How Health Anxiety Can Mimic Serious Illness

Hollie Sharman, 25, experienced what she believed were life-threatening symptoms, including excruciating chest pain, leading her to visit emergency rooms up to five times a week. Despite extensive medical tests, no physical cause was ever identified. Sharman recalled a childhood tendency to worry about her health and a severe panic attack on her 22nd birthday that marked the beginning of years of debilitating health anxiety.

This anxiety manifested as hours spent researching symptoms online and through AI chatbots, fueling a cycle of fear and reassurance-seeking. "I spent so long in the hospital. They'd tell me it's nothing, they'd check everything," Sharman said. "I'd go home, but then my legs would feel weak, so I'd Google that and then it would say it's a sign of heart failure. So I'd go back, it was literally a constant cycle."

Her condition led to social isolation, including avoiding communication with family, and strained her relationship, as her partner struggled to understand her intense fear of dying.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Kirren Schnack defines health anxiety as an "obsessional worry" about being or becoming seriously ill, even when not. She identified common signs as excessive "checking" behaviors, such as frequent self-examination, temperature checks, or symptom research. Constantly seeking reassurance from the internet, friends, or family is another hallmark. Conversely, some individuals engage in "avoidance," refraining from checking their bodies or attending medical appointments due to fear of a dire diagnosis.

Dr. Schnack also noted that some people may adopt behaviors associated with illness, slowing their movements or ceasing physical activity, effectively treating their bodies as if they are already sick.

Sharman was eventually diagnosed with health anxiety and health-related obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). With the support of her family and partner, she has implemented management techniques. One strategy she found effective was journaling her symptoms and then noting at the end of the day that she was well, providing a record to challenge fearful thoughts.

"You need to push yourself and do things when you're anxious, don't put your life on hold because I did for so many years," Sharman advised.

Managing Health Anxiety

Dr. Schnack suggests that seeking medical advice for new, concerning, or persistent symptoms is responsible. If a symptom does not resolve within two weeks, consulting a GP is recommended. She offered several strategies for managing health anxiety:

• Challenge worst-case thinking: Consider alternative explanations for physical sensations, such as attributing a stiff back to poor posture rather than a severe illness.
• Limit reassurance-seeking: Establish and adhere to strict rules and time limits for asking others about symptoms.
• Burn off anxious energy: Engage in short bursts of physical activity, like jumping jacks, to help manage adrenaline and cortisol.
• Ground yourself: Utilize strong sensory experiences, such as holding an ice cube or tasting something sour or spicy.
• Breathing techniques: Practice deep, controlled breathing exercises, such as inhaling through the nose, taking a brief pause, and exhaling with a sigh through the mouth.