Overcoming Health Anxiety

Health anxiety, also known as illness anxiety disorder or hypochondria, is a condition characterized by excessive worry and fear about having a serious medical condition. It can be a challenging experience, but there are strategies and techniques that can help you manage and cope with health anxiety.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. 
   Educate yourself: Gather accurate and reliable information about health conditions, symptoms, and medical tests. This knowledge can help you better understand your concerns and distinguish between rational and irrational thoughts.

2. Limit excessive health-related searches: While it's essential to be informed, constantly searching the internet for health-related information can worsen anxiety. Limit your online searches and focus on trusted sources when you do seek information.

3. Limit reassurance-seeking behaviours: Constantly seeking reassurance from others, such as friends, family, or healthcare professionals, can reinforce your anxiety. Instead, try to rely on factual information and build trust in your own ability to cope with uncertainty.

4. Challenge your thoughts: Recognise and challenge the anxious thoughts and catastrophic interpretations that fuel your health anxiety. Ask yourself evidence-based questions like, "What is the likelihood that my symptom indicates a serious illness?" or "Have I had similar symptoms before, and what was the outcome?"

5. Practice relaxation techniques: Engaging in relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or mindfulness can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calmness.

6. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Prioritise your overall well-being by eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and avoiding excessive alcohol or caffeine intake. Taking care of your physical health can have a positive impact on your mental well-being.

7. Seek professional help: If your health anxiety significantly interferes with your daily life and self-care, consider seeking help from a mental health professional. They can provide you with appropriate support (such as cognitive-behavioural therapy).

8. Practice self-care: Engage in activities that you enjoy and that help you relax. This could include hobbies, spending time with loved ones, engaging in creative outlets, or practicing self-compassion and self-care rituals.

9. Take an “it’s probably okay” approach: You can’t know that it’s nothing but you can’t know it’s something either, so try living in the grey area where it’s unlikely to be anything serious but you’ll be sensible and keep an eye on it. Once the panic subsides, you’re unlikely to be as worried about it as you’ll have a clearer and more focused perspective.

10. Consider the health anxiety as a separate part of you that you have an unhealthy relationship with: See the health anxiety as a part of you that is trying to stop you from living your life and being happy and fulfilled. Disconnecting the rest of yourself from it can help with the battle for control. Health anxiety is a symptom of feeling out of control in an uncertain world or situation. Shifting your energy into managing yourself rather than the world around you can support you in feeling more in control of yourself and your actions and your future which in turn will support a decrease in symptoms.

Remember, overcoming health anxiety takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself, celebrate small victories, and, alongside therapy, seek support from friends, family, or support groups who can provide understanding and encouragement along the way.

And if you’d like to speak to a therapist to begin therapy to support you in your journey, you can find our team here.