Call us to make an appointment nowHealth anxiety, more commonly known as hypochondria, is an excessive level or worrying and anxiousness to a point where you suffer great levels of distress and it affects your everyday life. Hypochondria can have a highly negative impact on relationships, but at Catalyst Therapy, our experienced therapists will help you by using cognitive behavioural therapy for health anxiety in a positive and long lasting way.
Common symptoms of health anxiety
You may have hypochondria if you’ve been affected by a number of feelings. It’s also worth noting that sometime hypochondria is itself a symptom of other disorders, such as general anxiety disorder or depression, both of which need to be treated in their own right.
- A preoccupation with having a serious illness, expressed by physical symptoms, for 6 months or more.
- Feeling distress as a result of this preoccupation.
- Your preoccupation with illness has had a negative impact on different areas of your life, including your professional, social and family life.
- You regularly constantly feel a need to self-examine and self-diagnose.
- You disbelieve a doctor’s diagnosis and you remain unconvinced by their reassurances that you’re in good health.
- You feel you need constant reassurances from medical professionals, friends and family, but you never really believe them.
Types of health anxiety
There are two broad types of health anxiety, with some people constantly finding information and reassurance by undertaking extensive online research, making excessive GP appointments and refusing anything they believe may make the condition worse.
Health anxiety is also expressed by an extreme avoidance of anything that may trigger anxiety, including GP appointments, medical television programmes and any exercise you may think will make your condition worse.
Cognitive behavioural therapy for health anxiety
CBT is a highly effective treatment for many people with health anxiety, with one of our experienced therapists helping you to identify your thoughts and emotions, as well as the ways you cope with them. We will help you to change your unhealthy thoughts and behaviours that enable your health anxiety.
Our health anxiety therapy in Havering will empower you to enjoy a fulfilling life, free from the constant anxiety of illness. For more information about our health anxiety therapy, call 01708 781 927 or email info@catalysttnt.co.uk today.
