Health Anxiety – How to Cope With Your Illness More Easily

Health anxiety is a persistent and irrational fear of acquiring some kind of serious physical ailment. It is also known as syndrome anxiety and previously was also known as hypochondriasis. This condition is characterised by an individual’s constant imagination of vivid physical symptoms associated with a particular disease. For example, a sufferer may experience stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea whenever they have food poisoning. Other people who have this condition only have the above mentioned symptoms, but fear that they will contract a disease in which case they may die.

These symptoms can be so strong that they interfere with everyday life. Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to deal with health anxiety. Fortunately, there are several ways for doctors to assess and treat this condition.

The very first sign of health anxiety may be vague fears of having a heart attack, or having a stroke. More severe physical sensations such as pain or discomfort in the stomach or upper body, or extreme nervousness are usually the next sign. If the signs are not mild, then the condition is more likely to be something more serious. People who have these symptoms are normally diagnosed as having social phobia, and should therefore see a social anxiety doctor as soon as possible.

As strange as it may sound, a good percentage of those who have health anxiety may actually have a true phobia of a more serious illness. One example is with people who suspect they are suffering from cancer. These individuals frequently visit doctors for tests but are afraid that they will find out they have the illness. This is often the case with people who have suffered trauma. However, in many cases, hypochondriasis co-exists with this disorder.

Hypochondriasis is the term given to the belief that a person has a physical illness when there is no valid reason to do so. People with this condition believe that they have an illness even though there is no evidence to support this claim. One of the most common reasons for this is the fear of diseases that they cannot detect in their body, such as cancer or AIDS. The symptoms associated with these illnesses however are similar to those of other illnesses, such as the flu. People with health anxiety often mistake the symptoms for the real thing, and misdiagnose themselves as having a more serious disease.

When a person has health anxiety, they may also experience guilt and panic whenever they think that others may be worried about them. They will often worry that they will be diagnosed with a more serious medical condition that they currently do not have. They worry constantly that something will change their body, or worse yet, that they will die from it. This type of thinking is called worry obsession, which is often symptomatic of hypochondriasis.

Many health anxiety sufferers have found success with CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). This form of psychotherapy is based around the idea that our thoughts, feelings and behaviour cause us to suffer. By changing our responses and replacing them with more positive ones, we can free ourselves of the worry that grips us and allows us to live life more freely. If you are interested in CBT as a treatment for your anxiety and symptoms, you will be happy to know that there is no shortage of therapists available to help.

Hypnotherapy is also another method of treatment that is very successful at controlling the issues that cause health concerns. Hypnotherapy is based around the belief that our mental health and well-being are directly linked to the physical sensations that we are feeling at any particular time. People with a physical illness feel horrible but have no mental illness that is causing these feelings. Through hypnosis, the therapist can convince the client that their bodily sensations are causing the illness and by replacing those feelings with more positive ones, they can regain control of their lives. The biggest benefit of hypnotherapy as a treatment for anxiety and other disorders is that it offers complete reassurance. Once you start to believe that illness is a problem within yourself, you start to gain control and you will be able to lead a fuller life than ever before.

Ann Miller

+ posts

• Remote video feedback in iCBT for Social Anxiety Disorder
• Scientists Map Networks Regulating Gene Function in the Human Brain
• Making children and young people's mental health care evidence-based
• Information Session: NIMH Intramural Research Program Training Opportunities (June)

More To Read:

The mental health support for asylum seekers and refugees in the UK Mental healthcare for ethnic minority groups scoping out the purrfect pair? The role of physical activity and associated risks for depression Mental Illness Gonna Be Understood As A Metaphorical Disease As Pointed Out By Szasz: Internet Encyclopedia Of Philosophy Reintegration interventions for Complex PTSD: the forgotten phase? Mental Health Ann Arbor Study Privacy And Cookie Policies The Make Sure More – Measuring Recovery — Modern The Ols And Modern Directions We Need To Have A Look At What They Fear – Famous People Phobias Relevant Empirical Studies