By Mohammed Hassan, Content Team Academic

In a world where we can easily access endless information, health concerns that once were reassured by doctors and properly diagnosed have now spiralled into a constant worry and obsession. This is known as health anxiety, a condition that can significantly impact individuals’ well-being and daily functioning. Often known as hypochondriasis, the modern understanding of this condition falls under the term illness anxiety disorder (IAD).

This article explores what health anxiety is, how it may develop, the behaviours that maintain it, and the best approach to combat IAD.

What can be seen as health anxiety?

Health anxiety is an excessive and constant fear of having a serious medical condition. This fear may continue even after receiving medical reassurances and often becomes a dominant focus in one’s life. People with health anxiety may interpret normal bodily sensations, minor symptoms, or harmless physical changes as signs of severe illness. They may constantly worry about diseases like cancer, lung problems, heart attacks or neurological conditions, despite a lack of evidence that can support these fears (Bupa, 2025).

Health anxiety can range from mild to severe. Some people may have mild health-related worries that may occasionally surface during periods of stress, while others experience constant and distressing fears that interfere with work, relationships, and personal well-being.

Often, this condition manifests as a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness. Crucially, this fear persists even if medical evaluations find no evidence of the said disease or if the symptoms are very mild.

How does it develop?

IAD develops from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Many people with health anxiety can trace their fears back to early life experiences. Perhaps they may have series of serious illnesses as a child, witnessed a family member suffering from a disease, or been exposed to anxiety-provoking messages. These experiences can leave a deep psychological imprint. This makes the individual more sensitive to bodily changes and potential symptoms.

Family dynamics can play a key role, and if a child grows up with caregivers who were overly anxious about health issues, they may internalise these repetitive thoughts of illness. Similarly, social beliefs that exaggerate the dangers of certain diseases can fuel fear and mistrust of bodily sensations (Mental Health, 2023).

Major life stress, such as bereavement, relationship breakdowns, or major transitions, can trigger or intensify health anxiety. When one feels out of control in other areas of life, their attention may shift to their bodies as a misplaced attempt to regain some control.

From here, misinterpretation of medical cues may start to escalate. For example, a muscle twitch might be perceived as a sign of neurological disease, or a mild spot may be feared as a tumour. These misinterpretations are reinforced by the individual’s heightened focus on bodily cues, which increases perceived sensations and fuels the anxiety cycle.

One of the most common behaviours in health anxiety is excessive reassurance. This involves frequent visits to doctors, repeated tests, and seeking constant validation from loved ones. While reassurance may briefly reduce anxiety, the effect is temporary. Over time, the individual becomes more dependent on reassurance, which increases their anxiety in the long run.

IAD sufferers may also often engage in compulsive body checks. This may include repeatedly examining spots, moles, checking one’s pulse, or scanning for any changes in the skin. The more they check, the more they notice harmless sensations, which are then interpreted as evidence of serious illness.

Avoidant behaviours

Some individuals avoid anything that triggers their health anxiety. This may include avoiding medical information, refusing to consume health-related news, or steering clear of hospitals. While avoidance may reduce distress in the short term, it prevents the person from confronting and processing their fears, keeping them stuck in the anxiety cycle (Better Help, 2025)

The issue of the internet

The internet has become a significant contributing factor to health anxiety. While it provides access to information, it also exposes individuals to an overwhelming number of worst-case scenarios. This leads them to search symptoms online, often drawing catastrophic conclusions – something known as cyberchondria. The behaviour increases anxiety and purpurates fear, despite the intention of finding relief or reassurance.

Health anxiety is not a simple matter of worries. It has a profound impact emotionally and on one’s behaviour. Sufferers will often experience chronic worry, fear, irritability and sadness. They may struggle to concentrate or enjoy activities they once loved, as their attention is consumed by health anxiety. Their relationships may suffer, as loved ones tire of the constant need for reassurance or avoidance of certain situations. (BMC, 2024)

Also, sufferers’ quality of life is hugely affected. Everyday experiences become tainted by anxiety, and simply bodily sensations can trigger overwhelming distress. Some individuals may even experience depression, as the burden of living with constant fear takes a toll on their mental health.

Managing health anxiety

Fortunately, there are many evidence-based approaches and interventions that help individuals to challenge their catastrophic thinking patterns and gradually face their fears in a healthy and adaptive way.

Mindfulness techniques can support individuals in managing health anxiety. This practice teaches people to observe their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. Rather than reacting with fear or avoidance, individuals learn to sit with discomfort and let it pass. It encourages the acceptance of uncertainty and fosters a healthier relationship between body and mind.

Recovery from health anxiety is a gradual process. It involves not only addressing the symptoms but also reshaping how one relates to health, uncertainty, and the body. Developing a balanced approach to health is key. This means listening to the signals of your body without catastrophising them, seeking medical advice when appropriate but not every time you worry and embracing uncertainty as an inevitable part of life (Better Health, 2022)

Health anxiety is a debilitating condition that can dominate a person’s life and well-being. However, with the right support, treatment, and strategies, it is entirely possible to break free from the cycle of fear and obsession. Through learning to challenge fearful thoughts, reducing unhelpful behaviours, and developing an acceptance of your body, one may reclaim their peace of mind and live fully, even in the face of uncertainty.

References

Bupa. (2025, February). What is health anxiety. https://www.bupa.co.uk/newsroom/ourviews/health-anxiety.

Better Help. (2025, March). Understanding Anxious Avoidant attachment styles and other styles. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/anxiety/understanding-the-anxious-avoidant-attachment-style/.

Better Health. (2002, November). Managing and treating anxiety. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/anxiety-treatment-options.

BMC psychology. (2024). Depression, stress, and Internet. https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-024-01659-z.

Mental health UK. (2023, May). My terror with health anxiety. https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/my-terror-of-living-with-health-anxiety.