Are you constantly worried about your health despite having no signs of illness? Here’s what may be happening…

From the desk of Miles Everson:

I hope you’re well!

Every Friday, I talk about health, wealth, well-being, happiness, future of work, book reviews, marketing, tips, etc. in the hopes of helping you elevate your personal life and career.

Today, I want to talk about health anxiety.

Continue reading below to know more.

Are you constantly worried about your health despite having no signs of illness? Here’s what may be happening…

Did you know that there are people across the globe who suffer from “health anxiety”?

If you aren’t familiar yet, this is a  condition  defined as the pathological fear of suffering from a physical illness.

Fear of Getting Sick

Being worried about one’s health is natural since it’s part of the body’s response to a perceived threat.

However, when this turns to irrational fear, this becomes an area of concern, which might be a sign of having health anxiety.

According to  UCLA Health , this condition is diagnosed in 4% to 5% of people. However, this often goes undiagnosed and is projected by experts to affect more than 10% of the population.

There are two distinct conditions that qualify as health anxiety.

1. Illness Anxiety Disorder

   People with this disorder typically exhibit no medical symptoms but live with the ongoing fear of getting a disease or having a major medical emergency.

   Those who have this also tend to misinterpret changes in breathing, heart rate, or saliva levels as dangerous.

   According to UCLA Health, this type of anxiety can be confusing because  “as anxiety levels increase, so do the body’s reactions to that anxiety. The sensations felt are real. But the reaction to those sensations may not always be rational.”

2. Somatic Symptom Disorder

   Just like illness anxiety disorder, this causes extreme distress about health, leading someone who has this condition to focus solely on physical symptoms like pain, headache, or fatigue and worry excessively about the possible cause of those symptoms.

   If physicians find no medical reason for those symptoms, this disorder can cause someone extreme anxiety.

Health anxiety is treatable, regardless of the condition, which makes diagnosis a necessity.

Now that you know more about health anxiety, what are the signs related to this condition?

Based on information from UCLA Health, here are the typical signs:

• Having no symptoms but still afraid that you’re sick
• Seeking health information constantly
• Worrying that you have a disease after hearing about it on the news
• Screening your body for diseases repeatedly or avoiding medical appointments altogether to prevent diagnosis
• Continuing to worry about your health excessively even if a doctor and medical tests have cleared you of any sickness or condition
• Letting health worries interfere with your life, family, work, and hobbies

Since health anxiety is treatable, the best way to manage it is to consult with licensed medical professionals.

However, are there any other ways of coping with this anxiety?

In an interview with  Fortune , Paul Greene, director of the  Manhattan Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, suggested limiting searching for symptoms online, since this can amplify health-related anxiety.

Meanwhile, Dr. Joe Whittington, in an email correspondence with Fortune, suggested finding a doctor with whom you can trust and build a relationship with.

Dr. Whittington also suggested grounding techniques like deep breathing or distraction techniques like splashing your face with cold water to reset your nervous system.

Exercise, or even something as simple as a brisk walk was also suggested since these activities can help in removing anxious energy.

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Even though health anxiety is a topic that has yet to reach the mainstream, it’s a very real condition that must be paid attention to as it can negatively impact the daily life of a person in multiple ways.

So, should you or anyone you care about come to a point where you’re excessively worrying about your health even though there are signs you’re okay, consider consulting with a medical professional.

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