Health anxiety is a persistent fear of having a serious illness despite reassurance. Internet searches often feed the fear.
Reassurance brings short relief, then doubt returns — a cycle that therapy can break.
Key concepts
- Checking and reassurance keep anxiety going
- Normal body sensations get misread as danger
- CBT is the most effective treatment
Symptoms and signs
- Frequent body-checking and symptom searching
- Repeated doctor visits and tests, little lasting relief
- Avoiding news or places linked to illness
Causes
- Serious illness or death of someone close
- Anxious temperament
- Past own illness or medical scare
Risk factors
- Generalised anxiety, OCD or depression
- Easy access to online medical information
- Stressful periods
Evidence-based management
- Agree a single trusted doctor and a plan for check-ups
- Gradually cut down searching and body-checking
- CBT to test feared predictions
- Medicines for severe or co-existing anxiety or depression
When to seek professional help
- Fear of illness taking hours each day
- Many normal tests but the fear continues
- Avoiding medical care entirely out of fear
Frequently asked questions
What if I really am ill and the doctors missed it?
A planned follow-up with one doctor balances safety with not feeding anxiety. New or changing symptoms will be checked.
Should I delete health apps?
Limiting symptom-checker use often helps; discuss a plan with your therapist.
Medical references
Guidelines and official sources used for this article.
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. World Health Organization.
- Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management (CG113). NICE, UK, 2011.
- Author
- Dr. Kuldeep Budania, MBBS, MD Psychiatry
- Medical reviewer
- Dr. Kuldeep Budania, MD Psychiatry
- Last reviewed
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.
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