4 Signs You Might Have Health Anxiety

Anxiety can be seen as an umbrella term for many different health conditions. The most common specific types of anxiety can include social anxiety, phobias, or health anxiety. It's why it is considered to be the most common mood disorder out there. Most often, people don't use the words health anxiety to describe this condition. Instead, they use the word hypochondriac. "They are such a hypochondriac. They always think they are sick!"

The problem with this is that this is a very real and serious mental health disorder. It is not something that should be joked around about or taken lightly. Health anxiety is when someone has excessive worries about their health. They may worry about getting sick, developing a serious health condition, or that you may already have one.

4 Signs You Might Have Health Anxiety

1. You question your test results

Blood work, scans, or other medical tests are fairly accurate. They have come a long way in determining if serious health conditions are going on. When someone is dealing with health anxiety, however, they will question these results.

It's normal to request another test or scan after the first one doesn't align with what you think is going on as a "second opinion." However, when dealing with health anxiety, the test results will always feel wrong or misleading.

2. Self-checks

If you find that you are constantly checking yourself for certain signs of a health condition, this could be a clear indicator that you are dealing with health anxiety. After everything we went through over the past few years, it's normal to worry if we suddenly develop a cough that is out of the ordinary, for example. However, checking too much can be excessive and not very healthy to do on a daily basis.

3. Switching doctors frequently

Let's face it; it's not uncommon to get saddled with a doctor who doesn't listen to your concerns or doesn't take your concerns seriously enough. But switching doctors frequently because you don't like what they tell you about your health could be a sign of health anxiety.

It is true; doctors are not infallible, but medical knowledge and intervention have progressed to a point where we can trust results. If you continue to get the same results and recommendations regardless of the doctor, it's time to reconsider where the problem lies. Consider taking a friend or family member to your appointments to feel like you have an ally and additional support.

4. Intense fear of catching a disease

After the pandemic, we're all more cognisant of what our bodies are experiencing and going through. For someone who has health anxiety, however, this goes beyond the normal amount of fear. People with health anxiety may worry about catching any disease, not just common ones. They may fear every ill symptom they feel is a sign of a certain condition. Or, they may worry about developing a serious or chronic illness.

How To Deal With Health Anxiety

First, let us start by saying that having health anxiety does not make you "crazy." You shouldn't feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit that you started having chronic worries about your health somewhere along your journey. Unfortunately, many things are completely out of our control regarding health. Instead, try to focus on the things that you can control, like grounding yourself in the evidence when you start worrying about your health.

You aren't alone in this struggle, as many people are now dealing with health anxiety. No matter how long it has been since your worries about your health started, you can find a way to feel less stressed. Don't hesitate to reach out to us for help in anxiety treatment.