Health Anxiety: Understanding the Signs and How to Manage
Winter is here, which means so is cold and flu season. It’s normal around this time to be a bit fearful of catching something or being sidelined by an illness. However, for some, that worry becomes much more than a passing thought.
Health anxiety, sometimes referred to as illness anxiety, is a mental health condition in which an individual has an excessive and persistent fear of having or developing a serious illness. This goes beyond the typical concerns most people feel about their health. It can interfere with daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. For example, you might find yourself constantly Googling symptoms, checking your body for changes, or repeatedly asking loved ones or doctors if you’re okay. These behaviors might provide temporary relief, but they often keep the anxiety cycle going.
What is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety can impact anyone, whether you’re someone who’s generally healthy or someone who has a history of medical issues. Any small physical sensation can lead to thoughts such as, “What if this is serious?”, “What if the doctor missed something?”, “Is this something more serious?”. Even if tests come back normal or doctors provide reassurance, those with health anxiety may continue to feel uncertain or unconvinced.
It’s not uncommon for people with health anxiety to get stuck in a loop. For example, you notice a headache and immediately think it’s something catastrophic like a brain tumor. To calm the fear, you search the internet for answers or schedule a doctor’s appointment. While this may bring some relief, it’s short-lived because the underlying worry remains. The next time a symptom appears, the cycle starts all over again.
Why Does Health Anxiety Happen?
There isn’t a single cause for health anxiety, but a combination of factors can contribute to its development. For some, it can be tied to past experiences, such as a personal history of illness or a traumatic/difficult medical situation. For others, it’s linked to anxiety and having a tendency to focus on worst-case scenarios. Additionally, the internet, while helpful, can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s great that there is accessible information at our disposal. On the other hand, Googling symptoms or checking WebMD can often leave you feeling more anxious than before. This can then lead us to seek medical care to confirm/dispute our feared illness.
What Does Health Anxiety Feel Like?
Living with health anxiety can feel exhausting. You might monitor your body for signs of illness, avoid situations or activities that could expose you to germs, engage in routines or rituals to “prevent” something from happening (excessive handwashing) etc…. An individual often experiences rumination— repeatedly thinking about and dwelling on worries. Thoughts could include, “What if I’m sick and don’t know it?” “What if I’m missing the symptoms of something serious?”. Often, these thoughts elicit strong negative emotions (fear, worry, distress) and can interfere with our day-to-day functioning.
Health anxiety can impact the body and the mind. The stress and worry can bring on physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, digestive issues, or even a racing heart. And because someone with health anxiety may be more sensitive to physical fluctuations, they may attribute these to a sign of illness, which further exacerbates symptoms.
Steps to Manage Health Anxiety
If you notice struggling with health-related anxiety, know that you are not alone. There are many strategies and therapy options that can help reduce the intensity of anxiety.
Reduce Symptom Checking: It can feel like a reflex to consult google or the internet when you are concerned about a symptom, however, this often makes anxiety worse. Setting limitations on checking (time wise, type of site) can be helpful in distancing from the anxiety.
Challenge Anxious Thoughts Cognitive reframing is a technique utilized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This involves identifying our worry thought and asking what evidence there is to support the thought, evidence that dispute the thought, and what a more likely explanation is. This helps to create some flexibility in thinking and realize the worst case outcome is not the only one.
Focus on What You Can Control Instead of getting stuck on worst-case scenarios, shift your focus to behaviors that promote health and well-being. Often times this is going back to the basics by eating regular meals, staying hydrated, getting daily movement in etc…
Seek Professional Support Therapy, especially approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), can be incredibly helpful for managing health anxiety. A therapist can help you identify patterns in your thinking, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and learn tools to cope more effectively. Exposure and Response Prevention (EXRP) is also an evidence-based therapy that is effective for anxiety and phobias.
With the right tools and support, you can break the cycle of worry and regain a sense of control back. Interested in setting up a consultation? Schedule a call with us by clicking here.