Physical Symptoms of Health Anxiety
Health anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors that can trigger it, like watching a loved one get sick or die, or being in an uneasy job in the healthcare sector. People with this condition have a fast-moving stomach and a lot of sweating.
They also mistake bodily sensations such as headaches or coughs as a sign of a serious health issue. They can spend hours searching on the internet for answers and seek reassurances from medical experts.
1. Headache
Everyone is concerned about their health, but the irrational fears associated with illness pregnancy anxiety symptoms disorder can cause a lot of stress in your life. You could spend hours researching your symptoms online and conclude that all of the seemingly normal symptoms are a sign of something more serious. A headache, for instance can lead you to believe you have a tumor in your brain when it’s really a hangover.
Illness anxiety sufferers are hyper-vigilant about any changes in their bodies and can’t control their fear, despite repeated assurances from medical professionals as well as negative test results. The anxiety associated with illness can lead to other issues, like avoidance of social and work activities and having difficulty maintaining close relationships.
It is essential to seek help if your anxiety is affecting your daily life. Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy is the most popular treatment for health anxiety. Occasionally, your doctor may also prescribe medication for anxiety. To start, see your GP or contact the Priory for a world class mental health assessment. Our experts can diagnose anxiety disorders and provide treatment. Our therapists will help you to understand the causes of your anxiety and teach you coping strategies.
2. Muscle moves
Muscle twitching can be another physical symptom that’s linked to health anxiety. These involuntary muscle spasms could happen anywhere in the body and are the result of continuous stress and nervous system stimulation. When one is suffering from severe anxiety about their health, they could be prone to interpret any unusual or uncomfortable sensations to be indications of a serious illness. They may become obsessed with their symptoms, “Google” them or seek excessive reassurances from family and friends. They also tend to avoid places and people because they fear getting an illness.
The twitching can sometimes worsen when anxiety is increasing. The twitching occurs because the same fight or flight response is activated when anxiety is present.
While it is important to try to ignore your twitching, you must also talk to an expert in mental health about it. Counseling or cognitive-behavioral therapy can help you manage your anxiety and stop twitching.
3. Sweating
Sweating is a common physical symptom of health anxiety. This condition, whether it’s a sheen on your forehead or patches under your arms, can be quite distressing. It can lead to further health concerns.
People suffering from anxiety disorder, which is also known as hypochondriasis, are prone to misinterpret minor physical sensations as a sign of a serious illness. They could spend hours searching for their symptoms online and seeking excessive assurance from family members or medical experts. In some cases they may are unable to participate in certain activities or avoid social events due to their fear.
When people are anxious, the brain activates the autonomic nerve system (ANS) which is also known as the “fight-or-flight” response. This triggers an increase in stress hormones, which can cause the body to respond in a variety of ways, such as sweating.
Rather than focusing on your anxiety, try changing your thoughts to something that brings you peace or positive feelings. This will help you realize that, most of the time your body’s reactions do not indicate an indication of danger. This can help you realize that you’re usually more concerned about the possibility of developing a severe disease than strep or a bent ankle.
4. Dizziness
Health anxiety is often caused by dizziness, feeling lightheaded, and fainting. They can also be part of a vicious cycle in which anxiety symptoms mouth and dizziness reinforce each other, resulting in more frequent and severe episodes.
Illness anxiety disorder, which was previously referred to as hypochondria, is characterized by constant and excessive anxiety about developing rare or deadly diseases. It can be a debilitating condition and hinders people from living their lives to the fullest.
When a person suffering from illness anxiety disorder experiences a new physical sensation, they are likely to assume it is an indication of a serious disease. They might then go on the internet for information that confirms the fears they have and can trigger more anxiety. They may even believe that their doctors don’t take seriously their concerns, which could increase their anxiety.
Untreated, the symptoms can affect your relationships (since family and friends tire of hearing you talk about your possible illnesses every time you go out) and at work (because you are unable to complete important tasks due to visiting the doctor). Talk to your doctor if that you might be suffering from this disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy is among the most effective treatments for this psychiatric disorder. It assists in identifying negative thinking patterns that could lead to anxiety or increase the risk of dizziness and then replace them with healthier ones.
5. Swelling
A typical symptom of anxiety and health concerns is swollen lymph nodes. This is a result of the stress-increase that comes from a fear or a preoccupation of developing a serious illness. The body can react to stress in a variety ways, including by increasing production of hormones that cause blood vessels and lymph nodes to expand.
It’s normal to be concerned at times about your health, but especially in the midst of this epidemic. However, severe health anxiety can have devastating consequences on the individual or their family members, and can even affect their job. Encourage someone you love who is suffering from illness-related anxiety disorder (formerly called hypochondria) to seek mental health advice on how to manage their symptoms.
Illness anxiety disorder, often called hypochondria, or health anxiety, is a specific kind of generalized anxiety disorder. It is described as a preoccupation of the belief that one has or is in danger of developing a serious illness as well as extreme anxiety and fear about health and wellbeing. This is often accompanied with avoidance behaviors, body checking, or reassurance-seeking behavior. It is also associated with confusion of normal bodily sensations, like the sensation of a tingling in your arm or a slight change in the color of your bowel movements as being an indication of a serious illness.
6. Heart palpitations
Heart palpitations are a typical sign of anxiety. You may feel as if your heart is sputtering or thumping out of rhythm. Others report a fluttering, or flapping sensation in the chest. If the heart palpitations are frequent and disrupt your daily activities, your doctor might suggest an ECG or heart monitoring to determine if there is a medical issue that may trigger them. If they are caused by anxiety, medication or psychotherapy can help.
Health anxiety sufferers misinterpret normal or benign physical symptoms as serious. They may also be prone to panic attacks which are intense episodes of anxiety that can include chest pain, breathing problems chills, sweating, and a feeling that you’re losing consciousness.
It’s natural to worry about your health, particularly when a disease is raging. If a worry becomes a source of anxiety and becomes a condition known as hypochondria or anxiety about health. This condition is more common than most people realize. Treatment options include talking therapy, medications such as beta blockers and lifestyle changes. You can also try yoga and meditation to relax your body and mind. It is essential to obtain a proper diagnosis.
7. The legs are swelling
Health anxiety sufferers are often enthralled by one or more somatic symptoms and signs and are convinced that they are suffering from or nearing the onset of an illness of serious severity. This leads to excessive checking behaviors (like frequent medical examinations or a distorted interpretation of everyday bodily sensations) or seeking out reassurance and other unhealthy behaviours. It is not uncommon for people suffering from health anxiety to be afflicted by physical symptoms like numbness, chest pains, or stomachaches as a result of their excessive worrying.
Health anxiety can be triggered by a variety of causes. These include the death or serious illness a loved person has suffered, or witnessing an accident or work anxiety symptoms in the healthcare field, or being exposed in the media to disturbing information on diseases and illnesses. However, it can be considered to be health anxiety when the individual’s concerns are out of proportion and significantly impact their daily functioning and quality of life.
If you or someone you love suffer from anxiety-related health issues is important to visit your doctor for a thorough medical evaluation. You might also want to consider psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) and medication, if you require. This will teach you how to manage your anxiety and lead an active and healthy life.
