What exactly is health anxiety?
Health anxiety is, basically, when regular healthy people worry excessively about their health when there’s no logical explanation, to the point they feel their life is in danger.
People with health anxiety can feel totally crippled.
Health anxiety is very common. As much as 125 of people in our general population will experience health anxiety.
When we think of anxiety we often think of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but specifically health anxiety will become crippilng.
Often that level of reassurance or logical thinking that we think is going to help people with health anxiety is that they get frustrated. Some of them know they don¡t have a life-threatening disease.. but the thought of it can exceed any logical sense.
For example: Somebody could be really terrified that they could fall to their death from a brain aneurysm tomorrow. It is very rare and the odds to dies from it is very low.
Recognize that jus ybecause something could happen, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.
One of the ways in how people think they can overcome health anxiety is to get regular testing.
It is not uncommon from people with health anxiety to feel that they need a test, and a week later another one, getting themselves into that pattern.. and it aids the idea there is something to be anxious or nervous about.
Another thing that makes health anxiety complicates is …
If you got a small ache or a pain.. that is something you should not be worried about.
In some ways, being anxious or conscious about your health is appropriate.
How do you know the difference form being health conscious or having health anxiety?
Doctors reassurance doesn’t work.