your heart is a powerful rhythmic muscle. It is strong, it is working for you, not against you. You are not in danger. You are just feeling the adrenaline of a tied mind.
Now feel the muscles in your neck and shoulders. Breathe into this space. As you inhale, feel them warm, relaxed. As you breathe out, allow the individual fibers to loosen, to lengthen, releasing the tension we hope.
Deeper and deeper, with every out breath, you truly allow yourself to find a moment of calm.
Relax now, unwind. In this space, imagine warm, summer sunshine bathing down on you. You feel the radiant heat on your cheeks. The sunlight taking away the tension in your neck, your chest and shoulders, soothing you with natural warmth.
Relax, further and further into mindful harmony.
Every out breath bringing a deeper sense of peace, of control and harmony, because you are worthy. In this moment of calm, of reflection, imagine you are in a quiet control room. This is the center of your nervous system. On the wall is a dial, it is labelled health vigilance.
It is being turned up to ten and I want you to reach out and slowly, calmly, click it back to three. See the lights often, as the operator of this room, you are giving the all-clear signal to every organ. And now turn it all the way down to zero. Feel the tension worries, switch on.
We leave the room, you close the door, in control, confident. And then within this moment of mindful harmony, as you reunite mind, body and soul.
Repeat these beautiful words internally after me, visualizing them in your mind's eye.
My body is a vessel of health, not a source of fear.
I give myself permission to stop monitoring and start living.
I trust my body's wisdom to know the difference between stress and illness.
I am safe in my skin in this moment.
Now visualize a warm, golden light moving from the crown of your head to your toes. This isn't a scan for problems, it's a blanket of safety. You no longer need to check, you can just be. And then once more, in the absolute beauty of your thoughts.
My body is a vessel of health, not a source of fear.
I give myself permission to stop monitoring and start living.
I trust my body's wisdom to know the difference between stress and illness.
I am safe in this skin in this moment.
And further and further down into the most wonderful natural, trans-like state.
You find yourself. And to compound all of this today, here are your three tips for a happier, quieter life.
The Google ban, if you feel a sensation, wait 30 minutes before searching for it, usually the sensation will have passed. 2. The external focus When you catch yourself body scanning, immediately name 5 blue things you can see in the room to pull your awareness back out. 3.
Hydrate for peace Dehydration can mimic heart palpitations. Drink a full glass of water right after this session to support your physical calm. Now wiggle your fingers and toes, bring your awareness back into the room. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, stretch out the muscles in your arms and legs.
And then open your eyes. You've done brilliantly today. If this helped you find your moment of peace, please come and join us for the full anxiety circuit break course at calminganxiety.fm. We dive much deeper into the mechanics of health anxiety there.
Remember, I'm here every single day within you session. Be positive to yourself. You are stronger than you feel. And then in everything my friend.
Be kind.