Health anxiety: what it feels like and how to manage it

Health anxiety can feel overwhelming, but with the right support, it’s possible to feel more in control and less afraid.

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Page last updated: Tuesday, 9 September 2025

Written by: Rachael Heades

Senior copywriter

Clinically reviewed by: Dr. Sai Joshi

HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologist at Priory Hospital North London

Health anxiety is a constant worry about being seriously ill, even when there’s little or no medical reason to think so. It can take over your thoughts, make everyday sensations feel alarming, and disrupt multiple areas of your life.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This page will help you understand what health anxiety feels like, why it can be so convincing, and how to feel more at ease in your body and mind.

Common signs and symptoms of health anxiety

Health anxiety can affect your body, your emotions and the way you respond to worries about your health.

The symptoms can feel intense and alarming, and can often be mistaken for signs of a serious illness. But while these sensations are very real and understandably frightening, they’re usually linked to anxiety rather than the health condition you fear.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common signs and symptoms.

Common sensations	Why they happen	Often mistaken for
Racing heart or palpitations	Your body’s natural stress response (fight or flight)	Heart attack
Shortness of breath	Often linked to shallow breathing	Lung disease or respiratory issues
Muscle tension	Physical stress and holding the body rigid	Fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis (MS)
Dizziness or light-headedness	Related to breathing patterns or changes in blood pressure	Stroke, brain tumour or inner ear issues
Nausea	Anxiety can disrupt digestion	Gastrointestinal disorders or cancer
Headaches	Muscle tension or heightened sensitivity to stress	Brain tumour or neurological condition
Tingling or numbness	Hyperventilation or muscle tension	MS, stroke or nerve damage

Health anxiety symptoms can feel very real, which makes it easy to assume something’s wrong. This can create a vicious circle - the more you worry, the more symptoms you notice, which then fuels further anxiety.

Health anxiety can also take a significant toll on your emotional wellbeing.

Ongoing fear that something is seriously wrong, even after medical reassurance
Feeling stuck in a cycle of worry, fear and dread
Struggling to concentrate due to intrusive health-related thoughts
Feeling overwhelmed, tearful or low
Constantly doubting your own judgement about your health

You might notice that health anxiety affects the way you act, often in ways that try to bring relief but end up making anxiety worse over time.

Frequently Googling symptoms
Repeatedly checking your body for signs of illness
Seeking constant reassurance from doctors, family or friends
Avoiding medical information or health-related conversations
Cancelling plans due to fear of becoming ill or being unwell in public
Obsessively monitoring bodily sensations or tracking symptoms

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Why does health anxiety feel so real?

Health anxiety can make physical sensations feel intense and alarming, even though they’re often part of your body’s natural response to fear.

This is down to something called the fight-or-flight response – your body’s natural alarm system, designed to keep you safe. When your brain senses danger, even if it’s just a passing thought or worry, it triggers changes such as a racing heart, dizziness or nausea. These are normal reactions to stress. But with health anxiety, that alarm system becomes oversensitive – a bit like a smoke alarm going off when there’s no real fire.

Common thoughts if you have health anxiety

How to deal with health anxiety

If you’re dealing with health anxiety, small changes in how you respond to thoughts and feelings can make a real difference - you don’t have to wait until things feel overwhelming.

Here are some practical, evidence-based strategies you can try:

Notice how often you check your body for symptoms – it’s common to scan your body or repeatedly examine an area you’re worried about. Try reducing how often you do this - even delaying a check by a few minutes can help break the habit over time
Cut down on Googling symptoms – online searches may feel helpful but often fuel anxiety. Set limits or avoid it altogether when possible
Write things down – like your worries, triggers and behaviours – helping you to spot patterns and make sense of your anxiety
Challenge unhelpful thoughts – when you catch yourself jumping to worst-case scenarios, pause and ask yourself: “is there another explanation?” or “what would I say to a friend who felt this way?”
Do something that engages your mind or body – activities that hold your attention, like reading, going for a walk or talking to a friend, can help shift attention away from anxious thoughts
Try calming techniques – simple breathing exercises or mindfulness activities can help you feel more grounded in the moment. Over time, they can also teach your body and brain that it’s safe to relax. Visit Priory’s self-care hub for ideas you can try at home

When should I seek help?

It’s natural to seek reassurance about your health, but if worry is affecting your daily life or feels hard to manage, it may be time to seek support.

Here are some signs that professional support could be helpful:

You’re constantly worried that you’re seriously ill, even after being told everything is OK
Your anxiety is starting to affect your work, relationships or daily routines
You’ve tried self-help strategies but they haven’t made things easier, or your symptoms are getting worse
You avoid certain places or situations because of health-related fears
You’re visiting the doctor very frequently, asking for repeated tests, or avoiding medical care altogether because of anxiety

If any of these feel familiar, speaking to your GP or exploring private support could be an important next step. Many people with health anxiety find that professional help gives them the tools they need to feel more at ease in their body and mind.

Treatment for health anxiety

Health anxiety is treatable, and with the right support, many people learn to worry less and trust their body more. The best treatment plans are tailored to your needs and help you find new ways to cope.

Here are some of the most helpful approaches:

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – CBT helps you understand the links between your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It focuses on challenging unhelpful thinking, reducing checking habits, and building healthier responses to health worries
Psychoeducation – learning how anxiety works in the body and mind can be a powerful step towards feeling calmer. When you understand why symptoms happen, and why they feel so convincing, it becomes easier to break the cycle of fear and anxiety
Lifestyle support – day-to-day habits can have a big impact on how we feel. Improving your sleep, exercising regularly and reducing time spent online (especially symptom searching) can all ease health anxiety over time
Medication – in some cases, a doctor may recommend antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to support recovery alongside therapy

Everyone’s different, so treatment should be tailored to you – whether it’s self-help, therapy, medication or a mix, the aim is to help you feel supported and more confident. At Priory, we offer a range of anxiety treatment approaches designed to support your needs and help you take positive steps forward.

FAQs

What causes health anxiety?

There’s no single cause of health anxiety – it usually develops over time, shaped by a mix of experiences and influences. Everyone’s situation is different, but some common factors include:

Past illness – your own or a loved one’s health experiences can heighten awareness and worry
Personality traits – being a natural worrier or highly self-aware can make you more sensitive to bodily changes
Stress or life changes – anxiety often increases during major transitions and may focus on health
Early messages about health – growing up in a household where illness was a major concern can affect how you respond to symptoms
Trauma – medical trauma, accidents or other distressing events can make you feel more on edge, especially around health and safety
The internet and social media – easy access to health content can feed anxiety and worst-case thinking

How can I support a loved one with health anxiety?

Supporting someone with health anxiety can be challenging, but your empathy and patience can make a real difference. It’s important to remember that their fear feels very real – even if you can’t see anything wrong – and they’re not choosing to feel this way.

Here are a few simple ways you can help:

Listen without judgement – let them talk about how they’re feeling without immediately reassuring or correcting them. Often, just being heard can ease the intensity of their worry
Gently discourage excessive checking or reassurance-seeking – try not to repeatedly confirm that they’re OK, as this can feed the cycle of anxiety. Instead, encourage them to reflect on previous patterns and what’s helped in the past
Support them to take small, positive steps – whether it’s trying a breathing exercise, going for a short walk, or seeking professional help, small actions can build confidence over time

Is it normal to constantly worry about your health?

It’s normal to worry about your health from time-to-time, especially after an illness or during stressful periods. But if the worry feels constant, hard to control or starts affecting your daily life, it could be a sign of health anxiety. You might find yourself checking symptoms, seeking reassurance or avoiding certain situations, even without a clear medical reason. You’re not alone, and there’s no shame in how you feel. With the right support, things can get easier.

What’s the difference between health anxiety and hypochondria?

Health anxiety and hypochondria are essentially the same thing – an ongoing fear or worry about having a serious illness. Hypochondria is simply an older term that’s now more commonly called health anxiety. The language may have changed, but the experience is still very real, and support is available if you’re struggling.