The Rise in Health Anxiety

Man wearing a mask with an anxious expression

What is Health Anxiety?

Health anxiety is a condition whereby an individual spends so much time worrying about their health and the possibility of becoming ill that it takes over their life. In the past it was referred to as hypochondria but it is now more commonly known as health anxiety.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Health Anxiety

When COVID-19 gripped the world, safety measures were put in place to prevent the virus spreading. The pandemic caused many vulnerable people to shield and take extra precautions to protect their health. The knock-on effect of this is that many individuals developed health-related anxiety. A large number of people still wear face protection and avoid mixing in public.

COVID was an extremely worrying time for everyone, but life has gone on and people have adapted and carried on as before. However, for those with health anxiety, this has not been easy. Many people are still dealing with health anxiety as a result of the after-effects of COVID.

Cost of Living Crisis and Health Anxiety

Another issue causing health anxiety is the cost of living crisis. With food prices increasing on an almost daily basis, many people cannot afford to eat a healthy diet because certain foods are too expensive. Fresh fruit and vegetables and good quality meat and fish are simply not affordable for some people. There are even reports of adults skipping meals in order to ensure their children, and even their pets, are fed. These issues are contributing towards a form of diet anxiety — people know what they should be eating but can’t afford to do so!

It is important to look at some practical ways of dealing with health anxiety to help individuals who are suffering with this condition.

How to Cope with Health Anxiety

The following are some ways of managing health anxiety:

Try not to self-diagnose. Avoid googling perceived symptoms or ailments online otherwise it could lead to excessive worry — and even cyberchondria (excessive use of the internet to research health symptoms and ailments).
Try to target and tackle situations or activities which seem to increase or trigger health anxiety — writing them down might help.
Avoid constant trips to your GP with supposed symptoms. However, it is a good idea to make an appointment for a regular medical health check-up to ensure all is ok.
Learn to recognise times of health anxiety and how this affects one’s body and mental state. Practicing some relaxation and stress-management strategies may help alleviate some health anxiety.
Seek help from your GP. They may recommend specific health anxiety treatment such as counselling or prescription medication to help manage anxiety.

There are a number of mental health services which can be a source of help to those suffering with health anxiety.