Overcome Health Anxiety with Online Therapy

Category: Health Anxiety Online Therapy | Last updated: February 1st, 2022 | Reviewed and approved by:
Dr. Steven Gans, MD
Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD

Are You Health Conscious or Health Anxious?

Almost every one of us gets concerned about our health and well-being. And that concern can motivate us to try to optimize our eating, sleep and to lead a healthy lifestyle. Being health conscious can be great. It helps a lot in leading a healthy, happy, successful and meaningful life.

However, problems arise when this health consciousness gets transformed into “health anxiousness”. If you become too obsessed about your health and if you get too apprehensive that you are suffering from a severe illness (without the presence of such medical symptoms), then you may be experiencing health anxiety. In the past, psychologists referred to this as “hypochondria”. However, it is now called Illness Anxiety Disorder.

Illness Anxiety Disorder is a somatic symptom disorder in which the person suffering from it gets overly anxious or obsessed over his/her physical conditions. They see even a minor problem as an exaggerated severe illness. People suffering from Illness Anxiety Disorder often require continuous care, support and assurance from health service providers, family and acquaintances.

See if you recognize yourself in the symptoms of health anxiety:

Being preoccupied with having or developing a serious disease or health condition
Worrying that minor symptoms or body sensations mean you have a serious illness
Being easily alarmed about your health status
Finding little or no reassurance from doctor visits or negative test results
Worrying excessively about a specific medical condition or your risk of developing a medical condition because it runs in your family
Having so much distress about possible illnesses that it's hard for you to function
Repeatedly checking your body for signs of illness or disease
Frequently making medical appointments for reassurance — or avoiding medical care for fear of being diagnosed with a serious illness
Avoiding people, places or activities for fear of health risks
Constantly talking about your health and possible illnesses
Frequently searching the internet for causes of symptoms or possible illnesses

What’s more, people with Illness Anxiety Disorder can also experience additional mental health issues, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Clinical Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Treatment Procedures

The good news is that Illness Anxiety Disorder can be treated. Effective methods of treatment include Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy and support. You can receive these types of treatment here at Online Therapy.

Reviews

Our online therapy services have received 3846 reviews and the average rating is 4.8 out of 5 stars.

Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"It’s been a great help to have someone neutral to speak to and discuss our couples issues. Definitely recommend it!"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I have zero negative things to say. I'm happy with my therapist she is invested in my growth and overall mental health."

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Rating: [4 out of 5 stars!]

"I like the worksheets, but it can be alot to navigate sometimes."

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Rating: [4 out of 5 stars!]

"Easy to use professional service
Reasonable prices with discounts for those on low income
A package of support not only about therapy sessions but journaling, worksheets and yoga.
Highly recommended!"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I always feel better after speaking to my therapist. She has given me so many resources. A big thank you for always being on point."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I really have enjoyed my therapy sessions so far with my current therapist, Bernadette. As someone who travels quite a lot, I especially prefer this website as I can be super flexible with my appointments and if anything gets in the way, I almost always have the opportunity to reschedule my appointment. I tend to be really busy before prioritizing my mental health, so this is a great outlet for me to work on myself while also still living my daily life!"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I've tried a number of online therapy platforms. None were as good as this. This one works with you holistically and keeps you engaged on a daily basis. My therapist is excellent and she's always available via text and she replies promptly. So far my experience has been 👍 excellent!"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I love that you can easily schedule your next appointment."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I am getting good feedback and recommended reading to address my issues."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"The platform has been super easy to navigate & provides helpful bits to accompany therapy. Also, my therapist is awesome & I always look forward to our sessions."

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