Overcome Health Anxiety with Online Therapy

Category: Health Anxiety Online Therapy | Last updated: September 20th, 2025 | 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 4317 reviews and the average rating is 4.8 out of 5 stars.

Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"my therapist is great."

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Rating: [4 out of 5 stars!]

"I like the worksheets and enjoyed our first video session"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Went very well"

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Rating: [4 out of 5 stars!]

"It's good"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Within only a few weeks, i had obtained a mental toolset that has enabled me to manage myself in ways that have been life changing so far, fantastic for anyone who is more focused on the solution and not the reason for a problem"

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Rating: [4 out of 5 stars!]

"Helpful and convenient"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"This program as whole is exactly what I need and have been looking for. The cost for what you get is so affordable compared to other programs. The options are convenient. The tools keep you on track. I love the online journaling keeping giving me a go to in between sessions. I love the worksheets that make me think and guide me through more than just talking with my therapist. I love the available articles to read. Lastly, I love the therapist that I am working with. Finding someone that you can talk to easily and is actually helpful is the biggest challenge with therapy for me and I couldn't be more grateful for the therapist, Karla, that was assigned to me. I will be sticking with this program for the foreseeable months ahead and feel confident that it will be my first go to if, or when, problems arise in the future."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Fun, honest, and challenging. Also very fluid. The challenge is difficult to stand by and support, but I will do it."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Dr. Lucy has been incredible so far: patient, responsive, and supportive. Online therapy has been affordable and accessible, and I’m so glad I chose this path. I came here to work through some serious trauma, and I don’t think I realized how much I needed therapy until I finally started. It feels like I’m finally unburdening some of the weight I’ve been carrying on my own for so long."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"My therapist is a excellent"

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