I'm Always Anxious About My Health...What Is This?

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the world. However, it looks different for everyone. 

Maybe you’re anxious about something specific like you’re health. Does your well-being consume your thoughts? Are you always worried about getting sick, or wondering if you already are sick?

As we emerge from a global pandemic, more people are conscious of their health than ever. However, there’s a fine line between wanting to take care of your health, and constantly worrying about it. 

If you find that you’re always anxious about your health and wellness, it’s important to get to the bottom of it so you can take care of yourself without being fearful of the “what ifs”. 

Why Are You Anxious About Your Health? 

There are plenty of reasons why you might be anxious about your health. That’s why it’s so important to get to the “root” of the matter. 

You might have a family history of certain conditions. Maybe your mother had breast cancer or a handful of people have dealt with heart disease or Parkinson’s. 

While none of these things mean you’re destined to get sick, hereditary illnesses can trigger a lot of worry and fear. 

We’re also living in very uncertain times. 

Again, we’re just coming out of a global pandemic that lasted two years. During that time, everyone was given a lot of information – some of which may have been confusing at times. Regardless of where anyone stands on the pandemic, vaccines, or the “political” side of things, COVID-19 was a widespread illness that elicited fear in a lot of people. 

That’s caused many to become hypervigilant about their health. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can quickly turn into a fearful obsession if you’re not careful. 

What Is This Anxious Feeling Called?

Health anxiety or hypochondria are the names often used to describe the condition of someone spending too much time worrying about their health. 

When you spend so much time worrying about being sick or getting sick, it can quickly take over your life. 

Maybe you spend your days looking up symptoms you think you might have. Or, maybe you research certain conditions and worry you have the risk factors that make you more likely to contract it. Some of the more common symptoms of this condition include

• Worrying that minor symptoms mean you’ve got a major illness

• Not feeling any comfort or reassurance from your doctor after a visit

• Constant fear about the status of your health

Again, it’s perfectly fine to be vigilant about your health. However, when fear of being ill takes over your life, it’s important to accept that label of hypochondria. The sooner you realize you’re dealing with something more serious than a healthy worry about your wellness, the sooner you can do something about it. 

How to Manage Health Anxiety

If you know you’re overly anxious about your health, don’t be afraid to seek out help. 

Working with a therapist can help you get to the bottom of your hypochondria. 

Maybe it was triggered by something from your past. Maybe the pandemic itself caused something to “switch” in you that’s created so much fear and uncertainty. 

Whatever the case, getting to the underlying issue is the best place to start, and you don’t have to do it on your own. Not only can therapy help you get to the root cause of your health anxiety, but it can help you with different ways of managing it. 

If you’re anxious about your health and it’s starting to take over your life, don’t hesitate to contact us for more information on how anxiety treatment can help you or to set up an appointment.