It's worrisome: How health anxiety is making you feel sick

Worrying constantly about your health, excessively Googling your symptoms and always anticipating a diagnosis of some severe illness are signs of Illness Anxiety Disorder. But what makes this diagnosis worse is the fact that if you fear a disease too much, your mind has the power to cultivate the symptoms.

If all you can think about on a late Sunday evening is the possible causes behind your long-stretched cough, you definitely have anxiety. And if a minor chest pain take your thoughts to diagnosing a heart attack, you are most likely to have health anxiety.

But these racing thoughts about a possible dangerous health diagnosis that even the doctors might end up missing are doing more harm than good to your health. How, you ask?

Worrying constantly about your health, excessively Googling your symptoms and always anticipating a diagnosis of some severe illness are signs of Illness Anxiety Disorder or, in simple words, health anxiety.

And, experts say, it greatly changes the way one lives.

"Illness anxiety disorder can deeply affect a person's quality of life. With constant fear of developing a serious disease or believing even the minor symptoms are pointing to a deadly disease, a person is unable to focus on his daily chores and may also lose productivity. This can further affect a person's personal and professional relationships," Dr Murali Krishna, Visiting Consultant, Psychiatry & Counselling Services, Aster RV Hospital, Bangalore, said.

Health anxiety not only takes a toll on your mental health but can also cause physical symptoms. So, if you fear a disease or two, so much so, that it is almost keeping you awake at nights, there are high chances your brain might trick you into believing you are already suffering from it.

"Our mind is both complex and simple. If a disease is constantly a part of your thoughts and you are petrified of it, your brain might trick you into believing that you are already having it. You will start experiencing symptoms similar to that disease and might even feel lethargic, which will further fuel the fear and make you believe that you have already contracted the disease," Dr Krishna explained.

But what cause such thoughts, and why does one get health anxiety in the first place? The answer has left even the experts scratching their heads.

"While there are no known causes of illness anxiety disorder, symptoms can worsen when a patient go down the Google rabbit hole. People with health anxiety are often tempted to perform a Google search on their symptoms and come up with a diagnosis. Add to it, the negative news that we are constantly fed through social media. All of this worsens the anxiety and adds unnecessary stress," Dr Krishna added.

The ills of health anxiety leads a person to a place where things look grim and worries take over. Things can become uglier if such negative thoughts make you detach from your friends and family in pursuit of staying safe from diseases.

"It leads to constant monitoring, extreme social distancing due to the fear of catching an infection, and frequent visits to the doctor. It also causes an unnecessary financial burden which adds to the woes," Dr Krishna concluded.

People with health anxiety also end up doing several medical investigations to assure themselves that they are healthy. Such tests are not only unnecessary and expensive but also a burden on healthcare.

Staying two miles away from doom scrolling, reassuring yourself that you are healthy and avoiding Googling your symptoms can help. A routine annual health check-up is sufficient to identify any risk factors.

However, if such thoughts are extreme, seeking professional help is always the best option.

(Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified medical practitioner with any questions about a medical condition. If you know someone who is suffering from anxiety or any other mental health disorder, reach out to a psychologist immediately).