A twinge, a lump, a headache, and suddenly you’re searching symptoms at midnight. How health anxiety works, and how to step out of the checking loop.
November 6, 20262 min read
By Zainab Adesola, BSW, MA, CCC
A normal worry that got stuck
Everyone worries about their health sometimes. Health anxiety is when that worry takes over: when ordinary body sensations feel like signs of serious illness, and reassurance never lasts long.
Signs you might recognize
- You check your body often for lumps, changes, aches or tingling
- You search your symptoms online and end up more scared
- You ask others, or your doctor, for reassurance, and the relief fades quickly
- You avoid health information, doctors or certain places, because they set off worry
- A normal test result helps for a day or two, then the worry moves to something else
The checking loop
Health anxiety runs on a loop. You notice a sensation, worry that it means something serious, and check, search or ask for reassurance. You feel better for a little while, so the checking seems to help. But it also keeps your attention fixed on your body, and the more you look, the more you find.
Anxiety itself causes real sensations, like a racing heart, a tight chest, an upset stomach and tingling, which can pull the loop tighter. See anxiety in your body.
Steps that help
- Keep a simple log. Note how often you check, search or ask for reassurance. Just seeing the pattern is a first step.
- Delay the check. When the urge comes, wait 15 minutes, then a little longer next time. Urges rise and fall if you let them.
- Limit the searching. Choose one trusted source, or none at all, rather than reading until you find the scariest answer.
- Make a plan with your doctor. Agree on regular check-ups and on what would truly need attention, so you don’t have to decide in a moment of fear.
- Bring your attention outward. Notice when you’re scanning your body, and shift your focus to what you’re doing, the people around you, or your senses.
When to get help
If health worries take up a lot of your day, affect your sleep or relationships, or keep you going back to doctors without relief, therapy can help. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a well-studied treatment for health anxiety. And always see your doctor about new or changing symptoms. Getting checked is part of looking after yourself.
This article is general information, not medical, legal or insurance advice. For advice about your situation, talk to your health care provider, your insurer or a lawyer.
Questions
Quick answers.
How do I know if it’s health anxiety or something real?
Only a health care provider can rule out medical causes, so get new or changing symptoms checked. Health anxiety is more likely when the worry continues even after you’ve been checked and reassured.
Should I stop going to the doctor?
No. The aim is to see your doctor when it’s needed, on a planned schedule, rather than many times out of fear.
Why doesn’t reassurance help for long?
Reassurance brings quick relief, which teaches your brain to need it again. Over time, learning to live with a little uncertainty works better.
Keep Reading
Related articles.
Anxiety in your body: tight chest, racing heart, upset stomachAnxiety isn’t only in your head. Why it shows up in your chest, stomach and muscles, and how to calm the body side of it.
Catastrophizing: how to stop jumping to the worst caseA late reply becomes a disaster, a headache becomes something serious. Catastrophizing is a common thinking trap. How to catch it and think it through.
Anxiety or intuition? How to tell the differenceBoth can feel like a strong inner warning. A few questions can help you tell a useful gut feeling from an anxious false alarm.