Short answer: Health anxiety is a pattern of persistent worry about having or developing a serious illness, often accompanied by checking, researching, reassurance-seeking, or avoiding health information. Therapy can help you respond to uncertainty without letting fear control your daily life.
Common signs of Health Anxiety
- Persistent fear that a bodily sensation signals serious illness
- Repeated body checking, symptom research, or medical reassurance-seeking
- Difficulty accepting normal test results or professional reassurance
- Avoiding appointments, news, illness-related information, or activities
- Frequent monitoring of physical sensations and changes
How can health anxiety show up?
Health anxiety can involve either repeated checking and reassurance-seeking or avoidance of appointments, information, and reminders of illness. A small sensation may lead to an escalating search for certainty, but reassurance often provides only temporary relief before the next doubt appears.
What does therapy for health anxiety address?
Treatment focuses on the cycle of sensation, interpretation, anxiety, checking or avoidance, and short-term relief. Your clinician may discuss exposure-based practice, response prevention, ACT skills, or other evidence-based strategies that fit your history and goals.
Health anxiety and OCD
Health anxiety can overlap with OCD when intrusive illness doubts lead to repeated checking, researching, reviewing, or reassurance-seeking. It can also occur without OCD. An assessment can help clarify the patterns rather than relying on a label found through online searching.
Health anxiety care throughout Arizona
BrainBody OCD Counseling offers in-person counseling at its Scottsdale practice and secure online counseling throughout Arizona when clinically appropriate. You can use a consultation to describe the cycle you are experiencing and ask questions about care.
Explore BrainBody OCD Counseling treatment options
BrainBody OCD Counseling may use specialized approaches such as ERP, ACT, and I-CBT depending on your symptoms, goals, and treatment plan. Learn more about the options below.