Therapy for Health Anxiety

What is health anxiety?

Health anxiety, also known as hypochondriasis or illness anxiety, is characterised by the fear and preoccupation with the belief that one has, or is in danger of developing, a serious illness like cancer, multiple sclerosis, or a heart attack. It often involves the misinterpretation of normal bodily sensations as dangerous or symptoms of serious illness.

People of all ages can be affected by health anxiety, though it commonly begins later in adulthood. Despite being an anxiety-related condition, health anxiety can be linked to other conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.