Health Anxiety

Health anxiety is a condition where an individual has consistent worries about having or potentially developing a physical illness, despite showing mild or no symptoms.

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Some indicators of health anxiety include:

• Constant worries about health

• Frequent body checking for signs of illness, such as lumps, tingling, or pain

• Asking others for reassurance about illness (including medical professionals)

• Worries that medical tests may have missed something

• Avoiding anything related to serious illness, such as medical TV

• Behaving according to an illness, for example avoiding physical activities

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Some individuals with health anxiety may fixate on a specific body part or disease of concern. Sometimes the feelings of anxiety can cause symptoms which can be mistaken for signs of illness.

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Sometimes people with health anxiety can be reluctant to consider mental health treatments, as they are insistent that they have a physical condition. However, if someone with health anxiety has been medically cleared of having a physical illness, therapy is typically recommended.

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Read our blog on Health Anxiety here.