Health Anxiety
Health anxiety (sometimes also referred to as hypochondriasis) is characterized by excessive concern and worry about one's health. Most often, people with health anxiety are preoccupied with fears of having a particular illness or disease (i.e., cancer, HIV, tumor), even though medical tests indicate that they do not. In an attempt to decrease their fears, people with health anxiety often repeatedly seek out new doctors, medical tests, and medical information as a way to decrease their anxiety. Although at times this may lead to temporary relief, this reassurance usually does not last for very long and the cycle starts again. Concerns about health are often triggered by normal body sensations that the person misinterprets as a sign of a serious health problem. Health anxiety can range from mild to severe and can have a significant impact on functioning and quality of life. Estimates indicate that between 4-9% of people who seek treatment in general medical practice experience health anxiety (i.e., hypochondriasis) and that 20% of people overall worry excessively about their health. Health anxiety can occur at any age, though it is believed to most often start in early adulthood. For many people, the symptoms fluctuate over time, but tend to be chronic without treatment.