Health anxiety is excessive worry about getting sick, but for many people it actually operates much more like obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD. The thoughts tend to be intrusive, repetitive, and unwanted, showing up as constant fears about serious illness, missed diagnoses, or bodily sensations that feel alarming. These worries are not simply reasonable health concerns. They are driven by doubt and uncertainty and feel impossible to fully resolve, even after medical reassurance or normal test results.

What keeps health focused OCD going is the pattern of compulsions that follow the fears. This can look like repeatedly checking the body, scanning for symptoms, googling medical information, scheduling frequent doctor visits, avoiding doctors, asking loved ones for reassurance, or avoiding situations that might trigger health fears. While these behaviors may calm anxiety briefly, they teach the brain that checking and reassurance are necessary for safety. Over time, this strengthens the cycle and makes the anxiety louder, more frequent, and harder to ignore.

Viewing health anxiety through an OCD lens matters because it changes how treatment is approached. Instead of trying to eliminate every fear or prove that nothing is wrong, effective treatment focuses on reducing compulsions and learning to tolerate uncertainty. With approaches like exposure and response prevention, individuals practice letting health related thoughts come and go without engaging in checking or reassurance seeking. This helps the brain relearn that anxiety can rise and fall on its own, allowing people to feel more grounded, confident, and present in their lives again. description

Health anxiety occurs when worries about your health become persistent, overwhelming, and difficult to manage. Even minor physical sensations or normal changes in the body can trigger fear. This may lead you to scan your body, seek reassurance online or from doctors, or avoid medical situations entirely. The anxiety can feel relentless, making it hard to trust yourself or feel at peace.

We understand how exhausting it can feel to live with these constant fears. Therapy provides a supportive space to help you separate anxious thoughts from reality, build coping strategies, and gradually regain confidence in your body. Our goal is to help you find a sense of calm, even when health worries arise.

Health anxiety can take many forms, and it doesn’t always look the same for everyone. Some people experience few or no physical symptoms but worry constantly about developing a serious illness, which may be diagnosed as Illness Anxiety Disorder. Others have real symptoms that feel worse due to anxiety, a pattern called Somatic Symptom Disorder. There’s also Health OCD, where intrusive thoughts about specific conditions lead to compulsive checking or avoidance behaviors.

It’s also possible to experience anxiety alongside a real medical condition. Chronic illnesses, pain, or ongoing health challenges can feel even harder to manage when anxiety is added into the mix. We tailor treatment plans to each person’s unique experience, whether your symptoms are mostly physical, mostly anxious thoughts, or a combination of both. This individualized approach helps address the root of the anxiety and reduce its impact on daily life.

Health anxiety is more common than most people realize. Research suggests it affects around 5% of the population, though the number may be higher due to underdiagnosis. People of all ages can experience it, but it often begins in adulthood. Genetics, family history of anxiety or OCD, and past medical or traumatic experiences can all contribute to developing health anxiety.

We have worked with clients of all ages from teens to adults helping them understand their triggers and patterns of worry. With compassionate guidance, we support you in regaining control, whether your anxiety stems from family experiences, past trauma, or a lifetime of heightened sensitivity to health concerns.

Living with health anxiety without support can create many challenges. You may find yourself avoiding doctors and important screenings out of fear, or seeking excessive testing that only provides temporary relief. The constant worry can interfere with your work, school, relationships, and hobbies, making life feel smaller and more stressful.

Seeking help allows you to understand when health concerns are valid and when anxiety is driving your behavior. We work with you to develop practical strategies, manage intrusive thoughts, and rebuild trust in your body. With guidance, you can reduce compulsive behaviors, make informed decisions about your health, and begin living a life less controlled by fear.

Treatment for health anxiety typically involves evidence-based therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). These approaches help you face situations or thoughts that trigger anxiety, resist compulsive behaviors like checking or researching, and learn to tolerate uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed. Therapy also teaches strategies for calming your body and mind, helping reduce the physical and emotional impact of anxiety.

We create individualized treatment plans tailored to your unique experience. Whether you have intrusive thoughts without symptoms, chronic health concerns with anxiety, or a combination of both, we help you gradually build skills to manage your fears. Over time, therapy can help you respond more objectively to bodily sensations, reduce avoidance, and regain control over your daily life.

Yes, health anxiety can be managed and significantly improved with the right treatment. While fears may not disappear completely overnight, therapy provides tools to reduce worry, resist compulsions, and rebuild confidence in your body. Many people find that with consistent work, their anxiety no longer controls their thoughts or daily activities.

We have helped countless clients regain balance and freedom from health anxiety. Through therapy, you can reconnect with activities, relationships, and goals that anxiety may have pulled you away from. The skills you build allow you to live more fully, even when uncertainty or minor health concerns arise. With patience, guidance, and practice, life beyond constant health worry is absolutely possible.