Health Anxiety – Stop The Cycle

Today’s topic is heavy but important to talk about.

It’s health anxiety.

Believe me when I say it’s a beast. 

Dealing with it was honestly the toughest challenge I’ve faced. 

I mean, deep down moments of pure panic, believing I had every disease under the sun, and even fearing death constantly. 

It completely flipped my life upside-down.

But there is a silver lining, and today, I’m grateful that I don’t worry about this anymore.

Big shoutout to all of you battling this. 

You’re strong and capable, and remember, patience, consistency, and strategy are key to overcoming this.

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If you’re unfamiliar with health anxiety, let’s dive into understanding it and, even better, explore five things that make it worse and strategies to put those worries to rest.

What Is Health Anxiety?

Everyone worries about their health sometimes, but health anxiety can be a serious problem.

Health anxiety is when you spend so much time worrying you might be sick that it takes over your life. 

It’s like having a pesky fly buzzing around your head, but the fly is constantly worrying about your health!

We keep obsessing with irrational worry about having a serious medical condition.

With health anxiety, you believe you have an illness you don’t have.

How To Stop The Health Anxiety Cycle

There are some things people do to try and calm their anxiety, but it ends up making their anxiety worse, and this is called the health anxiety cycle.

Catastrophizing

The first key factor that heightens health anxiety is “catastrophizing,” which involves exaggerating minor concerns. 

For instance, simple fatigue could escalate into fears of grave illness, job loss, or worse. 

Often, such fatigue is due to a busy day or restless nights. 

Overreacting this way can induce stress responses, intensifying physical symptoms and anxiety. 

Combat this by recognizing the overblown nature of such fears. 

Watch out for terms like “always,” “never,” “have to,” and extreme words like “doom.” or “death.” 

Write down these thoughts so that you can see them as fear and anxiety and not reality when they show up.

External Validation

Sometimes, there is this strong urge for external validation or reassurance. 

It’s not just about checking your vitals or seeing the doctor for every ache. 

The craving to hear “you’re okay” from someone is palpable. 

But what many fail to realize is that this external assurance can be short-lived. 

Getting a doctor’s okay might bring momentary relief, but the real challenge is fostering internal reassurance.

Health anxiety is more intricate than other anxiety types because it’s deeply connected with our fear of mortality and sickness. 

Symptoms become more pronounced, not necessarily because they’re severe, but often due to our heightened sensitivity. 

This sensitivity and our inclination to catastrophize can make minor issues appear grave.

However, many symptoms, in my opinion, stem from muscular tension. 

I find that I get tense in my neck, which most of us do, and I feel it up my head and get a headache.

What helps is focusing on relaxation techniques, like deep breathing or muscle relaxation exercises, which can be beneficial. 

It’s also essential to work on the root cause of this anxiety instead of just the symptoms.

Lastly, while doctor visits are valuable, it’s essential to understand that they can’t change your mindset overnight. 

Hearing you’re fine might provide temporary relief, but the long-term solution is retraining and rewiring our thoughts and responses.

Panic Disorder

Third is panic disorder, which can be immensely challenging for those who experience it. 

Imagine facing up to ten intense panic episodes daily, with some dragging on for hours. 

This constant state of panic ignites a heightened fear of the unknown – illness, suffering, and even death. 

One common trap many fall into, especially during the onset of these symptoms, is turning to Dr. Google. 

With anxiety levels already heightened, our mind, now skewed toward the negative, grasps the worst-case scenarios we find online. 

It’s almost automatic – you feel something’s wrong, so you Google. 

And you’ll often interpret the symptoms listed under severe conditions as matching your own. 

This cycle of perpetually searching for symptoms online and hoping for answers often deepens the fear and anxiety. 

Each search feels like unearthing a new ailment, and it’s terrifying.

If you genuinely wish to combat health anxiety, the first step? 

Quit Googling. 

There’s a time and place for online searches, but not when they fuel your anxieties. 

It’s essential to differentiate between genuine concerns and anxiety-driven assumptions.

Meaning-Making

The fourth is meaning-making, which refers to how someone comprehends or derives significance from life events, relationships, and identities.

When you encounter certain sensations or feelings, it’s easy to interpret them as signs of severe health problems. 

For instance, a sudden wave of fear might make you wonder, “Is this a sign of impending danger?” or a bodily sensation like a headache could trigger thoughts like, “Is this symptom a serious illness?”. 

Remembering that these are just fleeting sensations or feelings and not necessarily indicators of any significant health issue is essential. 

Instead of dwelling on their meaning, it’s more helpful to acknowledge them as transient experiences without assigning dire interpretations to them. 

Practicing mindfulness can assist in navigating these sensations without letting them dominate our thoughts.

Embrace Uncertainty

One of the most detrimental habits exacerbating health anxiety is the relentless pursuit of absolute certainty. 

This mindset often manifests as, “I need definitive answers now, or I can’t lead a normal life.” 

So, you find yourself repeatedly checking symptoms, consulting multiple doctors, undergoing endless tests, and spending hours online. 

If you reflect on the time consumed by this, you’ll realize how this quest for certainty obstructs you from truly living.

It’s pivotal to come to terms with the fact that life, by nature, is uncertain.

Aiming to rid all doubts and uncertainties consumes an immense amount of time and often proves ineffective. 

Challenge yourself: Has this need for assurance brought any lasting peace? 

The answer for many grappling with health anxiety is a resounding “no.” 

It’s about acclimating to feelings of discomfort and embracing the unknown. 

With health anxiety, it’s adopting a stance of, “There’s always the potential for an undiscovered illness, but I’ve done my due diligence, and it’s time to move forward.” 

Arm yourself with affirmations like, “Challenges don’t define me,” or “I can face my fears head-on.” 

Embracing discomfort without resisting is a crucial skill that enhances our emotional resilience.

Conclusion

Addressing health anxiety isn’t just about quelling our fears but understanding their roots and the behaviors that intensify them. 

Habits like excessive Googling of symptoms or constantly seeking external reassurances only perpetuate the cycle of anxiety. 

Instead, embracing the discomfort of uncertainty, recognizing the traps of catastrophizing, and developing a more profound mastery of our emotions are steps towards a healthier mental space. 

With persistence and the right strategies, it’s possible to recover from health anxiety.

To all grappling with these feelings, I feel you; your journey is valid, and with each step, you’re moving closer to reclaiming your peace of mind.

Stay Positive Friends.