Individuals with health anxiety often experience intrusive and distressing thoughts, ruminations, and fears about having or having acquired a serious illness…
BY DR. SYLVESTER IKHISEMOJIE
This week, we would like to address an aspect of our human experience that is an often-overlooked, yet profoundly significant problem known as health anxiety.
In doing so, we recognise that in the fast-paced, often tumultuous world we live in, the mind can be plagued by worries and fears that seem insurmountable. Health anxiety is one such concern that many individuals face.
Health anxiety, also known as hypochondria, manifests when a person becomes excessively preoccupied with the fear of having a serious illness, despite the absence of significant medical evidence to support such fears.
It is a form of anxiety where the individual becomes fixated on physical symptoms, interpreting them as alarming signals of a dire health issue. This concern can stem from various sources, be it a personal experience with a particular illness or a certain kind of friendship or proximity to a person or relative who has suffered from a specific health condition.
Health anxiety, also known as hypochondriasis or illness anxiety disorder, is a complex and debilitating psychological condition characterised by excessive and persistent worry, fear, and preoccupation with one’s own health, despite medical reassurances and a lack of evidence for any serious illness.
Among healthcare workers, these feelings start as early as when they are still students.
Among medical students, it is often the case that once they begin their clinical years, when they start to associate with patients, there begins a certain tendency to see in themselves the scary conditions they have seen among patients during their clinical rotations.
It is no different among student nurses. However, because the majority of these students are normal, these experiences soon fade away.
Individuals with health anxiety often experience intrusive and distressing thoughts, ruminations, and fears about having or having acquired a serious illness, disease, or condition such as cancer, heart disease, or neurodegenerative disorders.
These concerns may be triggered by minor physical sensations, symptoms, or bodily changes, which are misinterpreted as signs of a catastrophic illness.
People with health anxiety may engage in frequent self-examination, constantly checking their bodies for signs of illness, and may also seek repeated reassurance from healthcare providers, undergoing numerous medical tests and consultations even when medical professionals find no evidence of a serious condition.
Conversely, some individuals may avoid medical care altogether due to the fear of receiving a devastating diagnosis.
The experience of health anxiety can lead to a great deal of emotional turmoil. Individuals may find themselves frequently researching symptoms, visiting doctors, and undergoing unnecessary medical tests, all in the pursuit of assurance.
Health anxiety can manifest in various ways, including:
Excessive self-monitoring – As first mentioned above, occurs when individuals constantly check their bodies for signs of illness, such as monitoring their pulse, blood pressure, and blood sugar, or scanning their breasts for lumps or bumps.
Avoidance behaviours – This refers to the active avoidance of activities, places, or situations due to fear of illness or injury, or even more pointedly, to avoid situations in which they might be identified with having a disease or infirmity. A notable example could involve a male teenager with breast enlargement who refuses to take off his T-shirt outdoors, or a teenage girl who refuses to leave her parents’ house because her skeleton is bent in an awkward way.
Somatisation – In which a person experiences physical symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, or gastrointestinal issues, without a clear medical explanation. We have seen at least one such individual referenced in one of our recent essays in the question-and-answer segment.
Cyberchondria – It is derived from excessive internet use, is a relatively contemporary term referring to individuals who engage in obsessive online research about health concerns, leading to increased anxiety and worry. These individuals often consume all available information related to their perceived symptoms on Google and are colloquially referred to as “Google doctors.” In their searches, they are often overwhelmed with information, much of which is unnecessary but only serves to deepen their fears.