Health Anxiety
Health anxiety is common and can affect people of all ages.
What is health anxiety?
Health anxiety is a form of anxiety centred on concerns about illness. It is more than just being health conscious or taking a sensible interest in your wellbeing. People with health anxiety experience persistent and overwhelming fears that they have or may develop a serious physical illness, even when medical assessments and test results have found no cause for concern.
A common example is a persistent fear of having, or developing cancer, despite receiving reassurance from healthcare professionals.
It is normal to have concerns about your health. For example, feeling worried before an operation or seeking medical advice when you notice a new symptom is a natural response and can help you get the right care. Health anxiety is different because it involves becoming preoccupied with bodily sensations and interpreting harmless or everyday symptoms as a sign of serious illness. For instance, chest tightness caused by stress may be mistaken for a heart attack.
Health anxiety can have a large impact on daily life. It may affect work, relationships, sleep and overall wellbeing, even when serious physical illness has been ruled out. It is more noticeable during periods of high stress and uncertainty.
Health anxiety can develop into a vicious cycle. A person notices a symptom, assumes the worst, becomes anxious and monitors the symptom more closely. This increased focus can make sensations seem more intense or lead to new symptoms caused by anxiety itself, which then reinforces the original fear.
Signs of health anxiety
Common signs of health anxiety include:
- Persistent worry – Frequent fears about having or developing a serious illness despite normal test results or medical reassurance
- Constant body checking – Regularly examining yourself for signs of illness, such as changes in moles, checking your pulse, looking for lumps or monitoring bodily sensations.
- Excessive researching – Repeatedly researching symptoms or self diagnosing online. Typically starts with curiosity but leads to fears about the worst-case scenarios and seeing the symptoms in yourself.
- Avoiding activities – Reducing or avoiding activities such as exercise, social events or travel, due to health concerns.
- Difficulty concentrating – Finding it hard to focus on tasks because thoughts about illness dominate your attention.
- Seeking reassurance repeatedly – Frequently asking family, friends and healthcare professionals for reassurance, but only gaining temporary relief from this.
- Avoidance or overuse of healthcare services – Either avoiding making appointments because of fear of what might be discovered, or attending many appointments and seeking repeated tests for reassurance.
- Shifting health worries – Feeling reassures about one health concern, only for a new worry to take its place. Some people may also experience distressing thoughts or images about future illness affecting themselves or their loved ones.
- Physical symptoms of anxiety – Symptoms such as chest tightness, headaches, a racing heartbeat, stomach discomfort, muscle tension and sleep difficulties. These symptoms can be caused or worsened by stress and anxiety, which can further reinforce health-related fears.
Causes of health anxiety
Health anxiety can develop for a variety of reasons and often there is no single cause. Factors that may contribute include:
- Previous experiences of illness or medical trauma – Experiencing a serious illness, health scare or death of a loved one can increase sensitivity to health concerns, particularly if symptoms were initially missed or diagnosed late.
- General anxiety – People who experience anxiety disorders may be more likely to focus on health-related worries and find it difficult to tolerate uncertainty about their wellbeing.
- Family influences – Growing up in an environment where health concerns were frequently discussed or where family members were particularly worried about illness can shape attitudes towards health and bodily symptoms.
- Personality traits – Such as perfectionism or heightened vigilance may make it harder to cope with uncertainty about health.
- Stressful life events – Major life changes such as grief, parenting, ageing or illness within the family, can increase awareness of bodily sensations and health concerns.
- Media and online health information - Constant exposure to health-related news, social media content or online symptom searches can increase fears and reinforce worries about illness.
These factors can create a heightened sense of threat, leading people to pay closer attention to bodily sensations and increasing the likelihood of developing health anxiety.
How to cope with health anxiety
Looking after your health is important but it is impossible to have complete certainty about your health at all times. Learning to live with a degree of uncertainty is a normal and healthy part of life.
When health anxiety becomes overwhelming, it can affect many areas of daily life including relationships, work, education, hobbies, sleep and overall wellbeing. Some people may spend significant amounts of time seeking reassurance, attending appointments, researching symptoms online or avoiding activities they fear could make them unwell. Over time, these behaviours can reduce confidence and negatively affect mental health.
The good news is that there are effective ways to manage health anxiety.
Self-help strategies for health anxiety
Many people find it helpful to start with self-help techniques. Recovery can be easier when a trusted friend or family member provides encouragement or support.
- Keep a worry diary
Tracking health-related behaviours can help you identify patterns and monitor progress. Record how often you:
- Seek reassurance from others
- Check your body for symptoms or signs of illness
- Search for health information online
Alongside each behaviour, note your level of anxiety at the time. Gradually reducing these behaviours can help break the cycle of health anxiety and reduce anxiety in the long term.
- Return to normal activities
Health anxiety can lead people to avoid activities they enjoy or believe may be risky. Gradually returning to normal routines, including exercise, hobbies, work and social activities, can help rebuild confidence and shift attention away from health worries.
Physical activity can be particularly beneficial for both physical and mental wellbeing. Starting with small, manageable goals, such as a short daily walk, may help. Some people find it useful to create a step-by-step plan for reintroducing activities they have been avoiding.
- Challenge unhelpful thoughts
Try writing down your health-related worries and considering alternative explanations. Ask yourself:
- What evidence supports this worry?
- What evidence suggests a less serious explanation?
- What would I say to a friend experiencing the same concern?
Developing more balanced perspectives can help reduce the tendency to assume the worst.
- Practise relaxation techniques
Techniques such as breathing exercises or mindfulness meditation can help reduce physical symptoms of anxiety and make it easier to manage distressing thoughts.
Sources of support
A number of organisations provide information and support for people experiencing health anxiety, including:
Local wellbeing services, community support programmes and mental health charities may also be able to offer advice and support.
When to seek help from your GP
If worries about your health are affecting your daily life, relationships, work, studies or wellbeing, it may be helpful to speak to your GP.
A GP can assess your symptoms, provide advice, guidance and discuss appropriate treatment options. Depending on your needs, they may recommend:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is one of the most effective treatments for health anxiety
- Other psychological therapies
- Medication to help manage anxiety symptoms
You can also refer yourself directly to NHS Talking Therapies services in many areas without needing a GP referral.
Seeking support early can help prevent health anxiety from becoming more severe and improve quality of life.
How to support someone with health anxiety
Supporting someone with health anxiety can be challenging, but your understanding can make a significant difference.
- Listen to their concerns without dismissing or criticising them
- Avoid becoming caught in repeated reassurance-seeking conversations
- Encourage them to seek professional support when appropriate
- Be patient and recognise that recovery takes time
- Support positive self-help strategies and gradual return to normal activities
