Health Anxiety Treatment
Health anxiety is a disorder which is characterized by an excessive worry and anxiety about the possibility of experiencing a serious medical condition. These feelings are accompanied with an excessive amount of checking and constant requests to be reassured.
Hypochondria, also known as illness anxiety, is triggered by a mistaken interpretation and false beliefs about the illness. Psychotherapy (or talk-therapy) and medication are two options for treatment.
Medicines
Health anxiety is a serious mental illness that hinders the ability to perform work and social interactions. There are a myriad of methods to manage symptoms and help people live a fuller life. These treatments can include psychotherapy and medication, or an amalgamation of both. Psychotherapy is often the first step in dealing with this condition and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common treatment. This type of therapy helps you recognize and confront harmful beliefs, behavior and thoughts that contribute to anxiety. It helps you to find alternatives to deal with worries, like relaxation and exercises.
You can take medications to treat severe anxiety disorders. Benzodiazepines, such as Klonopin, Xanax, and Valium are quick-acting drugs that can offer immediate relief. They decrease the activity of certain brain neurons that are hyperexcited due to anxiety, by targeting the neurotransmitter GABA. These medications are not recommended for more than four weeks at a time, as they can become addictive and lose their effectiveness after that time.
Antidepressants are often prescribed for anxiety, and can positively impact depression symptoms as well. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as SSRIs, raise levels of serotonin in the brain which can decrease depression and anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that block the reabsorption of serotonin as well as norepinephrine are also effective.
People with health anxiety often have a strong belief that they suffer from medical issues and cannot forget about their symptoms, even when provided with reassurance from doctors. In anxiety treatment medicines may also experience delusions, like somatic delusions, where they believe that their symptoms are due to their mental or emotional state. They may have trouble sleeping, experience difficulty eating and are often physically uncomfortable. They may also be angry and impatient and tend to avoid friends and family. The best way to address health anxiety is to identify the cause and seek assistance from a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist. They can determine whether the anxiety is being caused by a medical condition and help you establish the limits of lab testing, imaging and referrals to specialists.
Cognitive therapy for behavior
It's normal to be concerned about your health, but if it gets too much, it can lead to a lot of anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one the most effective methods of psychological treatment for anxiety-related health issues.
This treatment involves learning new skills that will assist you in coping with anxiety in a more productive manner. It typically consists of several sessions lasting between 45 and 60 minutes. A typical treatment program will comprise 12 to 20 sessions but it will vary depending on your individual requirements. Through CBT, you'll be taught to recognize your faulty behaviors such as reassurance-seeking and checking. You will also be taught to practice various mindfulness techniques that have been proven to reduce anxiety and aid in recovery from illnesses.
People who suffer from health anxiety are preoccupied by worries about having or developing serious medical illnesses. This can trigger various maladaptive actions, such as frequent checkups, seeking reassurance from others or doctors and avoidance of people and places that remind them of their illness. In time, these actions can have a significant negative impact on your life and relationships.
In some instances health anxiety can be caused by depression or delusional disorders (somatic). The majority of the time they are rooted in misinterpretation and exaggerated fear of a medical condition.
Health anxiety can be a significant cause of stress and can interfere with your everyday life. It is crucial to seek out help when it becomes a problem to find relief and get back to living your life to its maximum.
There is no one reason for anxiety-related health issues. However, some common causes include the sudden loss of a close family member, serious illnesses during adulthood or in childhood, and/or a past of missed diagnosis of physical issues. You should discuss these factors with your therapist in order to comprehend how they contributed to your health anxiety. Together, you can create an action plan to break free of the cycle of anxiety and reassurance and take advantage of the many benefits life offers.
Talk therapy
Most people suffering from health anxiety are often misinformed of bodily sensations or an exaggerated belief about their likelihood of developing a disease. This constant anxiety can cause stress and hinder the person from functioning in their everyday lives.
A therapist can assist you to identify the misappraisal of threats and ways to manage your anxiety in a healthy way. You can learn to stop avoiding situations, looking for answers, and seeking out reassurance. These actions only reinforce your thoughts and beliefs about anxiety. You can also be taught to challenge unhelpful thoughts and to try to see the world from a more balanced point of view. Medicines can also help in managing symptoms and reducing the degree of discomfort. They are often used to treat depression but they can also be beneficial for anxiety-related health issues as well.
If your GP diagnoses you with an illness anxiety disorder, they might recommend psychotherapy or prescribe medication to help alleviate your symptoms. Many NHS therapy services provide cognitive behavioral therapy for this condition. Alternately, you can speak with an accredited counsellor or psychologist privately to receive psychotherapy. You can search the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies Register or the British Psychological Society Directory to find a registered psychologist.
Talk therapy is the most effective way to manage health anxiety. It helps you recognize undesirable or harmful behavior and thoughts. Your therapist will most likely employ cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders.
CBT helps you identify and challenge harmful or false beliefs about yourself, your body, and medical procedures. It teaches you to deal with anxiety in a healthier way, such as by avoiding excessive medical testing or reassurance-seeking behavior. In some instances, your therapist will also employ exposure therapy, which involves confronting your fears in a safe environment and retraining your mind to respond in a different way.
For instance, Harriet is 36 and has had no serious health issues. However, she is worried that she might have arthritis in her hands due to pain in two of her knuckles. She has visited a doctor and has received assurance, but her anxiety persists. She is forced to stop doing activities and reduce her social life because of her fear. A therapist can teach her CBT and help her learn to manage the discomfort in her hands.
Family therapy
Health anxiety patients spend a lot of time worried about serious illnesses like HIV, dementia or cancer. The anxiety they have about their health may become so severe that it impedes everyday functioning and creates anxiety in their relationships. They may believe that any physical sensation could be an indication of illness. These individuals may spend time looking for symptoms, seeking assurance from family members and friends or visiting multiple doctors for unnecessary tests. This could cause you to be exhausted, financially stressed and have a reduced quality of life.
Psychotherapy is typically the most important element in treating health anxiety disorders. This kind of therapy is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The combination of psychotherapy and medication can be combined to enhance outcomes. If medication is prescribed for treatment, small doses are typically administered to prevent adverse effects.
The initial step of a family therapy session involves an initial intake meeting with the therapist. This session will allow the therapist to gain an understanding of how anxiety affects the entire family and what the underlying issues are. Everyone in the family should be involved in the process.
It's a good idea set up an appointment with your primary healthcare provider in case you suffer from anxiety-related health issues that are severe. This will allow you determine if there are any medical conditions that could be responsible for your anxiety.
People suffering from health anxiety are more likely to misinterpret normal physical sensations like nausea, headache or muscle twitch as signs of a deadly disease. Patients with health anxiety visit multiple doctors, only to be informed that the symptoms are the result of their imagination. This can lead to frustration and discouragement, which may cause them to not seek treatment for anxiety. They are not just financially and emotionally stressed, but they also miss out on social or work activities in order to attend doctor's appointments. They also often have disputes with their loved ones about their preoccupations with their health. In some cases, family members may feel that they are being blamed by their family members and may behave in unhealthy ways.