Breaking Free from the Cycle of Health Anxiety
Most of us can relate to being concerned about our health from time to time. Waiting for a test result can be stressful. The problem arises when this worry about health becomes chronic and interferes with life. Health anxiety, sometimes called illness anxiety disorder, occurs when concerns about one’s health become overwhelming, persistent, and distressing. For those living with health anxiety, everyday bodily sensations can feel like alarming signs of serious illness, creating a cycle of fear, worry, and compulsive behaviors. As a clinical health psychologist, I’ve worked with many clients who struggle with this pattern. Understanding the nature of health anxiety and learning practical strategies can help you regain control.
What Is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety is characterized by excessive worry about having or developing a serious medical condition. This worry persists even when medical tests are normal and doctors provide reassurance. People with health anxiety may experience symptoms such as:
Frequent checking of their body for signs of illness.
Repeatedly “googling” symptoms.
Repeatedly seeking medical reassurance but feeling unsatisfied afterward.
Avoiding medical care out of fear of bad news.
Difficulty focusing on daily life due to intrusive thoughts about health.
The Vicious Cycle of Health Anxiety
Health anxiety often creates a self-reinforcing loop:
Trigger – A physical sensation (e.g., headache, dizziness) or an external event (e.g., hearing about someone’s illness) or news of someone else’s condition.
Catastrophic Thinking – The sensation or other’s experience is misinterpreted as a sign of something serious for the individual (e.g., "This headache must be a brain tumor").
Reassurance-Seeking or Avoidance – Repeated doctor visits, talking to others about it, and online symptom checking.
Temporary Relief – These behaviors may ease anxiety briefly but reinforce the belief that the threat was real, perpetuating the cycle.
Breaking Free from Health Anxiety
The good news is that there are effective strategies to manage and reduce health anxiety. Here are evidence-based approaches that can help:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to Challenge Catastrophic Thoughts
When anxiety spikes, pause and ask yourself: What else could this be? What do I know to be true about this? Often, symptoms have harmless explanations. Reframing fearful thoughts into balanced ones can reduce panic.Limit Reassurance-Seeking
While seeking reassurance may feel comforting in the moment, it fuels anxiety in the long run. Try gradually reducing how often you check symptoms or go down the “google rabbit hole.”Focus on What You Can Control
Focus on healthy behaviors that genuinely support your well-being, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and mindfulness practices.Engage in Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques
Practices like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can help you manage anxious thoughts and reconnect with the present moment. These techniques are most effective when practiced throughout the day, not just in a health anxiety state.Build Tolerance for Uncertainty
Health anxiety thrives on the need for certainty. Learning to sit with uncertainty rather than reacting to every worry can reduce anxiety over time.Build Joy
When we don’t have joy, hobbies, and interests, the brain comes back to focus on the anxiety. Creating and engaging in enjoyable behaviors creates neural pathways in the brain that are not reinforcing the neural circuits for anxiety which reduces the power of the health anxiety circuits over time.
Seek Professional Support
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has strong evidence for helping individuals manage health anxiety. Therapy can provide tools to break anxious thinking patterns and develop healthier coping strategies.
Conclusion
Health anxiety can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to control your life. By understanding the thought patterns that fuel anxiety and applying effective coping strategies and engaging in enjoyable activities, you can reduce distress and improve your quality of life. If you find that health anxiety is interfering with your well-being, reaching out to a mental health professional can provide valuable guidance and support.