Health Anxiety Treatment
Health anxiety is a disorder characterized by excessive concern and anxiety about having or experiencing a serious medical condition. These feelings are accompanied with excessive checking behaviors and repeated requests for reassurance.
Illness anxiety -- sometimes called hypochondria caused by misinterpretation of body sensations and beliefs about illness. Psychotherapy (or talk-therapy) and medication are two treatment options.
Medicines
Health anxiety is a serious disease that limits one's ability to work and interact with others. There are a myriad of treatments that can help manage symptoms and allow people to live a fuller and happier life. These treatments can include psychotherapy and medication, or an amalgamation of both. Psychotherapy is usually the first step in addressing this issue, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a typical treatment. This kind of therapy helps you to recognize and challenge negative thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs that contribute to anxiety. It also assists you in finding various ways to deal with anxiety, including exercises and relaxation techniques.
The use of medications can be as a temporary treatment for severe anxiety episodes. Benzodiazepines, like Klonopin (clonazepam), Xanax (alprazolam) and Valium (diazepam) are quick-acting drugs that can provide immediate relief. They reduce the activity of certain brain neurons that are overexcited due to anxiety by targeting the neurotransmitter GABA. These medications shouldn't be used for more than four weeks in a row in order to avoid becoming addictive.
Antidepressants can be prescribed to treat anxiety and depression. Serotonin reuptake inhibiters, like SSRIs, increase serotonin levels in the brain. This may reduce anxiety and depression. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, which block the reabsorption process of both norepinephrine and serotonin can also be effective.
Health anxiety is a condition where people believe that they have a medical problem and can't forget about their symptoms even after being reassured by doctors. They may also be affected by mental illusions, such as somatic ones which make them believe that their symptoms are related to their mental or psychological state. They may have trouble sleeping, are unable to eat and feel physically uncomfortable. They may also be irritable or impatient and avoid their family and friends. The best way to address anxiety-related health issues is to identify the cause and seek help from a trained psychologist or psychiatrist. They can assist you in determining whether the anxiety is a result of an illness or medical condition and establish limits on lab tests, imaging and referrals.
Cognitive therapy for behavior
A little concern about your health is normal, but when it becomes chronic, it can be an important cause of stress. Fortunately cognitive behavioral therapy is among the most effective treatments for mental anxiety-related health issues.
The treatment involves learning new skills that will assist you in coping with anxiety in a more effective manner. It is typically several sessions that last about 45-60 minutes. A typical treatment program will comprise 12 to 20 sessions but it will vary depending on your unique needs. Through CBT, you will be taught to recognize your faulty behavior, like checking and seeking reassurance. You will learn a variety mindfulness techniques known to reduce anxiety and encourage recovery following illness.
Many people suffering from health anxiety are enthralled by the fear of developing serious medical conditions. This can trigger an array of unproductive behaviors such as frequent examinations, seeking out reassurance from medical professionals or other people as well as staying away from places and people who are a reminder of their illnesses. These actions can have a negative impact on relationships and life over time.
In a few cases health-related concerns, anxiety can be accompanied by other disorders, such as depression or delusional disorder (somatic type). But, most times, they focus on the misinterpretation of bodily sensations as well as exaggerated fears regarding the possibility of having a medical malady.
Health anxiety can cause a great deal of distress and interference with your daily activities. When health anxiety becomes an issue, it's important to seek out help so that you can be relieved and resume living life to the maximum.
There is no single cause for health anxiety. However, the most common causes include the sudden death of a close family member, difficult illnesses in childhood or adulthood or a history of omitted diagnoses of physical problems. It is important to explore these factors with your therapist to discover what has led to the development of your health anxiety. Together, you will be able to create the plan that will assist you in breaking the cycle of anxiety.
Talk therapy
People with health anxiety often make mistakes in interpreting bodily sensations, or exaggerate their chances of developing a specific disease. This constant preoccupation can cause anxiety and hinder the person from thriving in their daily lives.
A therapist can help you understand your perception of dangers and help you find ways to manage your anxiety. You can learn to stop avoiding situations, looking for answers, and seeking reassurance. These actions only reinforce your thoughts and beliefs about anxiety. In treatment for panic and anxiety attacks , you'll learn to challenge unhelpful assumptions and see things in a more balanced way. Medicines can also help in managing symptoms and reducing the degree of discomfort. They are often used to treat depression but can also be beneficial for health anxieties.
If your GP diagnoses illness anxiety disorder, he or she might refer you to psychotherapy or prescribe medication in order to alleviate your symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy is offered by a variety of NHS talking therapies services to treat this condition. Alternatively, you can contact an accredited psychologist or counsellor privately to receive psychotherapy. You can look up the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies Register or The British Psychological Society Directory to locate a registered psychologist.
Talk therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety-related health issues, since it helps you recognize negative or harmful thoughts and behaviors. Your therapist will most likely employ cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders.
CBT helps you recognize and challenge unhelpful or false beliefs about your body, you, and medical procedures. It helps you respond to your anxiety in a healthier way and avoid excessive medical testing or reassurance seeking behavior. In certain instances, your therapist will also utilize exposure therapy, which is confronting your fears in a secure environment and training your brain to respond differently.
For example, Harriet is 36 and has not had any major health issues. She is worried that she may have arthritis because of pain in two knuckles. She has visited a doctor and has received reassurance, but her worry persists. She starts to avoid activities and limit her social life because of her fear. A therapist could teach her CBT and help her to learn to manage the pain in her hands.
Family Therapy
Health anxiety patients spend a lot of their time worrying about serious illnesses such as HIV and dementia, as well as cancer. Their health anxiety can be so intense that it affects their daily routine and cause stress in their relationships. They are often convinced that any physical sensation is an indication of a serious illness. These individuals may spend time researching symptoms, seeking assurance from family members and friends or visiting numerous doctors for unnecessary tests. This can cause stress, financial strain and a lack of joy in life.
Typically, psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for health anxiety disorders. This type of therapy is known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Psychotherapy and medications can be combined to boost results. If medication is prescribed, small doses are usually used to avoid adverse reactions.
The first step of the family therapy session is to have an initial meeting with the therapy therapist. This meeting will allow the therapist to get an understanding of how anxiety affects the entire family and what the root issues are. Everyone in the family should be involved in the process.
If you're suffering from extreme anxiety it's a good idea to arrange an appointment with your primary care provider. This will allow you to rule out any medical conditions that may be causing anxiety.
People suffering from health anxiety are more likely to misinterpret normal physical sensations such as nausea, headaches or muscle twitch signs of a serious illness. Patients with health anxiety visit multiple doctors, and are informed that the symptoms are the result of their imagination. They may become dissatisfied and depressed by this experience, leading to a lack of willingness to seek proper treatment for their anxiety. In addition to causing financial and emotional stress, these patients often have to miss work or social events to attend appointments with their doctors. These patients also often argue with their families about their concern for their health. In some instances family members feel they are being blamed by their loved one and begin to behave in unhealthy ways.