Health Anxiety Treatment
Health anxiety is a disorder characterized by excessive concern and anxiety about the possibility of being diagnosed with a serious medical issue. The anxiety is accompanied by excessive checking behaviors and constant requests for reassurance.
Hypochondria, also known as illness anxiety is caused by a mistaken interpretation and false beliefs about illnesses. Treatment options include psychotherapy (or talk therapy) and medications.
Medicines
Health anxiety is a serious mental disorder that affects one's ability to work and socialize. There are many ways to treat symptoms and allow people to live a fuller life. The treatments include medication and psychotherapy, or the combination of both. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy, is frequently used to treat this disorder. This type of therapy helps you identify and challenge unhelpful beliefs, behavior, and thoughts that contribute to anxiety. It helps you find alternative ways to cope with anxieties, such as relaxation techniques and exercise techniques.
The use of medications can be as a short-term remedy for severe anxiety episodes. Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, Xanax, and Valium are fast-acting medicines that can offer immediate relief. They focus on the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutryic acids (GABA) and decrease the activity of certain neurons in the brain that are overexcited by anxiety. The use of these drugs should not be for more than four weeks consecutively in order to avoid becoming addictive.
generalized anxiety disorder treatment are often prescribed for anxiety, and can have a positive impact on the symptoms of depression as well. Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors, including SSRIs, raise levels of serotonin in the brain which can reduce anxiety and depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors which inhibit the reabsorption of serotonin as well as norepinephrine are also effective.
People with health anxiety often have a strong belief that they are suffering from medical conditions and cannot forget about their symptoms, even if they are they are assured by doctors. In certain cases, they also have delusions, for instance, somatic delusions, where they believe that their symptoms are related to their emotional or mental state. They may have trouble sleeping, are unable to eat and experience physical discomfort. They may also be frustrated, impatient, and avoid family and friends. The best method to tackle anxiety-related health issues is to find a diagnosis and help from a trained psychologist or psychiatrist. They can assist you in determining whether your anxiety is caused by a medical problem and set limits on laboratory tests, imaging and referrals.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
It's normal to be concerned about your health, but if this becomes excessive, this can lead to a lot of stress. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective psychological treatment for health anxiety.
The treatment involves learning new skills that will aid you in dealing with anxiety in a more effective way. The treatment typically comprises multiple sessions that last between 45 and 60 minutes. A typical treatment program will comprise 12 to 20 sessions, but it will vary depending on your individual requirements. In CBT, you will learn to recognize your faulty behaviors such as reassurance-seeking and checking. You will also learn to use a variety of mindfulness techniques that have been proven to reduce anxiety and aid in recovery from illnesses.
People who suffer from health anxiety frequently fear developing or having serious medical ailments. This can result in various maladaptive behaviors such as constant checking-ups, seeking assurance from medical professionals or other people and avoid people and places that make them think of illnesses. Over time, these behaviors can have a negative impact on their lives and relationships.
In some cases health-related concerns, anxiety are accompanied by other disorders such as depression or delusional disorder (somatic type). Most times they are caused by an incorrect interpretation of an illness.
Health anxiety can trigger a amount of stress and interfere with your daily activities. If you experience health anxiety as an issue, it's essential to seek help so that you can be relieved and resume living life to the maximum.
There is no one reason for anxiety-related health issues. However, the most common causes are the sudden loss of a close family member, difficult illnesses during adulthood or in childhood, and/or a past of missed diagnosis of physical issues. It is essential to discuss these causes with your therapist to understand what has contributed to the emergence of your health anxiety. Together, you can create an action plan to break out of the cycle of anxiety and reassurance, and begin to take advantage of the many benefits life has to offer.
Talk therapy
People suffering from health anxiety frequently misinterpret bodily sensations, or exaggerate their chances of contracting a specific illness. This constant preoccupation can cause stress and hinder the person from functioning normally in their daily lives.
A therapist can assist you to correct threat misappraisal and find ways to manage your anxiety in a healthy way. You can develop the skills to stop avoiding, focusing on and seeking comfort that only reinforce your anxious thoughts and beliefs. In addition, you'll develop the ability to challenge your negative assumptions and see things in a more balanced way. Medications can also be helpful in managing symptoms and reducing the degree of discomfort. They are commonly used to treat depression but can also be beneficial to those suffering from health anxieties.
If your GP determines that you have an illness anxiety disorder, they may refer you for psychotherapy or prescribe medication to help ease your symptoms. Many NHS talking therapies services provide cognitive behavioral therapy for this condition. Alternatively, you can contact an accredited psychologist or counsellor privately to receive psychotherapy. You can find a registered psychotherapist by looking through the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies register or the British Psychological Society directory.
Talk therapy is the most effective option for treating anxiety-related health issues, since it can help you identify negative or harmful thoughts and behaviors. In general your therapist will utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is the most effective approach for treating anxiety disorders.
CBT teaches you to identify and challenge harmful or untrue beliefs about yourself, your body and medical procedures. It also teaches you to practice healthier ways of responding to your anxieties, such as not undergoing too many medical tests or reassurance seeking. In some cases, your therapist will also use exposure therapy, which is confronting your fears in a safe environment and training your brain to respond in a different way.
Harriet for instance is 36 years old and has never had any serious health issues. She is worried that she may have arthritis due to pain in two knuckles. She has visited a doctor and received reassurance but her worry persists. She begins to avoid activities and reduce her social life due to her anxiety. A therapist can 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 worried about serious illnesses like HIV, dementia or cancer. Their anxiety about their health can become so pronounced that it interferes with the daily routine and causes stress in their relationships. They may think that any physical sensation could be a sign of an illness. They may spend hours researching symptoms or seeking reassurance from friends and family. They may also visit multiple doctors for unnecessary tests. This can result in stress, financial strain and a lack of enjoyment in life.
Psychotherapy is typically the most important element for treating health anxiety disorders. This type of therapy is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Medications can also be used in conjunction with psychotherapy to enhance outcomes. If medication is prescribed, it is usually be given in small doses to prevent adverse side effects.
The first step in a family therapy session involves an initial meeting with the therapist. This meeting will allow the therapist to get an understanding of how anxiety affects the entire family and what the root issues are. It is essential that all family members be involved in this process.
It's a great idea to make an appointment with your primary health care provider in case you suffer from extreme anxiety. This will help you rule out any medical conditions which could cause anxiety.
Health anxiety sufferers tend to misinterpret normal physical sensations like headache, nausea or muscle twitch as indications of a deadly disease. They visit a variety of doctors, and are told that the symptoms are the result of their imagination. They can be frustrated and discouraged by this experience, leading to a lack of motivation to seek proper treatment for their anxiety. They are not just emotionally and financially stressed but also miss out on social or work activities to attend doctor's appointments. They also frequently have disagreements with their spouses about their preoccupations with their health. In some cases, family members feel that they are being scapegoated by their loved one and start to behave in unhealthy ways.