Health and Its In-Betweens

I used to be, too. I used to be so worried. I’ve been there, and I know you are too.

It’s one thing to really have symptoms of an illness and completely blow it out of proportion, and it’s another to assume you have an illness just because you saw someone else have it, to the point that you develop actual symptoms. Here I am, telling you. We’ve all been there.

My worries don’t always stop at ‘why am I having this headache’. It goes on and about. I’m talking of the dramatic I-helped-WebMD-diagnose-my-headache-as-a-brain-tumor kind of thing. Yes! Sounds familiar, right? That is why I explained in my previous article why it is not a good practice to Google your symptoms. What it does is make your anxiety go over the roof, and not only that, you may even be reading the wrong things, either it is watered down or exaggerated.

I must say, my brain is quite creative because the kind of scenarios it plays when this worry begins would make an Emmy-winning medical psychological thriller. There’s one part that’s literally begging me to calm down; it’s not all that, but the loudest is the one that whispers the ‘What ifs.’ I think it started while I was studying Nursing. The more I learn about a health condition, the more I actually think I have it. Literally! I remember a friend telling me once that this profession may be a curse. Now that I think about it, it’s partially true. I mean, I get to have sleepless nights because I know disease processes, and I’m worried that a tiny body rash is much more.

As negativity oftentimes accompanies anxiety, it doesn’t inherently ‘win’. I know it’s not a feeling you can just turn off, but we don’t always have to listen to those whispers.

That little rash is not skin cancer. Health anxiety, it is. Hypochondriasis, they called it. Currently, there are two new classes, Illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder. The former is for those with the fear of having a serious disease without little to no noticeable symptoms, while the latter is for those who have significant physical symptoms. People who have general anxiety are more likely to develop these.

Now, I’m not just here to tell you about my mind and health banter without letting you get some takeaways from this. I want you to be more informed than when you started reading this. And in the real sense, we both need it. We’ll discuss what these terms mean, everything in between. Before we go on, health anxiety is a psychiatric condition. NO, not to scare you, it being a psychiatric condition doesn’t mean you’re ‘mental.’

Let’s go!

Illness anxiety disorder (IAD)

Illness anxiety disorder is an excessive worry about developing a serious medical condition with mild or no physical symptoms at all, which causes intense anxiety, persisting for more than six months, and can shift from one illness to another.

In simple terms, it is when a person constantly worries about having or developing a serious illness, even when there are no physical symptoms at all, or has mild physical symptoms in some cases. It is not about faking symptoms but more of a deep, overwhelming fear that something is seriously wrong. The anxiety is more about “what could happen.”

Somatic symptom disorder

Somatic symptom disorder is related to IAD but different. It involves real physical symptoms such as pain or dizziness, which causes intense worry, stress, or disruption of daily life, even medical cause is unclear.

The symptoms are not imagined; rather, they’re real and really felt in the body, only that the interpretation and fear around them become overwhelming. The anxiety is about “what is happening.”

What causes health anxiety? Who is prone?

You may be prone to health anxiety if you have any of the following;

1. Past illness or trauma: Past illnesses or witnessing a loved one dying suddenly can cause the brain to be hypersensitive
2. Family history: Growing up around someone who was very health-focused or anxious about any illness can influence your behavior
3. Stress and anxiety: Engaging in stressful activities can make normal body sensations, such as increased heart rate, feel threatening
4. Personality trait: A naturally cautious or detail-oriented person to body changes may be more prone to health anxiety.
5. Information overload: Welcome to the Google era, where every headache is a brain tumor.

Is it OCD?

NO, but it can look similar.

What makes health anxiety worse

The exact things that cause health anxiety can make it worse if care is not taken. The most important thing is the lack of access to reliable information, because when you don’t understand how anxiety affects the body, every small symptom feels like a sign of something serious.

There are two types of people with health anxiety, the first is those who find themselves going to the hospital more, while the other is those who avoid hospitals because they’re afraid of being ‘right’. The former will make you dependent on reassurances to feel safe, which keeps the anxiety cycle going. The latter strengthens the fear, as the brain assumes danger every time you avoid something, making the anxiety bigger next time.

The seemingly ‘real’ fake symptoms

If you have health anxiety, you may often:

• Misinterpret normal body sensations as a sign of illness
• Constantly check your body for changes
• Seek reassurances repeatedly
•  Fear the unknown more than the actual symptoms

People who have health anxiety often feel very real physical sensations, but these sensations actually get intense because of the anxiety and not due to a dangerous illness. They include:

1. Chest pain or tightness, which may feel like a heart problem
2. Palpitations or fast heartbeats
3. Headaches
4. Dizziness
5. Stomach upset and diarrhea are often mistaken for digestive problems
6. Lump-in-the-throat sensation (Globus)
7. Frequent urination as a result of an activated fight-or-flight response
8. Jitteriness or shakiness

The health anxiety cycle

Health anxiety loops; it doesn’t just strike.

Breaking the cycle

The health anxiety cycle is not one you can just turn off like a switch, it requires strategies focused on limiting reassurance seeking and trusting medical advice. As long as your medical tests are normal, remind yourself.

Health Anxiety by proxy

This is a constant worry, not about your own health but the health of another person, particularly a loved one. Most commonly occur between parents and their children or between spouses. You feel and experience all of the above symptoms towards another person. It often comes from a place of love and protection, but it can become overwhelming and affect relationships.

On a final note, remember, your body is not failing you, it’s reacting to anxiety. Your fear is valid even if others don’t understand you, and you deserve a mind that doesn’t feel like an emergency room. With the right support and strategies, you can overcome your health anxiety.

Having a gut feeling about your health may be your saving grace in some instances. It may sometimes be protective. Health anxiety is diagnosed by a professional after a series of medical tests have ruled out physical causes.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional diagnosis or treatment. If you have concerns about your health, please consult your healthcare professional.