CBT for Health Anxiety and Worrying
Do you find yourself constantly worrying? Always having something on your mind that you’re working through while feeling distressed by the “what ifs”? Chronic worrying can be centered around a variety of topics, including social situations, dating, health, and work. People describe wanting relief from the worry, but finding it hard to stop the thoughts while also feeling unsettled if they don’t continue to think through the situation. The problem with chronic worrying is that it continues to feed a cycle of distress without actually leading to a solution. Usually the distress from the worry goes away once the situation is over, or you get distracted by something else, only to find another host when a different situation arises. Working to manage worry is incredibly rewarding because you can be relieved of these worrying cycles, which in turn, leads to having clarity and peace of mind.
Health-related anxiety is a common topic of chronic worry. If you find yourself constantly worrying about your health, or predicting that symptoms could mean something more serious despite data supporting that you are in good health, then this could be a good treatment fit for you. These thoughts can lead to compulsive health-related behaviors, including checking for symptoms, constantly going to the doctor, obsessively researching health information online, and even avoiding seeing a doctor due to fear of a diagnosis. Health anxiety, similar to worrying, can become a vicious cycle that just jumps from situation to situation or symptom to symptom. Relief is temporary, until another symptom arises. I work with patients to strategically and informatively listen to their health and bodies, while differentiating anxiety-related thoughts from more organizing health-related thoughts. This clarity helps you gain relief from extra suffering while also fosters paying attention to your body in a more strategic way.
