Health Anxiety
As a problem, health anxiety is another term used to refer to hypochondriasis; this is when an individual shows excessive concern about having a serious illness when doctors have provided evidence to the contrary. Healthy anxiety makes people perceive small symptoms or changes in their body as those that indicate a serious diagnosis, which results in numerous contacts to the doctor and constant fear of being ill.
Health Anxiety Overview
Understanding Causes, Symptoms, and Risk Factors
Causes
-
Personal or loved one history of serious illness
- Child abuse or neglect
- Overload of health related information
- Anxiety disorder in family history
- Personalities (e.g. being prone to worry or to analyze too much)
- Misinterpretation of the normal sensations of the body
- Abusing regular usage of internet or self-diagnosis (cyberchondria)
- The absence of a reassurance or emotional support
- Intolerance to uncertainty Low tolerance for uncertainty
- Previous exposure to undiagnosed and misdiagnosed diseases
Symptoms
-
Being stressed out all the time over the threat to have or develop a serious illness
- Checking of the body regularly to determine illness.
- Recurrent examinations or treatment with the physician
- Fear of bad news on avoiding medical care
- Reassurance-seeking (e.g. asking others to tell whether the symptoms are bad).
- The clear evidence of anxiety that can be seen as physical discomfort such as headaches or stomach aches
- Inability to be focused on any other thing rather than health
- Being upset by reading or hearing about sicknesses
- Not believing medical assurance where results are normal
- Disturbed sleep because of health concerns
Risk Factors
Can Health Anxiety be prevented?
Treatment for health anxiety typically involves:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): that makes the person appreciate and dispute illogical thinking as regards to health issues
Exposure therapy: may also be applied to reduce gradually the fear related to the triggers in terms of health
Medications: antidepressants or anti-anxiety in form can also be taken, to aid in handling symptoms
Preventive, Trusted, and Affordable Healthcare for All
It is extremely crucial to your cognitive, emotional, and physical health to have quality sleep. We offer affordable CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia), sleep consultation and a complete lifestyle approach to your care. Whether you have trouble sleeping some of the time, or you experience constant tiredness, we would like to see you sleep better, live better, and stay well, all at an affordable price with the same compassion and professionalism.
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