'Best thing I've ever done' - I was self diagnosing illnesses 3 times a day so I quit my job to be a florist
A mum who quit her job over crippling health anxiety and spent £1k a month on private appointments has beaten the condition - by becoming a florist.
Natalie Dyson, 37, spent thousands on care as she battled anxiety multiple times a day.
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Her first symptom was getting a pain in her breast when she was pregnant with her first child.
She developed 'tiggers' including hearing ambulances, posters about cancer and even having a shower in case she felt a lump.
But after walking away from her role as a dental practice manager of 15 years, she says throwing herself into floristry has transformed her life.
Now, she is preparing to open her own shop as the business "completely bloomed", fulfilling a dream she once thought impossible.
Natalie, from Blackpool said: "Floristry has given me a constant focus, it means I don't have any time to think about the anxiety.
"Honestly, it's the best thing I've ever done."
Health anxiety is a condition where someone becomes excessively worried about their health, often misinterpreting normal bodily sensations as signs of serious illness.
It can lead to constant checking, repeated medical appointments and intrusive thoughts, and is closely linked to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Recalling the start of the condition in 2021, Natalie said: "I was diagnosing myself with different illnesses three times a day.
"It was very frightening. It completely took over my life.
"I couldn't even watch TV programmes or films in case there were storylines about cancer, because I'd automatically think I was going to get it."
She said it began during pregnancy with her middle child five years ago.
"I remember the thought of all the happiness and excitement being taken away from me.
"It just became this massive thing. There was no information about health anxiety anywhere, I thought I was going insane. No one talks about it."
At its worst, Natalie says she was contacting doctors constantly and spending large sums seeking reassurance.
She said: "I used to ring up every day. I spent a lot of money on private appointments to get seen faster - over £1,000."
She said the spending stretched from when her symptoms first began until the middle of last year.
Natalie added: "Even when I was pregnant, I would book secret scans to make sure my baby was okay and that was costing me £80 a time. Sometimes I would go twice a week."
She said returning to work after maternity leave proved overwhelming, particularly as she spent long days alone in an office.
"When I went back to work after maternity, I was just not the same. I was in the office on my own and the thoughts were awful.
"I stepped away because it was not good for my mental health - I just used to spiral."
Now, after stepping away from her old career, Natalie says she has found a new focus through floristry.
Dyson shares her experiences and how she manages her health anxiety on TikTok with nearly 50,000 followers,
"Floristry was only supposed to be something I was going to do on the side, but it has completely bloomed.
"I called my business 'Clarity Floristry' because of the clarity of mind it has brought."
Natalie added: "When I was stood in the shop for the first time, I cried. I couldn't believe I've achieved this."
Now, she shares her experiences online to raise awareness of the condition, saying many sufferers feel isolated.
Natalie said: "There needs to be more awareness. People are suffering in silence."
When asked about the advice she'd offer others facing the same condition, she said: "Don't give up.
"You've got to follow your dreams, even when anxiety tells you that you can't do something."