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Sumiko at 62: Worried about health screenings? Why my mammogram triggers months of anxiety
Medical tests are meant to offer reassurance, yet for some they trigger endless worry. Experts explain when such health concerns are normal and when they become a problem.
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The goal is not to eliminate anxiety completely, but to prevent it from becoming overwhelming.
ST ILLUSTRATION: MANNY FRANCISCO
May, for me, is the cruellest month. It is the time of year I schedule my mammogram.
Whenever I am anxious, I become short-tempered, so in the weeks leading up to the breast screening, I am irritable. My mind is filled with worst-case scenarios and an endless loop of “what if they find something?”
