Can Therapy Make Health Anxiety Worse? What to Know

Everyone worries about their health and well-being from time to time. No one wants to be faced with a negative medical diagnosis. Your worries might be even greater if you have a history of health issues or if they run in your family.

However, there’s a difference between those common worries and anxiety over having or developing a certain illness. That is called health anxiety, and it can wreak havoc on your life.

Health anxiety can cause you to misinterpret symptoms, spend almost all of your time focused on your health, and need constant reassurance that you’re okay. So, it only makes sense to want to find the help you deserve to overcome those thoughts. Is therapy the answer, or can therapy make health anxiety worse?

Let’s take a closer look at what you should know to make the best decision for your well-being.

Key Characteristics of Health Anxiety

Again, everyone worries about their health sometimes. Health anxiety occurs when that worry is persistent and often disproportionate. You might not even have a clear medical basis for worrying, but it doesn’t stop fear from taking over.

Health anxiety can also cause you to misinterpret normal bodily sensations as something more serious. For example, if you have a headache or a muscle cramp, you might jump to the conclusion that it’s a serious illness instead of something minor.

People with health anxiety often check their bodies, looking for lumps, bumps, bruising, or any other signs of illness, and they also look for reassurance from friends and family that they’re healthy and not displaying any signs of disease.

The constant worry caused by health anxiety can take a toll on your life, impacting everything from your career to your relationships, as it consumes most of your time and energy.

The Potential Risks of Therapy for Health Anxiety

Therapy is often the best way to manage any kind of anxiety. However, it can come with some initial challenges. Most types of talk therapy require you to challenge negative thought patterns. You’ll have to focus on the things causing you fear for that to happen, which might temporarily cause your worries to worsen.

Therapy can also make you feel a sense of hopelessness at first. There is no instant fix. It’s a process that often takes time, and there might be setbacks along the way. Those setbacks might make you feel like you’ll never get past your fear. Again, that can increase your anxiety, at least temporarily, and even make you wonder if your fears are actually realistic.

The Benefits of Therapy

While you might experience some temporary setbacks as you begin therapy for health anxiety, rest assured that you won’t stay in that headspace.

Therapy is often highly effective when it comes to not only managing symptoms of anxiety, but also helping you understand the root cause so you can overcome it. While initial challenges might try to throw you for a loop, working with an experienced therapist will give you a sense of calm and help you feel empowered.

Changing unhealthy thought patterns will help you reduce the behaviors associated with health anxiety. That’s not something that can easily be done on your own. However, therapy can give you the tools needed to take those skills with you every day. Through professional guidance, you can learn to be more mindful, challenge harmful thoughts, and overcome irrational fears.

If you’re interested in learning more about how therapy can help with health anxiety, especially if you’ve been concerned about giving it a try, We are happy to answer questions. Contact the office today to set up a consultation.