About this guide
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About this guide
If you worry about your health a lot you may suffer from health anxiety. This guide is for people who suffer from this.
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What is health anxiety?
If you worry about your health a lot, it can make you feel even more poorly. You might think you have something seriously wrong with you, when really there is nothing wrong.
People who worry about their health see their doctor lots of times. When the doctor tells them they are ok, they may feel better at first but this doesn’t last for very long.
They often go back to the doctor, worried about the same problem or a new one, and they still worry that something is wrong even after many tests that say they are ok.
Is it normal to worry about health?
Everyone worries about their health at some time. Most people would be worried especially if they had to go into hospital or if the doctor asks to see them when they have had tests done.
Worrying about our health sometimes means we make good changes in our life, like eating better or doing more exercise or giving up smoking.
Worrying about your health becomes a problem if there is no reason to think you are poorly, but you change the way you live or constantly ask for medical check ups just in case you are.
Changes in the way you live could be:
- Not going out or mixing with friends in case you catch something or risk giving them something.
- Not going for a walk because you are worried about an ache or pain.
- Thinking and talking about your health much of the time.
How do I know if I have health anxiety?
You might find that you:
- Go to your doctor or nurse a lot, just to make sure everything is OK.
- Ask your friends or family if they think you are OK.
- Try to find out as much as you can about different illnesses.
- Check your body more often for lumps and bumps.
- Have a fear of hospitals or doctors.
- Start thinking you have illnesses that you've just heard something about.
- If you have a minor illness, you may believe it is something very serious.
- Stay away from anything to do with health, like TV programmes or going into chemists.
Most people with health anxiety worry a lot about the health or safety of people who they care about most.
Having health anxiety can change the way you feel:
- You might be nervous or frightened.
- You might feel stressed or on edge.
- You might feel strange or dizzy, like something ‘is not right’.
- You might feel unwell or tired.
- You might not feel yourself.
- You might feel cut off from other people.
It can change the way you think:
- You might worry all the time about being unwell.
- You might worry that when you see the doctor for help they might miss something.
- You might worry that there is something really wrong with you but you are too frightened to do anything about it.
- You might worry about someone important to you in case something happens to them or that minor symptoms they have become more serious.
It can change the way your body works:
- You might have funny feelings in parts of your body.
- You might have problems breathing.
- You might get dizzy or have a headache.
- You might need to go to the toilet a lot.
What can I do to stop worrying about my health?
There are lots of things you can do to help.
Notice things that cause you to worry about your health.
You could write a list or draw a picture of how you feel when you worry about your health.
Think about what takes your mind off your worries.
Try to start changing habits that make you worry more:
Keep busy so that you take your mind off things.
Stay away from anything to do with health, like TV programmes or going into chemists.
Do relaxation exercises like slowing your breathing and stretching when feeling anxious.
Talk to a friend about your worries.
Think about how many times you worried about your health but nothing bad happened.
Look after your body. Try to stick to a healthy diet and do some regular exercise.
Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol or any drugs not prescribed by your doctor.
If worry about your health stops you living the life you want to you may need to ask your doctor about seeing a nurse, psychologist or psychiatrist to help you manage this.
Where to get more help
If you would like to get more help or information about health anxiety, you can get in touch with these organisations:
Anxiety Care
Help with feeling nervous or tense.
www.
Mind Infoline
Help, information and support.
Telephone: 0300 123 3393
Email: info
www.
Rethink
Information and help for anyone who has mental health problems.
Advice Service: 0808 801 0525
Email: advice
www.
You can also get help and information from your doctor or nurse.
Ways to cope with health anxiety
Try to notice when you start thinking about your health, and notice what helps you stop thinking about it.
Think about what someone you trust would say to help you if they knew what you were thinking.
Think about what you were doing and where you were when the worries started again.
There may be something that triggers these thoughts.
If you know the trigger, you can try to manage it or avoid it.
It is important to find a balance between asking the doctor for help when you have symptoms and trying to manage your anxiety.
Your doctor or nurse may notice health anxiety and talk to you about it.
If you think you have health anxiety, tell your doctor.
Acknowledgement
Easy Read version developed by:
- Skills for People, Telephone: 0191 281 8737
Skills for People is a registered charity no. 1069993 - Many thanks to service users and healthcare staff who have contributed to the development of this guide
Adapted from Health Anxiety - A Self Help Guide written by Dr Lesley Maunder and Lorna Cameron www.
Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Ref, PIC/633/0525 May 2025 V4
Review date 2028