How to live with health anxiety

Health anxiety after a brain aneurysm diagnosis is very understandable, but it can be managed. In this uplifting episode, Rebecca Middleton from Hereditary Brain Aneurysm Support is joined by Kym Winter, a psychotherapist and founder/clinical director of Rareminds, to share practical ways to move from worry towards confidence, resilience and hope. In this episode of Brain Aneurysms and Beyond, you’ll discover how to recognise anxiety early, understand why it shows up, and use practical tools to reduce its grip. You’ll find out how to build psychological “muscles” for coping, use simple techniques to “park” unhelpful worry, and reframe spiralling thoughts before they take over. The conversation looks at real-world challenges too: making screening decisions with clearer heads, easing family tensions that can follow a diagnosis, and offering age-appropriate reassurance for children. You’ll also hear how community and peer support through HBA Support reduces isolation, connects you with people who understand, and points you towards trustworthy information when anxiety spikes. Throughout, the emphasis is on hope and action. You’ll come away with practical ideas you can try today — from small self-care habits that calm the body, to mindset shifts that build long-term resilience. Whether you’re living with an aneurysm, supporting a loved one, or looking for reassurance about the future, this episode shows how anxiety can be acknowledged without letting it define the journey, and how support, knowledge and community can help you move forward with confidence. Episode highlights: [00:00] Intro with Rebecca Middleton from HBA Support   [01:07] Rebecca's aneurysm journey   [03:37] Help for overcoming fear in the early stages of diagnosis   [04:15] Developing psychological muscles to cope with anxiety   [06:40] Putting worry on the shelf   [08:40] The importance of community: you're not alone   [11:22] Coping with screening decisions   [17:31] Navigating family tensions   [24:55] Acknowledging health worries to move forward   [27:08] Treating yourself!   [29:45] Outro. Rebecca shares key resources and links for ongoing support   Featuring: Rebecca Middleton (host) & Kym Winter (Rareminds).  Resources: HBA Support: https://hbasupport.org Rareminds: https://www.rareminds.org This podcast is also available as a captioned video at youtube.com/@hbasupport Podcast production & editing by Rob Birnie at Made by DBM: https://madebydbm.com/podcasts