Illness anxiety disorder is a chronic and disabling mental disorder that can interfere with school, work, sleep, and relationships, and can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts.
<ul>
<li>People who are comfortable with uncertainty about health tend to think: 'I must be tired or stressed, so I will forget about this symptom.'</li>
<li>But when you have an intolerance of uncertainty, your mind tries to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach to the infinite possibilities of illness and health: imagine the worst-case scenario.</li>
</ul>

The need to know

Reassurance-seeking and avoidance give you a momentary escape from the worry and anxiety, but in the long run, they make it worse by convincing you that you cannot tolerate the uncertainty of not knowing your future health - yet this is an uncertainty with which we must all ultimately live.<ul><li>Identify the triggers that sustain your health anxiety - identify the triggers for your worries about illness and all the ways you try to get rid of them</li><li>Practice illness-related exposure therapy - exposure therapy involves gradually reducing (and ultimately ending) your worries and anxieties.</li></ul>

Understand what maintains your illness anxiety

<ul><li>The problem is not actually your health - it's your discomfort with not knowing what the future holds. It's possible to live well with an illness. Most people with serious or terminal illnesses enjoy life and live well, despite the knowledge of a future that contains illness.</li><li>Understand what maintains your illness anxiety. Identify and practice the triggers that sustain your health anxiety and practice exposure therapy</li><li>Decrease your reassurance-seeking. Gradually stop doing so much illness-related research and other checks.</li><li>Reduce your avoidance of anxiety-provoking triggers.</li></ul>

Overcoming worrying about your health

The easiest way to do the right thing is to follow the advice of your doctor or the general advice given to the public for health screenings that fit your age and risk status.Let sound medical practice dictate when you see the doctor and get lab tests, as opposed to letting your anxiety make the decision.

How to deal with illness anxiety disorder

Forever looking up symptoms and fearing the worst? There are ways to stop the endless checking and find real peace of mind

Understand yourself and those around you.

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Psychology

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Health

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Mental Health

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Science & Nature

How to overcome worrying about your health | Psyche Guides

In most marsupials, only the females have a pouch. However, males of the water opossum and the extinct tasmanian tiger (or thylacine) also have a pouch. The males of both the thylacine and water opposum used/use their pouch to keep their genitalia from getting entangled in vegetation.

Do male marsupials have a pouch?

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

The Sargasso Sea, The Sea Without A Shore. The Sargasso Sea is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, just a little north of the equator. The water in the Sargasso Sea is one of the clearest in the ocean, with underwater visibility of up to an incredible 200 feet.

Which sea on the Earth has no beaches?

The Sargasso Sea, located entirely within the Atlantic Ocean, is the only sea without a land boundary

What is the Sargasso Sea?

The roots of philosophy, or the Greek Tradition, can be traced back to one of the most profound questions posed by mankind: what is the quintessential characteristic of all things in this world? What is the common trait that we can identify in any object, creature, element or force? That has been a persistent question throughout our history, all the way back from the naturalistic explanations proposed by Thales of Miletus, and is still the driving force of scientific inquiry today.

What Is The Quintessential Characteristic Of Everything?

Many different answers have been proposed throughout history, and two of these answers were very prominent during the pre-Socratic period in Ancient Greece: the flux of Heraclitus and the stasis of Parmenides.The confrontation of these two great minds and their theories, and the conclusion of this confrontation was immeasurably important to philosophy as a whole.

Flux Vs Stasis

In order to fully understand the discussion between Heraclitus and Parmenides, it is important for us to understand the pre-Socratic period as a whole.The pre-Socratic period, or early Greek philosophy, encompasses all the philosophers between Thales of Miletus (c. 624/623 – c. 548/545 BC) and Socrates (c. 470 – 399 BC). It was a period marked by an intense interest in cosmology, that being the study of the origin and substance of the universe.

Heraclitus and Parmenides: Pre-Socratic Philosophers

Many philosophers from the pre-Socratic period made their own cosmological systems and theories, and their work was foundational for Western philosophy, paving the way for the development of what we now call the scientific method, therefore leading to the creation of science as we know it today.Some of the most influential minds of the pre-Socratic period were the aforementioned Thales and his fellow Milesians Anaximander and Anaximenes; the Ionians Heraclitus, Xenophanes and Pythagoras; the Eleatic of Parmenides, Melissus and Zeno, among many others.

Pre-Socratics And The Creation Of The Scientific Method

Heraclitus, born in the year of c.535 BC, was a native of a city called Ephesus, which was located inside the territory of the Persian Empire, and not much is known about his life. Some of the stories and registered recollections about him are now proven to be fabricated; however, it is believed that he was a man who gave up on his privileged life in order to become a misanthrope hermit and self-taught philosopher. He was a scholar in the matters of materialism, cosmology, empiricism, rationalism, metaphysics, mysticism and logic.

Heraclitus and the Doctrine of Flux

Heraclitus wrote only one work, a scroll of papyrus that has been lost, although many fragments of said work have been quoted by a plethora of other authors, proving his undeniable influence not only on contemporary thinkers (notably Plato and Aristotle), but also to the philosophic tradition as a whole, being extensively mentioned by authors such as Nietzsche and Montaigne.

Heraclitus: Fragments

Τὰ πάντα ῥεῖ  (ta panta rhei, everything flows) is an ancient Greek phrase that summarizes “the philosophy of flux” proposed by Heraclitus. Otherwise called “the theory of impermanence” and illustrated by the element of fire, the philosophy of flux is a system that seeks to explain how the nature of all things is precisely change. In other words, the common trait which we can universally identify in all things is the fact that they are subject to constant transformation, as exemplified by the process of aging in living beings, or the ever flowing nature of a river.

The Nature Of All Things Is Impermanence

It is not possible to step into the same river twice. (No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he’s not the same man.)

Parmenides was a pre-Socratic philosopher from the city of Elea in Magna Graecia. It is believed that he lived during the late sixth or early fifth century BC, and he is considered the father of metaphysics, having founded the very prominent Eleatic school of philosophy. He originated from a wealthy family, being a well known and influential person in Elea.

Parmenides and the Philosophy of Stasis

Such as Heraclitus, Parmenides only wrote one known work, often referred as On Nature, and only some fragments of this work have survived the test of time as well. The writings of Parmenides are credited for containing the first sustained argument of philosophy and one of the first digressions into the concept of being. The influence of Parmenides is undeniable, his views are still relevant to this day, and the rivalry between him and Heraclitus is still brought up in many philosophical discussions and studies.

Parmenides: On Nature

The philosophy of Parmenides is based around the concept of stasis, which means that the universe is in constant balance, that things either exist or do not exist, and they cannot change. Everything exists as part of an unchanging nature, and what we may observe as transformations are merely illusory appearances. The nature of the universe is, therefore, permanence.

The Nature Of All Things Is Permanence

Whatever is is, and what is not cannot be.

The direct confrontation between the two opposite lines of thought happened in a dialogue recorded by Plato called Sophist.This dialogue’s objective is to define through dialectic the difference between sophists and philosophers, being and not being, and to determine the nature of all things through the juxtaposition of the ideas of Heraclitus and Parmenides. Sophists were pre-Socratic teachers who were criticized by philosophers because they earned money for their teachings, while philosophers believed that knowledge should be spread for free.

Heraclitus And Parmenides’ Face-Off In Plato’s Sophist

After presenting both the philosophy of flux and the philosophy of stasis, Plato then claims that they are, in fact, not mutually exclusive at all. If according to Parmenides everything has an innate and immutable essence, and according to Heraclitus all things are subject to constant change, we may conclude that the immutable essence of all things is change itself.

Illusory Appearance And True Form, Imperfection And Perfection

This conclusion became the origin of Plato’s philosophy of Forms or the Theory of Ideas, which explores the concept that the world exists in two separate spheres: The Physical Realm and the Realm of Forms. The Physical Realm is how we perceive things, constantly changeable, imperfect. On the other hand, the Realm of Forms is perfect, its nature is immutable and unchangeable.

The Physical Realm And The Realm Of Forms

Whenever we see a river, taking the example from Heraclitus, it is never the same river, because the water keeps ever flowing, changing, moving. However, our perception of that river is guided by the unchangeable concept of a river. Our changeable perceptions are guided by the unchangeable forms of what we perceive. The nature of the universe is both immutable and ever changing.

Changeable Perceptions And Unchangeable Forms 

The juxtaposition between the views of Heraclitus and Parmenides and its later conclusion marks a transition in the ancient Greek tradition, from the pre-Socratic period to the Platonic era, and offers a bridge between cosmology and metaphysics.It provides us with two incredibly insightful explanations about the nature of the universe and an even smarter synthesis of these two apparently opposite systems.

Cosmology And Metaphysics, Science And Philosophy

To philosophy’s oldest question, Greek philosophers Heraclitus and Parmenides answered with opposing views. Or did they?

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Philosophy

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Problem Solving

Heraclitus and Parmenides: What is the Nature of the Universe?

The more attention and care you give to a plant, the more the yield.You may either get a thorny bush or a fragrant flower. It all depends on the seed and how much work you put into it.Given a choice, you'd naturally want more of one kind and less of other.

Plants

Come to think of it (pun intended). Thoughts are like plants. We prefer some - childhood memories, vacations, achievements. We dislike some - unpleasant memories, past experiences, stress, anxiety.Most of us trim the flowers and water the bushes, unknowingly.

Thoughts

We are constantly working on our garden (mind) which has all kinds of plants (seeds).Everytime we ignore or escape from the thought, we are still giving attention to it i.e. watering it.Sometimes we are aware of this, most of the time it is subconscious.

You are the gardener

First step is noticing that the a thought has arisen. Don't fight it or run from it. Acknowledge it, say 'hello'. Think through if this has any relevance in your present.If it does, plan the best step forward.If it does not, take a deep breath and just visualize that you have chopped of a part of this bush with hedge shears. Wait a few moments and then carry on with your day.

Trim thorny bushes

Brain has the ability to be influenced by thorns and flowers equally. Use this mechanism to your advantage.If you naturally feel grateful and relive good memories, great! Otherwise, set some time during the day for this activity.Pick any thought - a person, a moment, nature, god, whatever makes you feel at peace. Fully live this thought, take a deep breath and imagine you are watering a flower pot.

Nurture fragrant flowers

With consistent effort, over a period of time your garden will have almost no thorny bushes and full of flowers.Maybe a few trees as well :)Use the power of visualization as that too is just a thought. A strong one because you are aware of it.

Garden of your choice

Use your brain's natural tendencies to your advantage. Tips to control your thoughts the way you like.

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Mindfulness

habits

Habits

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Exercise & Fitness

Gardening your mind

Many call superstitions an irrational belief of the supernatural, actions that stem from ignorance or fear of the unknown. But these “irrational” acts are actually more normal than you may think.

60 Common Superstitions That People Around The World Believe

Everyone has common superstitions or little rituals they do to feel safe or to take back a sense of control. Superstitions are the general belief in supernatural forces; these stem from a desire to influence unpredictable factors.While many superstitions stem from an individual’s own experience and beliefs, superstitions also find deep roots in culture and tradition.For example, psychologists have actually found that during periods of deep uncertainty, people turn towards superstitions to reduce stress and anxiety.

What are common superstitions and why do people believe them?

Superstitions give their believers a sense of security: carrying charms, wearing certain clothes, visiting places associated with good fortune, preferring certain colors over others, and favoring a certain number are all examples of how superstitions make us feel safe.Superstitions are everywhere, whether we realize it or not. They help us feel secure in a risky decision, or they might even encourage you to make an impulsive choice. No matter what, these little habits we practice in our everyday lives are here to stay. Here are 60 common superstitions around the world that people believe.

Security in Certainty

To me, there’s nothing creepier than a mirror, or your own reflection for that matter. According to Joshua Partlow, "Washington Post" Mexico bureau chief, putting two in front of each other opens a threshold for the devil.

1. Never place two mirrors opposite of one another.

In Moscow, if you kiss or shake hands with someone across a doorway, across two different rooms, then your lover or friend will become your mortal enemy.

2. Never shake hands or kiss across a threshold.

In Afghanistan, according to Tor Khan from Bethesda, MD, if you sweep the floor and your broom touches the feet of a loved one, one of your parents will die.

3. Never allow the broom to touch the feet of anyone you know.

In the Philippines, you usually make a pitstop after a wake to “shake off” the bad spirit, whether that be a fast food place or even just a coffee shop. The idea is that you need to keep the bad spirits away from your house and that you can’t let it come in.

4. Don’t go home right after a wake.

In China and Japan, poking your chopsticks straight down into your food is a huge taboo. Not only is it rude, but it makes the utensils look like incense sticks that are used at funerals. Sticking your chopsticks down into your bowl invites death, so make sure to be mindful of how they are placed.

5. Never stick your chopsticks straight up.

In Lithuania, it is forbidden to whistle indoors, because the noise is believed to summon demons.

6. Whistling indoors invites evil.

Sometimes, when you’re designated driver, it is necessary to cheers with a cup of free tap water. But in Germany, if you cheer with water, you are actually wishing death on the people you are drinking with.

7. Don’t 'cheers' with water.

Not only is it gross, but in Britain it is considered bad luck because it symbolizes the death of a loved one.

8. Keep your shoes off the table.

In Turkey, an itchy right-hand means you will come into some money, while an itchy left hand means you’ll lose out big time.

9. An itchy hand might be telling of your financial future.

In some coastal regions of China, it is bad luck to flip over a cooked fish, as many believe this will lead to a ship capsizing. Instead, many families will use chopsticks to pick the meat from the bottom of the fish when they are finished with the top.

10. Don’t flip over a cooked fish.

In Italy, it is considered bad luck to put bread upside down, either on a table or a basket. The most popular explanation is that the bread represents the body of Christ, and so it needs to be treated with respect.

11. Don’t place bread upside down.

More vulgar than superstitious, in Sweden people don’t put their keys on the table. That’s because, during the olden days, sex workers would put keys on the table in public areas to attract clients.

12. Don’t put your keys on the table.

In Spain and in other Spanish-speaking countries, it is Tuesday the 13th, not Friday the 13th, that gets people nervous. Martes, or Tuesday in Spanish, comes from the Roman god of war Mars, which ties the day to violence, death, and bloodshed.

13. Tuesday the 13th, not Friday the 13th, is bad luck

In Hungary and Russia, sitting at the corner of a table will mean bad things for your romantic life. The unlucky person who comes in late and has to squeeze into the side, according to superstition, will never get married.

14. Don't sit at a table corner.

According to Argentinian legend, there’s a superstition that the seventh son will turn into a werewolf... unless the president of the country adopts them, of course.

15. Don’t have seven children.

Irish brides wear bells on their wedding dresses to ward off evil spirits that try to ruin their special day. Better hope that slim a-line dress can fit over 50 discrete wedding bells!

16. Wear a lot of bells on your wedding day.

Singing in the Netherlands during dinner means that you are singing to the devil and praising him for your food.

17. Don’t sing at the dinner table.

In Spain, walking into a room with your left foot will bring you bad luck. Instead, lead with your right foot.

18. Don’t enter a room with your left foot.

A fairly universal superstition, it is bad luck to open an umbrella before you head outside because bad luck will “rain” on you. This came from the British in the 18th century when waterproof umbrellas were told to cause injury if opened inside the home.

19. Don’t open umbrellas inside.

In Japan, it’s common practice to tuck your thumbs in when passing by graveyards to protect your parents. This is because the Japanese word for thumb loosely translates to “parent-finger,” so hiding it protects them from death.

20. Hide your thumbs when passing a graveyard.

We usually say “knock on wood” to ward off bad luck, but this very popular saying is said to have originated in Europe. Many churches claimed to have pieces of Jesus’ cross, so knocking on wood is said to bring good luck.

21. Knock on wood for good luck.

When you chew gum at night, according to Turkish legend, it turns into the flesh of the dead.

22. Don’t chew gum at night.

Spilling water behind someone, in Serbia, actually brings them a lot of good luck! People will often spill water behind a loved one who is about to go on a long trip or a job interview to wish them luck.

23. Spill a lot of water.

Four, in China, sounds similar to the character used for death. Four is a popular omen; people will avoid having children, getting married, or having big trips on days ending in that number.

24. Avoid the number four.

Yellow flowers in Russia symbolize death, separation, and infidelity. So avoid these flowers like the plague if you want to make a good impression on someone for a first date.

25. Don’t give someone you like yellow flowers.

In South Korea, many will not sleep in a closed room with a fan on. It is commonly believed that prolonged exposure to a running fan will cause hypothermia and asphyxiation.

26. Don't sleep in a room with a running fan.

Placing empty bottles on the ground is considered good luck in Russia, so don’t be shy about leaving your empty beer bottles on the ground when you’re done with them.

27. Don’t put empty bottles on the ground.

If you have butterfingers, don’t fret. While it may seem it would cause a bigger mess, throw the spilled salt over your shoulder to get some good fortune on your side.

28. Throw salt over your shoulder if you spill it.

Don’t give something sharp to someone you are trying to start a relationship with. But if you do receive a knife set or scissors as a present, give the gift-giver a coin as a present in return.

29. Give a penny if you’ve received something sharp.

According to Japanese superstition, sleeping with your head in this direction is bad luck because that’s how the deceased are laid to rest.

30. Don’t sleep with your head facing north.

In Africa, the same superstition exists if you sleep with your head facing west.

31. Avoid sleeping with your head to the west.

Don’t idly play with scissors or it will bring bad luck, according to Egyptian folklore.

32. Don’t play with scissors.

It might seem gross or unlucky, but stepping in dog poop is actually considered good luck in France if you do it with your left foot.

33. Step in dog poop with your left foot.

You might’ve heard this after an unfortunate picnic date, but a bird pooping on you actually will bring you good luck.

34. Bird poop brings good luck.

There’s a superstition in Egypt that if you see or hear an owl, terrible news is coming. They also bring death if you bring them into your home.

35. Owls are bad luck.

If you’re in Iceland, keep the knitting inside, unless you like the cold weather. There’s a superstition that doing your needlework on your front porch will keep the temperatures freezing.

36. Knitting outside can bring longer winters.

Syria banned yo-yos because they are believed to cause droughts.

37. Don’t play with yo-yos.

Getting a haircut on Tuesdays in India will cause bad luck.

38. Don’t get a haircut on a Tuesday.

There’s a Canadian superstition that expectant mothers who crave fish but don’t eat it will end up having a baby with a fish head. So, make sure not to deny your body what it wants.

39. Pregnant women should give into their cravings.

This superstition dates back to medieval Europe: walking under the ladder symbolizes the gallows and death.

40. Don’t walk under a ladder.

Full Moons, other than their obvious associations with werewolves, bring bad luck, especially near hospitals.

41. Be careful of Full Moons.

Whether it be a major surgery or a routine checkup, going to the hospital on a Wednesday means good luck and good health.

42. Go to the hospital on Wednesdays.

In the Philippines, people believe that red attracts lightning. So if you don’t want a nasty surprise on a rainy day, make sure to stay away from this bold shade.

43. Don’t wear red during a storm.

In many cultures, a horseshoe is an incredibly lucky symbol. If you find one with the open end pointing towards you, you will have an especially great day.

44. A horseshoe is good luck.

In the Middle Ages, people believed that black cats were witches. Even worse, people thought that these cats could turn their owners into demons after seven years.

45. Black cats are bad luck.

In Latvia, it is bad luck to return home for something you forgot, so if you forgot your keys at home, tough luck! You can look into your mirror before you leave to neutralize the bad omens.

46. Don’t return home for something you forgot.

In India, it is bad luck to sneeze only once — that’s why you should force a second one.

47. Don’t just sneeze once.

In the United States, some believe that if something terrible happens to you, the terrible thing will happen to you two more times. Make sure to keep an eye out.

48. Bad things happen in threes.

In Thailand, you shouldn’t comment on a person’s cute baby, as many families believe it will take the beauty away.

49. Don’t comment on a particularly cute baby.

Thirteen to a table is similar to the ratio in The Last Supper, and we all know how well that story went for all of its dinner guests.

50. Never sit with 13 people at a table.

While we have to worry about cracks breaking our mother’s backs, in Sweden, the thing to look out for is manholes. If you step on one with a letter A, this will bring you a broken heart, a much deeper pain as we all know.

51. Don’t step on a manhole cover.

Many cultures believe that cutting your nails after sundown is a big taboo. One Japanese superstition believes that it causes premature death.

52. Don’t trim your nails at night.

You think jumping over your six-year-old nephew will make you a big hit at the family reunion, but all you will do, according to Turkish superstition, is curse the child to be short forever.

53. Don’t jump over kids.

If you do, you will curse your baby to a lifetime of drooling.

54. Don’t kiss babies on the lips.

Fishermen don’t bring bananas on boats, as it brings bad luck out on the open seas.

55. Keep your bananas off a cruise ship.

60 Common Superstitions From Around The World

Here Is A List Of Superstitions Around The World That People Still Believe, Revealing That We Are All Superstitious In Our Own Way.

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