Anxiety is a prevalent mental health condition, but what does it mean when it is health-focused? Health anxiety is a real condition, and since the pandemic, more and more people are feeling its effects.
Health anxiety involves the fear that a serious illness is happening all the time. Many of us have done this – heartburn seems like an ulcer, pain on the right side means the appendix must be bursting, and a leg cramp has to be a blood clot. These may be overreactions, but to the person, they are very real and very overwhelming.
In 2023, 32.3% of Floridians reported having an anxiety or depressive disorder. This umbrella encapsulates those living with health anxiety as well, and many don’t know where to turn for help.
At Clean Recovery Centers, we understand just how real health anxiety is. Let’s talk about the signs and treatment options for the condition, and how you can help yourself or a loved one.
Understanding Health Anxiety: When Worry About Illness Takes Over
Having anxiety about health is normal, especially when faced with a serious diagnosis. However, those with health anxiety have a fear that they have a severe illness or disease all the time. They handle this by constantly scheduling doctors’ appointments, searching every symptom they feel on the internet, and interpreting every occurrence (headache, fatigue, mild nausea, etc.) as a sign of impending illness. Unlike general anxiety, health anxiety tends to fixate on one or more specific health concerns.
Another form of health anxiety is fearing doctors altogether. This typically stems from a bad experience involving healthcare, such as an appointment where the doctor did not listen, a surgery that had complications, or a misdiagnosis that caused unnecessary worry or fear. In this case, the person will avoid going to the doctor at all costs, even if they are experiencing negative symptoms.
How to Spot the Signs of Health Anxiety
Those with health anxiety will often explain to others what they are feeling to justify their worries. Both those who are constantly worried they are ill and those who avoid doctors share their feelings as a way to express their concern and seek opinions. Some signs of health anxiety include:
- Constantly monitoring their bodies for unusual sensations or symptoms
- Searching the internet for their symptoms repeatedly, despite knowing it increases their anxiety
- Frequently visiting doctors or health clinics, often feeling unsatisfied with the answers
- Avoiding medical care altogether for fear of bad news, or avoiding medical care due to distrust
- Talking excessively about their health or the fear of getting sick
- Experiencing short-term relief from medical reassurance, followed by a return of anxiety
- Having disbelief when medical tests come back normal
- Feeling distressed by health-related stories in the news or on social media
Those with health anxiety often know their fears may not be rational, but the worry feels very real. The anxiety can feel just as intense as if the illness were truly present.
Physical symptoms of health anxiety can also be misleading. These might include headaches, stomach upset, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, or muscle tension. The problem is that the stress of the anxiety itself causes these symptoms, which then reinforce the belief that a physical illness is present.
The Hidden Toll of Health Anxiety on Your Body and Mind
Living with health anxiety causes physical, mental, and emotional stress. Emotionally, it creates constant fear, guilt, and exhaustion. Many people feel ashamed of their thoughts, afraid they are wasting their doctor’s time, or that their loved ones are tired of hearing about it. This creates a sense of isolation as they feel misunderstood or fear communicating their feelings.
Mentally, health anxiety disrupts concentration and sleep. The brain remains in a heightened state of alertness, always scanning the body for new symptoms or worries. This takes mental energy away from work, relationships, and personal interests.
Chronic health anxiety takes a toll on the body as well. It can raise cortisol levels, interfere with digestion, increase blood pressure, and limit the immune response. The difficulties with the physical effects are that they reinforce symptoms that were already being experienced, making it more challenging to diagnose what is actually going on.
Who’s Most at Risk for Health Anxiety and Why
There is no pinpoint factor that guarantees whether or not someone will have health anxiety. However, some situations and predispositions can influence the development, including:
- A history of anxiety disorders: Those who already have generalized anxiety or panic disorder may be more prone to health-related fears.
- Having a serious illness in childhood: Being severely ill as a child or witnessing severe illness can heighten sensitivity to bodily symptoms.
- Experiencing a sudden loss due to illness: Losing a loved one who seemed healthy to a medical complication or sudden illness can cause perceived threats to one’s own health.
- Growing up around healthcare-focused caregivers: Seeing a loved one have to be cared for by nurses or hospice can engrain fearful thoughts of that happening to the person themselves.
In recent years, health anxiety has emerged in more people, as the COVID-19 pandemic left many with sudden loss or intense illness that threatened their livelihood. The fragility of life was put to the test and made many realize their health is important, even when symptoms seem non-threatening.
Getting a Diagnosis: How Health Anxiety Is Identified
Diagnosing health anxiety is a difficult process, as both medical doctors and psychiatrists must differentiate between what symptoms are real and debilitating and which are being embellished. It is possible that the person is experiencing a true physical condition, such as IBS or fibromyalgia, but thinks there are other minor symptoms related to said illness. The person may also already have a mental health condition, such as anxiety or bipolar disorder, and symptoms of those conditions can cause more physical panic.
The diagnostic process must start with a full physical work-up. This will include a physical exam, blood work, urinalysis, and any other tests the physician feels could be necessary. It may feel excessive to the person, but it also reassures them that every outlet is being examined. From there, a psychiatric exam will be performed, examining elements of the past and where the health anxiety could have developed from. Together, the medical and psychiatric partnership will be able to conclude a concrete diagnosis and proceed with treatment options.
Finding Relief: 5 Treatment Options That Help Ease Health Anxiety
Health anxiety is a mental health condition, meaning that it can be treated through different outlets. Five common methods of treatment include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of talk therapy proven in treating health anxiety. It helps the person by challenging irrational thoughts, reducing reassurance-seeking behavior, and gradually facing fears they might be avoiding.
- Exposure therapy: Often used in alliance with CBT, exposure therapy involves gradually confronting feared thoughts, sensations, or situations. An example would be someone who fears they have a brain tumor overanalyzing a headache. The therapist would connect them to studies and symptom guides repeatedly, and over time, the person’s brain rewires the response to these triggers.
- Mindfulness approaches: Mindfulness-based therapy helps the person become more aware of their thoughts and bodily sensations without judgment. Instead of reacting with fear or resistance, they learn to accept the presence of uncertainty and discomfort as part of being human. This helps minimize fear and eases the stress response.
- Medication: For some, medication may be a part of the treatment process. Anti-anxiety medications, as well as antipsychotics, can improve health anxiety, especially in the presence of another mental health condition.
- Support groups: As mentioned above, health anxiety is much more common since the COVID-19 pandemic. Having support from others builds connections and improves mental well-being.
Get Help for Health Anxiety Today in Tampa, FL
Health anxiety is one of the most fearful conditions – you want your body to be healthy, but at the same time, the fear that something is wrong is overwhelming. The good news is that help is available for both your physical and mental health. Anxiety treatment programs are designed specifically to address the plaguing thoughts of illness and reassure you that you are a healthy, strong individual. Don’t let your fear of health keep you from living – it’s time to see what the world has to offer and take off.
If you or someone you love is living with health anxiety, we get it. At Clean Recovery Centers, our team of mental health professionals has helped many find healing from chronic anxiety. Our facilities have a rapid-resolution therapist onsite to help sort through past medical traumas and put you on the path to move forward. Call us today at (888) 330-2532 to learn more about our program offerings.
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