Health anxiety is characterised by excessive worrying about your health. It’s normal to feel anxious about illnesses, but if you are finding that it is taking over your life, or you are worrying about unlikely conditions, you may have health anxiety.
Symptoms of health anxiety
The main symptoms of health anxiety are: excessively worrying about different ailments, being concerned that every symptom could be a deathly illness, Googling or otherwise checking symptoms compulsively, and not feeling reassured when the doctor gives you the all-clear. It shares many symptoms with OCD, which is also a condition that involves checking and seeking reassurance.
Risks of health anxiety
Having health anxiety is an incredibly isolating feeling, and it is a chronic condition that a lot of people suffer from (often without the understanding of other people around them). Health anxiety sufferers can revert to either extreme – they may go to their doctor with any small symptom or sensation, which can cause huge mental distress and interruption to their life. On the other end of the scale, health anxiety sufferers may develop a phobia of going to the doctors, which can cause them issues further down the line. Eventually, health anxiety can lead to severe depression and other mental health issues.
Treatment for health anxiety
Thankfully, health anxiety is treatable. Health anxiety (and every mental illness) is just as important as physical illnesses, so sufferers of health anxiety should not feel embarrassed about discussing their issues with their doctors, who may provide medication. Various types of therapy are often prescribed, including talk therapy to find the root of the problem, and CBT. CBT is very beneficial for those who suffer from health anxiety, as it trains their brain to not think the worst in every scenario and to see going to the doctor as a positive thing.
Health anxiety is an extremely debilitating form of anxiety that leaves people worrying about worst-case scenarios, convinced that the worst may happen to them. It is a serious but treatable mental health condition, and it is advisable to treat it as soon as symptoms appear to avoid any worsening issues.
