What is health anxiety? Signs, causes, and 9 ways to cope

Stress & Anxiety

Sep 10

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Constantly Googling what that random pain or sensation in your body means? Learn what health anxiety is, why it happens, and 9 tips to manage it with care.

Some people can dismiss a sudden twinge or unusual sensation without a second thought. But for others, even the smallest change can spark alarm, leading to a spiral of online searches and a growing panic that something might be seriously wrong.

Health anxiety—sometimes called illness anxiety disorder—can show up as a loop of scanning, checking, Googling, and worrying, even when there’s no clear sign that something’s wrong. And while the fear feels urgent, it rarely brings peace.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in that loop, you’re not alone. Health anxiety is more common than most people realize, especially during or after periods of high stress. The good news? There are thoughtful, research-backed ways to manage it.

Here’s what health anxiety really is, why it happens, and six approachable strategies that might help you feel more grounded.

What is health anxiety?

Health anxiety is a mental health condition where fear about illness becomes persistent and overwhelming, even when you’ve been assured there’s nothing wrong. For many people, it feels like living in a state of constant alertness.

This type of anxiety often involves patterns: becoming preoccupied with bodily sensations, interpreting them as symptoms of something serious, and seeking ways to relieve the fear. This could mean Googling, asking others for reassurance, or even avoiding care altogether.

These responses might soothe you for a moment, but they tend to feed the fear long-term. Making matters more complicated, health anxiety can also affect your concentration, relationships, and decision-making.

Health anxiety vs hypochondria

The term "hypochondria" is no longer considered a helpful or accurate clinical term. It reduces a complex condition to a stereotype and leaves out the distress that people with health anxiety genuinely experience.

Today, the more appropriate term is illness anxiety disorder. It reflects a deeper understanding of how the brain and nervous system respond to uncertainty around health. Still, this shift in language isn’t just about precision — it’s also more respectful. Health anxiety isn’t irrational. It’s a real and often exhausting experience that deserves thoughtful care.

7 symptoms of health anxiety

Anxiety around your health can appear in a variety of ways. For some, it shows up as sudden spirals triggered by a new sensation. For others, it’s a persistent undercurrent that shapes how they think, feel, and act. Of course, there are some common symptoms. Here are seven:

Persistent worry: Your fear of illness lingers, even after normal test results or mild symptoms.
Body preoccupation: You frequently check for signs of illness, like changes in pulse or muscle tension.
Excessive symptom searching: Your online research starts with curiosity but typically leads you to imagine worst-case scenarios.
Avoidance or overuse of care: You may avoid making appointments with your doctor or repeatedly seek reassurance from them.
Reassurance-seeking: You ask others for validation, or relay the same concerns over and over.
Difficulty focusing: Your health concerns make it hard to concentrate or stay present, even in calmer moments.
Shifting worries: Once one fear eases up, another one often takes its place.

What causes health anxiety?

Health anxiety usually develops through a mix of personal experiences, personality traits, and how your brain reacts to uncertainty.

But if you understand the roots of why you feel this way, finding ways to feel better is easier. Some common contributors include:

Medical trauma: A past illness or health scare—either yours or someone else’s—can keep your brain on high alert long after it’s over.

Anxiety or trauma history: If you live with generalized anxiety or past trauma, health fears may stick around more easily.

Early family dynamics: Growing up in a home where health was overemphasized or avoided can shape your beliefs and reactions.

Perfectionism or low tolerance for uncertainty: Not having a clear answer can feel intolerable if you’re someone who’s wired to seek control.

Stressful life changes: Transitions like grief, parenting, and aging can increase sensitivity to body cues.

Media and health content overload: Constant exposure to illness-related content can quietly fuel fears.

How to manage health anxiety: 10 strategies to help you cope

A good way to manage your health anxiety is to build a more compassionate relationship with your body and your thoughts. This isn’t easy, but with consistent practice, you can slowly start to feel a little more grounded.

If you’d like to let go and feel more in control, here are nine tips that can help.

1. Recognize the anxiety loop

Health anxiety often follows a predictable cycle. First, you notice a sensation. Then you worry it’s a symptom and seek reassurance by Googling, asking someone, or checking your body. After that, you feel temporarily better, but then the worry returns.

Knowing that this loop exists can help you pause and name what’s happening: “This is a cycle, not a crisis.”

You may even try keeping a note in your phone as a reminder: “I’ve felt this fear before. It’s my anxiety trying to protect me, not proof something is wrong.”

💙 Learn how to shift your attention away from stress by listening to Managing Anxiety on the Go with Dr. Eric Lopez.

2. Limit symptom searching

If you’ve noticed that looking up symptoms increases your anxiety, set stronger boundaries. For example, you could wait 10 minutes before searching, and if the urge is still strong, ask yourself, “Will searching reduce my anxiety long-term, or just reset the cycle?”

You could also create a go-to “distraction list” on your phone. Alternatives could include texting a friend, taking a walk around the block, or trying a breathing exercise.

3. Keep a body sensations journal

When you feel a body sensation, write it down and give it a neutral description like, “tingling in right foot, 7:15pm, after sitting cross-legged for 20 minutes.”

This can help you gather information without spiraling. Over time, you may notice patterns that can help you respond more calmly the next time.

4. Practice tolerating uncertainty

Unfortunately, no amount of checking or doctor visits can guarantee certainty. Instead of aiming for total reassurance, try building your tolerance for not knowing.

You might try a mantra like, “It’s uncomfortable to not know. But it’s okay to not know,” or “Uncertainty isn’t danger. It’s just uncertainty.”

💙 Get more comfortable with the unknown by listening to Uncertainty with Tamara Levitt.

5. Develop grounding routines

When your anxiety is spiking, regulating your nervous system can help.

Try deep breathing by inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds. You could also press your feet firmly into the floor while seated and notice the physical sensation of support.

6. Create boundaries around reassurance-seeking

Reassurance feels good until it doesn’t. Whether it’s checking with a doctor, asking your partner to examine a mole, or texting your group chat about a new symptom, that relief is usually short-lived.

Try to delay asking someone for reassurance to see how it feels. Tell yourself: “I’ll wait one hour before I reach out.” Over time, increase that window. This builds your capacity to sit with discomfort.

Also, let your loved ones know how to support you without feeding the cycle. They might say, “I hear that this feels scary. Do you want comfort, distraction, or advice right now?”

7. Notice all-or-nothing thinking

Health anxiety typically involves cognitive distortions, like black-and-white thinking or catastrophizing. You might think, “If I feel chest pain, it must be a heart attack” or “If the doctor missed something, I’m going to die.”

These thoughts feel true, but that doesn’t make them facts.

Try challenging them:

“Is there another possible explanation?”
“What would I say to a friend if they were thinking this?”
“How many times have I felt this and it turned out okay?”

8. Reduce triggers where possible

Certain podcasts, medical shows, TikToks, and even headlines can trigger anxiety spirals.

To help keep you balanced, mute or unfollow accounts that raise your anxiety. Choose information sources that are calm, evidence-based, and not sensationalized.

9. Build a supportive care team

If you have access to a primary care doctor you trust, build that relationship. Let them know you tend to worry about your health and would benefit from a plan that addresses both physical and mental wellbeing.

Also, consider working with a therapist. Therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based approaches all have proven to help treat this specific type of anxiety.

10. Keep your expectations in check

You don’t need to eliminate health anxiety to feel better. You just need to loosen its grip.

Aim to make room for fear without letting it run the show. You can also try to trust your body a little more, even when your brain is suspicious.

Health anxiety FAQs

Can health anxiety cause physical symptoms?

Health anxiety can cause physical symptoms, even in the absence of illness. When your brain perceives a threat, even an imagined one, your body activates its stress response. This can lead to symptoms like muscle tension, headaches, stomach pain, dizziness, a racing heart, and shortness of breath.

On top of this, these physical symptoms often reinforce your anxiety, and that worry itself can produce more symptoms. It’s a loop, but it can be interrupted with awareness and nervous system regulation.

Is it normal to worry about your health sometimes?

It is normal. Everyone worries about their health from time to time, especially after experiencing illness or going through a stressful event. In fact, some level of health concern is appropriate and even protective.

Being anxious about your health only becomes a problem when the fear is persistent, out of proportion to actual risk, and starts to interfere with your daily life. If you find that health worries are dominating your thoughts and affecting your relationships, it might be time to seek out professional help.

What kind of therapy helps with health anxiety?

CBT is considered one of the most effective treatments for health anxiety. This type of therapy can help you identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns and learn how to tolerate uncertainty without spiraling. ACT, which focuses on accepting anxious thoughts rather than fighting them, can also be very beneficial.

Additionally, many people swear by mindfulness-based therapies. This can be especially useful in learning to observe body sensations without judgment or panic.

How long does it take to get better from health anxiety?

There’s no universal timeline, but many people begin to feel relief within weeks or months of starting treatment, especially with consistent support. Still, it’s important to note that progress isn’t always linear. There may still be ups and downs as you go through the process.

What matters most is learning tools that work for you and using them with patience. Progress means knowing how to meet your anxiety when it shows up with compassion and clarity.

How do I calm someone with health anxiety?

A good way to calm someone with health anxiety is to listen to them. Resist the urge to dismiss their fears or offer constant reassurance. This can fuel their anxiety. Instead, ask them grounding questions like, “Would it help to talk through this?” or “Would a distraction feel better right now?”

You can also let them know you’re there, even if you don’t have all the answers. Sometimes, your calm presence is more helpful than any logic you can offer.

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Calm Editorial Team