HEALTH ANXIETY FACT SHEET
How long did it take you to realise you had health anxiety? I probably had health anxiety for 2 years until I realised that it was a major problem in my life!
A guide to understanding, recognising, and managing health anxiety
What is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety (also known as illness anxiety disorder or hypoch)-dria is a persistent and distressing worry about having or developing a serious medical condition.
It’s not about overreacting it’s about your brain’s threat system becoming overactive when it comes to health.
Signs & Symptoms
Frequent checking of the body for signs of illness
Persistent worry about health despite reassurance
Googling.symptoms or speaking-to Al tools (like ChatGPT) about sympterns
Seeking reassurance from loved ones or healthcare professionals
Avoiding medical Information or appointments out of fear
Interpreting normal bodily sensations as signs of Serious illness
Physical anxiety symptoms (e.g. rabid hearttıeat, dizziness, digestive issues)
The Cycle of Health Anxiety
1. Trigger- A symptom. sensation. or story sparks worty
2. Catastrophic thoughts -“What if this is something serious?”
3. Anxiety symptoms-Increased adrenaline, racing heart, more sensations
4. Checking/ Googling /Al symptom searches /Reassurance seeking – Brings temporary relief
5. Return of worry – Anxiety comes back, often stronger
Treatment & Support
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), or therapy with a trained OCD or health anxiety
Learning to sit with uncertainty and resist safety behaviours (like Googling or constant body checking)
Mindfulness and grounding techniques to reduce ‘what ir’ hinking
REMEMBER
Health anxiety is highly treatable. With the right help and strategies,
