Understanding Health Anxiety: When Worry Becomes Overwhelming
- Jessica LaJoie
- May 19
- 2 min read
It’s normal to care about your health. But when those concerns turn into constant fear or preoccupation, it may be something deeper—health anxiety.
If you find yourself frequently Googling symptoms, feeling consumed by fears of illness, or not trusting medical reassurance, you are not alone.
What Is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety—also known as illness anxiety disorder—involves persistent worry about having a serious medical condition, even when tests and doctors say you're fine.
People with health anxiety may:
Constantly check their body for symptoms
Schedule frequent doctor visits (or avoid them altogether)
Spend hours researching illnesses online
Struggle to trust medical reassurance
Experience physical symptoms caused by anxiety (like headaches or stomach pain)
What Causes Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety is often linked to:
A history of personal or family illness
Past trauma, especially related to health
High sensitivity to body sensations
Stressful life changes (like becoming a parent or surviving a pandemic)
Underlying anxiety disorders or OCD
How to Manage Health Anxiety
You can feel better. With support, many people reduce their anxiety and gain peace of mind.
Here are some effective tools:
1. Therapy
Evidence-based therapy like CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) help by:
Reframing anxious thoughts
Increasing tolerance of uncertainty
Reducing checking and reassurance behaviors
Reconnecting with your values and daily life
2. Mindfulness & Relaxation
Simple grounding techniques and breathwork can calm your nervous system and ease hyper-awareness of bodily symptoms.
3. Limit Symptom Checking
Avoid excessive Googling and reduce medical reassurance-seeking. It may feel helpful in the moment, but often worsens anxiety long-term.
4. Track Your Thoughts
Use a journal to record anxious thoughts, triggers, and what helped. This builds awareness and reveals patterns over time.
Helpful Resources
Here are a few trusted tools and reads:
📚 The Worry Trick by David Carbonell, PhD
You Are Not Alone
Health anxiety can be exhausting—but healing is possible.
At Grind to Growth Therapy, we help clients break the anxiety cycle and reconnect with their bodies through mindful, evidence-based care.
✨ Now accepting clients across Washington State via telehealth.
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