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 4347 reviews and the average rating is 4.8 out of 5 stars.

Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Absolutely amazing Therapist, very kind and compassionate to my issues."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"It has been a good place to get a lot of burden of my shoulders. Being online makes it easier and more accessible for day to day life and the therapists to choose from as well as the content within the program is very well laid out."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Really helpful."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I came here with problems with myself that are/were affecting relationships with my family and friends and straining my relationship with my fiance.
As I have been on this site dealing with my issues, doing my worksheets, working with my therapist here I have in my opinion been making progress towards resolving the issues that brought me to signing up on this site. It has been extremely helpful so far."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Great service to talk with a therapist and really get to know yourself. alot of great additional tools to help understand yourself alot better as well"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"This is a really great platform for therapy. It makes therapy more accessible and affordable."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"its great"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Thanks for all the useful tools , great follow up with the counselling, appreciated every steps of this therapy.
Very helpful."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I have used Online-Therapy like a 'drop in' occasional service, usually for a month or so at a time. I have just used the messaging (cheap) plan and I honestly found it pretty helpful. I find set video or in person sessions quite stressful and a pressure to relax and be open. Messaging works well for me as you have time to go off and think about each reply. I'd say if you are struggling why not give it a try? Not too much money for one month."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Lynn is awesome"

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