Health Anxiety

Health anxiety, or illness anxiety disorder, is when someone constantly worries about having a serious illness despite little or no evidence. They often misinterpret normal body sensations or minor symptoms as severe conditions, and this worry persists even after doctors reassure them. Treatment for health anxiety can help manage these persistent concerns, as individuals frequently think about health issues, visit the doctor often, seek reassurance, and avoid anything that might remind them of illness. It can really mess with daily life.

Common Signs of Health Anxiety

Health anxiety shares similarities with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), especially if you develop rituals to relieve anxiety. It also has similarities with Somatic Symptom Disorder, where you experience pain or discomfort without a clear medical explanation. Here are some common signs and symptoms of Health Anxiety:

What you may not be aware of about
health anxiety...

1

Health Anxiety was
previously known as
hypochondria or
hypochondriasis

2

Health Anxiety affects
around 3-5% of Australians
in any 12-month period 

3

Up to 5% of Australians may
experience Health Anxiety
at some point in their lives

4

Health Anxiety occurs more
often in women than men

What the research says
about treatment for health anxiety

Ever find yourself obsessing over every little bodily sensation, convinced it’s a sign of some serious illness? That’s what we call Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), or what used to be known as hypochondriasis. It’s when you worry a lot about having a serious, undiagnosed medical condition, despite doctors telling you everything’s fine.

People with IAD tend to hyper-focus on normal body sensations, like sweating or digestion, and think they’re signals of something much worse. This worry can really take over your life and stick around for the long haul.

Research shows that the best way to tackle this is with a mix of therapies. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a leading treatment for health anxiety—it helps you change those unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. Sometimes, medication like antidepressants can also help, especially if therapy alone isn’t cutting it.

We’re not exactly sure what causes IAD, but things like being uncomfortable with normal body stuff, a family history of health worries, or experiencing serious illness as a kid might play a part.

It’s not just about the worrying, though. IAD can mess with your personal life and relationships, and even cause problems at work if you’re taking lots of sick leave. So, if you find yourself caught in this cycle, it might be worth chatting with a healthcare pro to get things back on track.

Remember, you’re not alone in this, and help is out there.

*Source: Illness Anxiety Disorder – National Library of Medicine

Tips for managing health anxiety

Our psychologists, highly qualified with Masters or Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology, provide treatment for health anxiety. They use Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), the gold standard for many psychological issues, along with other evidence-based treatments like Mindfulness and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).