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 3982 reviews and the average rating is 4.8 out of 5 stars.

Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Great service"

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Rating: [4 out of 5 stars!]

"I like the worksheets because they allow me to work through what I need to work through but at my own pace. So when I hit a stall point it allows me to stop, to think, to reflect and then complete them."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"I have been using the service for a couple week. I was able to be matched up with a therapist that seems to understand my self in a much deeper level.
I'm starting the journey to learn more about my self and why I am who I am. I'm excited for this journey and the impact it will have on my life!"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"This has been a great platform for me for my own therapy and my couples therapy. The online worksheets are very helpful"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"This is beyond helpful, no questions that i dont want to answer and no pressure to answer them."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"My therapist has been supportive and really listens to me."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"So far so good. I’ve really appreciated the speed at which we were able to get some couples therapy. Brittney has been great to work with!"

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Thus far, things have been going well. My therapist has responded in a timely manner, she's been very sensitive to the issues that I've brought up and has provided suggestions without being pushy. She clearly seems to understand where I'm coming from and grasps the issues I'm trying to address as well as the background that said issues stem from. I'm very satisfied with how things are progressing."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"The website is easy to understand and easy to navigate. Definitely recommend."

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Rating: [5 out of 5 stars!]

"Therapy has made a meaningful difference for both me and my partner. With the support of Shawn Matthews, we’ve grown tremendously and are finally moving forward together on a healthier, more positive path."

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