Hi.
I know this is probably not the correct location for such a post, but I need some guidance regarding my precarious state of mental health. I have a decidedly unhealthy fear regarding brain damage,and it's various causes, and recently several causes of genuine panic have come to mind, and I hope that you can help me:

1st. I participated in gymnastics for quite some time, and in doing so, completed a skill known as the backwards roll innumerable times. However, this skill, which involves rolling backwards unfortunately also involved me smacking my head on the gym floor. If you have ever been on the gym floor, you would know it is soft and springy, and it didn't hurt, by the sheer number of times and the fact that it happened make me anxious.

2nd. Can thinking cause brain damage? I have a habit of looking stuff up online that interests me, and thinking (daydreaming) about matters constantly . I know this is stupid, but still, can it?

Anyway, those are my two current concerns. I know they're probably stupid and irrational, but even so, me being the hypochondriac that I am, I can't help but worry.

Jamsoe123,

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

No, the contact with the floor like you described does not cause a brain injury. You would need the contact with the floor to cause at least a minor, 'Wow, I smacked my head. That did not feel good' symptom. It might a momentary visual disturbance, loss of focus, mental confusion, and a real tactile sense of whacking your head.

So, relax, you did not cause brain damage.

Thinking cannot cause brain damage.

But, constantly obsessing about health and such can be stressful and lead to depression and other styruggles. If these obsessions and ruminations interfere with your daily life, you should seek professional help. It is not good for your health. There is a special term for a hypochondriac who does online research, it is a cyberchondriac. Unfortunately, many online resources can feed this obsession because they don't describe the intensity of a symptoms or mention that that symptom or cluster of symptoms can be just part of the daily ups and downs of life. Headaches, fatigue, irritability, struggle with bright lights, and more can just be momentary and due to stresses of the day. Getting good rest will often resolve these.

Replacement behaviors can be helpful. Find something else to obsess about that takes over the time you use obsessing about your health. Learn some computer programming, html or Java or something that is used in online web pages so you start to understand what happens when a web page loads. Learn about investing so you can follow the financial markets. There are a myriad of things you can replace your health obsession with that will actually improve your life.

My best to you.

Thank you very much. As for your later advice, I will endeavour to do so.
Best regards,
Jamsoe123