Short answer: health anxiety is persistent fear of having or getting a serious illness despite reassurance from doctors. It often involves frequent body checking, online symptom searches and repeated tests, which bring brief relief but keep the anxiety going. CBT and, for some people, medication help.
Common signs
- Interpreting normal sensations (a headache, a skipped heartbeat) as signs of serious disease
- Searching symptoms online for hours
- Seeking repeated reassurance from doctors, family or friends
- Avoiding medical care entirely out of fear of bad news
- Distress that affects work, sleep and relationships
Why reassurance does not last
Checking and reassurance lower anxiety for a short time, which teaches the brain to keep checking. The next sensation sets off the cycle again. Treatment focuses on breaking this loop.
Treatment
- CBT: learning to tolerate uncertainty, reducing checking and searching, and testing anxious beliefs.
- Medication: SSRIs can reduce the intensity of health worries for many people.
- One trusted doctor: regular scheduled check-ups with a primary care clinician, rather than urgent visits for each worry.
Health anxiety is not “all in your head”
The distress is real. Good treatment also makes sure genuine medical issues are not missed, through coordinated care with your primary care team.
Practical steps to try
- Set a rule to delay searching symptoms online for 24 hours, then notice if the urge passes
- Limit body checking to a set time, then reduce it further
- Keep a log of feared illnesses and outcomes to see patterns
- Redirect attention to an absorbing activity when worry spikes
Health anxiety and panic
Health anxiety can trigger physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a racing heart, chest tightness or dizziness, which then seem to confirm illness. Understanding how anxiety causes these sensations helps break the cycle. When panic attacks are frequent, treating panic disorder directly is part of the plan.
Supporting a loved one with health anxiety
Family members often get pulled into giving reassurance. A kinder long-term approach is to acknowledge the worry while gently declining to repeatedly reassure, and to encourage treatment. A clinician can guide families on how to do this supportively.
Frequently asked questions
Did the pandemic make health anxiety more common?
Many clinicians saw an increase. The same treatments work.
Is it related to OCD?
There is overlap, especially with checking and reassurance seeking. An evaluation can clarify the diagnosis.
Psych Boston provides anxiety treatment in Lexington and by telehealth across Massachusetts. Request an appointment.
Related reading: Perfectionism, Anxiety and Burnout in High Achievers · How to Talk to Your Family About Your Mental Health
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 or call 911. Psych Boston is an outpatient psychiatry practice at 35 Bedford St #17, Lexington, MA781-218-9550).