Materiały źródłowe

• #1 Illness anxiety disorder – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20373782

  Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms. Or you may believe that normal body sensations or minor symptoms are signs of severe illness, even though a thorough medical exam doesn’t reveal a serious medical condition. […] The exact cause of illness anxiety disorder isn’t clear, but these factors may play a role: […] You may have a difficult time tolerating uncertainty over uncomfortable or unusual body sensations. This could lead you to misinterpret that all body sensations are serious, so you search for evidence to confirm that you have a serious disease. […] You may be more likely to have health anxiety if you had parents who worried too much about their own health or your health. […] You may have had experience with serious illness in childhood, so physical sensations may be frightening to you.

• #2 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #3

  https://nikitasen.medium.com/health-anxiety-causes-symptoms-and-treatments-486793cfc824

  The causes of health anxiety are multifaceted and include a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. […] Biologically, genetic predisposition plays a role, as some individuals may be more likely to develop health concerns due to their family history. Additionally, neurochemical imbalances in the brain may contribute to increased levels of anxiety. Psychologically, past trauma can trigger health anxiety, as well as cognitive biases such as catastrophizing and selective attention to physical sensations. Environmentally, media exposure to health-related content may promote anxiety, as well as a family history of anxiety disorders. Understanding these causes is essential for effective intervention and management of health anxiety, helping individuals free themselves from the grip of excessive health anxiety and regain control over their lives.

• #4 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #5

  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1472263/

  Excessive health anxiety – which is anxiety about one’s health that is disproportionate to the person’s medical status – is a common and often debilitating problem. Little is known about its etiology. […] Results indicated that, after controlling for medical morbidity, environmental influences accounted for most of individual differences in health anxiety. […] This suggests that environmental factors play an important role in this disorder. […] A major problem in interpreting Torgersen’s results is the very small sample size (N = 35 twin pairs), along with the low population base-rate of hypochondriasis – lifetime prevalence = 1-5% (1) – which would make estimates of concordance in that study highly unreliable. […] Larger studies of MZ and DZ twins have examined the heritability of hypochondriasis using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Hypochondriasis (Hs) scale. Results suggested that hypochondriasis is moderately heritable, with genetic factors accounting for up to 35% of the variance in Hs scores (7,8).

• #6 Anxiety: Causes and Risk Factors

  https://www.verywellhealth.com/anxiety-causes-and-risk-factors-5191778

  There are several types of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and phobia-related disorders. […] Though the exact cause of these disorders is unknown, certain risk factors are thought to be involved, such as genetic predisposition, brain structure, and stressful life experiences. These factors may differ for each type of anxiety disorder. […] There is no known cause of anxiety disorders, but risk factors common to them include: […] A history of anxiety or other mental health conditions in biological relatives: You are more likely to develop anxiety disorders if a close family member, such as a parent, has one. […] As with many mental health and medical conditions, a person can be genetically predisposed to developing anxiety disorders. […] Genetic vulnerability, combined with certain environmental factors, is thought to trigger the development of anxiety disorder symptoms.

• #7

  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1472263/

  Excessive health anxiety – which is anxiety about one’s health that is disproportionate to the person’s medical status – is a common and often debilitating problem. Little is known about its etiology. […] Results indicated that, after controlling for medical morbidity, environmental influences accounted for most of individual differences in health anxiety. […] This suggests that environmental factors play an important role in this disorder. […] A major problem in interpreting Torgersen’s results is the very small sample size (N = 35 twin pairs), along with the low population base-rate of hypochondriasis – lifetime prevalence = 1-5% (1) – which would make estimates of concordance in that study highly unreliable. […] Larger studies of MZ and DZ twins have examined the heritability of hypochondriasis using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Hypochondriasis (Hs) scale. Results suggested that hypochondriasis is moderately heritable, with genetic factors accounting for up to 35% of the variance in Hs scores (7,8).

• #8 Anxiety Disorders: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Types

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders

  What causes anxiety disorders? […] Like other types of mental health conditions, researchers dont know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. But they think a combination of factors plays a role: […] Chemical imbalances: Several neurotransmitters and hormones play a role in anxiety, including norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Imbalances in these chemicals can contribute to an anxiety disorder. […] Brain changes: A part of your brain called the amygdala plays an important role in managing fear and anxiety. Studies show that people with anxiety disorders show increased amygdala activity in response to anxiety cues. […] Genetics: Anxiety disorders tend to run in biological families. This suggests that genetics may play a role. You may be at an increased risk of developing one if you have a first-degree relative (biological parent or sibling) with an anxiety disorder. […] Environmental factors: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the balance of neurotransmitters that control your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can contribute to an anxiety disorder. Experiencing a traumatic event can also trigger anxiety disorders.

• #9 Illness Anxiety Disorder Clinical Presentation: History, Physical, Causes

  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/290955-clinical

  The core feature of illness anxiety disorder is a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious, undiagnosed medical illness. […] Developmental and other predisposing factors consistently indicate the importance of parental attitudes toward disease, previous experience with physical disease, and culturally acquired attitudes relevant to the etiology of the disorder. […] A cognitive model of illness anxiety disorder suggests that patients misinterpret bodily symptoms by augmenting and amplifying their somatic sensations. […] The psychodynamic theory implies that aggressive and hostile wishes toward others are transferred via repression and displacement into physical complaints. […] Neurochemical deficits with illness anxiety disorder and some other somatoform disorders (eg, body dysmorphic disorder [BDD]) appear similar to those of depressive and anxiety disorders.

• #10 Anxiety Disorders: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Types

  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9536-anxiety-disorders

  What causes anxiety disorders? […] Like other types of mental health conditions, researchers dont know exactly what causes anxiety disorders. But they think a combination of factors plays a role: […] Chemical imbalances: Several neurotransmitters and hormones play a role in anxiety, including norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Imbalances in these chemicals can contribute to an anxiety disorder. […] Brain changes: A part of your brain called the amygdala plays an important role in managing fear and anxiety. Studies show that people with anxiety disorders show increased amygdala activity in response to anxiety cues. […] Genetics: Anxiety disorders tend to run in biological families. This suggests that genetics may play a role. You may be at an increased risk of developing one if you have a first-degree relative (biological parent or sibling) with an anxiety disorder. […] Environmental factors: Severe or long-lasting stress can change the balance of neurotransmitters that control your mood. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period can contribute to an anxiety disorder. Experiencing a traumatic event can also trigger anxiety disorders.

• #11 What Causes Anxiety? Risk Factors and More

  https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-causes

  The exact causes of anxiety disorders are unknown. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a combination of genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Brain chemistry is also being studied as a possible cause. The areas of your brain that control your fear response may be involved. […] Much research is being done into what causes anxiety disorders. Experts believe it involves a combination of factors, including genetic factors and social stress. […] Studies of twins suggest that genetics may play a role. For example, a study reported in PloS ONE suggests the RBFOX1 gene may be involved in the development of anxiety-related conditions, such as generalized anxiety disorder. The authors believe that both genetic and nongenetic factors play a part. […] Certain parts of the brain, such as the amygdala and hippocampus, are also being studied. Your amygdala is a small structure deep inside your brain that processes threats. It alerts the rest of your brain when there are signs of danger. It can trigger a fear and anxiety response. It seems to play a part in anxiety disorders that involve fear of specific things, such as cats, bees, or drowning.

• #12 Azthena logo with the word Azthena

  https://www.news-medical.net/health/Health-Anxiety-Disorder-Causes.aspx

  Health anxiety disorder, formerly known as hypochondriasis or hypochondria, is a condition wherein a person believes that he or she is seriously ill, with only a few or no symptoms. […] There are many theories that suggest the cause of health anxiety. […] The cognitive theory involves the catastrophic misinterpretations of sensations and symptoms. This means that the patient may misinterpret various sensations he or she feels. […] The biological theory refers to the physiological and adaptive responses of the body to fear. Some people may develop anxiety disorders, such as hypochondriasis, as a result of their genetic predisposition. […] The psychological factors involve the persons beliefs, thoughts, and perceptions. These may be linked to their environment, themselves, and their experiences. […] Theoretically, people develop an anxiety disorder when they have both psychological and biological susceptibilities. But, in some cases, people may develop health disorder from the social environment. These include social interactions, life experiences, and relationships with others.

• #13 Always worried about your health? You may be dealing with health anxiety disorder – Harvard Health

  https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/always-worried-about-your-health-you-may-be-dealing-with-health-anxiety-disorder

  Health anxiety is a condition that causes healthy people to worry that they are sick even when they have no symptoms, or minor symptoms like a scratchy throat. […] People with health anxiety often misinterpret normal or benign physical symptoms and attribute them to something more serious. […] Symptoms produced by anxiety which can include muscle pain, chest pain, heart rate changes, headaches, and dizziness, among others can heighten existing anxiety about one’s health. […] While testing may seem like a quick, easy way to alleviate health-related worries, for people in whom health anxiety has become uncontrollable, testing rarely provides lasting relief. […] This avoidance can become very dangerous when someone has a real condition but is afraid to get checked out for fear of bad news such as a person who has appendicitis but puts off going to the doctor.

• #14 Illness anxiety disorder – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20373782

  Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms. Or you may believe that normal body sensations or minor symptoms are signs of severe illness, even though a thorough medical exam doesn’t reveal a serious medical condition. […] The exact cause of illness anxiety disorder isn’t clear, but these factors may play a role: […] You may have a difficult time tolerating uncertainty over uncomfortable or unusual body sensations. This could lead you to misinterpret that all body sensations are serious, so you search for evidence to confirm that you have a serious disease. […] You may be more likely to have health anxiety if you had parents who worried too much about their own health or your health. […] You may have had experience with serious illness in childhood, so physical sensations may be frightening to you.

• #15 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #16 Illness Anxiety Disorder Clinical Presentation: History, Physical, Causes

  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/290955-clinical

  The core feature of illness anxiety disorder is a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious, undiagnosed medical illness. […] Developmental and other predisposing factors consistently indicate the importance of parental attitudes toward disease, previous experience with physical disease, and culturally acquired attitudes relevant to the etiology of the disorder. […] A cognitive model of illness anxiety disorder suggests that patients misinterpret bodily symptoms by augmenting and amplifying their somatic sensations. […] The psychodynamic theory implies that aggressive and hostile wishes toward others are transferred via repression and displacement into physical complaints. […] Neurochemical deficits with illness anxiety disorder and some other somatoform disorders (eg, body dysmorphic disorder [BDD]) appear similar to those of depressive and anxiety disorders.

• #17 My terror of living with health anxiety – Mental Health UK

  https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/my-terror-of-living-with-health-anxiety/

  One of the hardest things I found about experiencing health anxiety is the guilt that comes with it. […] However, when I did reach out for support, I immediately felt it was the right thing to do as it helped me unravel my feelings and I realised that actually I wasnt being selfish. […] Through talking therapy, I managed to get to the potential root causes of why my anxiety surrounding health and death might be the way it is. […] There might not always be an obvious reason, and there doesnt have to be a reason to experience health anxiety. […] But therapy can help you to think about life events, past traumas, worries or concerns you have in life about health or death that might be triggering your anxiety. […] I realised a lot of my anxiety was related to being in control, and being fully in control of our health sadly isnt something we can be. […] My experience actually took place pre-pandemic. But I read that health anxiety has sharply risen post the Covid-19 pandemic, due to the trauma many of us experienced and how health consumed our lives during that period.

• #18 Illness anxiety disorder – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20373782

  Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms. Or you may believe that normal body sensations or minor symptoms are signs of severe illness, even though a thorough medical exam doesn’t reveal a serious medical condition. […] The exact cause of illness anxiety disorder isn’t clear, but these factors may play a role: […] You may have a difficult time tolerating uncertainty over uncomfortable or unusual body sensations. This could lead you to misinterpret that all body sensations are serious, so you search for evidence to confirm that you have a serious disease. […] You may be more likely to have health anxiety if you had parents who worried too much about their own health or your health. […] You may have had experience with serious illness in childhood, so physical sensations may be frightening to you.

• #19 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #20 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #21 What are the Causes of Hypochondria

  https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/causes-of-hypochondria

  Difficulty in Expressing Emotions Some people experience difficulties in expressing their emotions. […] A Hypochondriacal or Overly Protective Parental Figure Learned behavior from a hypochondriacal caregiver is a potential cause of hypochondria. […] Learning the specifics of the cause behind a persons hypochondria is the first step towards addressing their core beliefs about why illness needs to be a part of their life and cultivating healthier beliefs to replace them, so that eventually they can be healthy, happy, and even happy to be healthy.

• #22 Anxiety Disorders (for Parents) | Nemours KidsHealth

  https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/anxiety-disorders.html

  Several things play a role in causing the overactive „fight or flight” that happens with anxiety disorders. They include: […] A child who has a family member with an anxiety disorder is more likely to have one too. Kids may inherit genes that make them prone to anxiety. […] Genes help direct the way brain chemicals (called neurotransmitters) work. If specific brain chemicals are in short supply, or not working well, it can cause anxiety. […] Things that happen in a child’s life can be stressful and difficult to cope with. Loss, serious illness, death of a loved one, violence, or abuse can lead some kids to become anxious. […] Growing up in a family where others are fearful or anxious also can „teach” a child to be afraid too.

• #23 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #24 What is Health Anxiety? – Wellbeing Lothian

  https://services.nhslothian.scot/wellbeinglothian/what-is-health-anxiety/

  Most of us know what its like to worry about our health at some point in our life. But for some people, worries about being ill or becoming ill are overwhelming and begin to take over their life. This level of worry is called health anxiety. […] Experts arent sure of the exact causes of health anxiety, but its thought that the following factors may be involved: […] Having a poor understanding of physical sensations or diseases can lead people to think that a serious disease is causing bodily sensations. This can then lead to looking for evidence that confirms a disease […] Having a family member or members who worried excessively about their health or the health of others […] Having past experiences of dealing with real serious illness in childhood, so as an adult, the physical sensations you experience are frightening to you […] A stressful event or situation […] The possibility of a serious illness that turns out not to be serious […] Being abused as a child […] Having had a serious childhood illness or a parent with a serious illness.

• #25 What are the Causes of Hypochondria

  https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/causes-of-hypochondria

  Hypochondria is a disorder marked by the persistent and misguided belief that you have serious health problems when no such problems are present. […] Hypochondria can be serious for a lot of people. But what causes it isn’t entirely known. […] This condition is caused by an oversensitivity to the way a person feels, combined with serious panic attacks that mimic terrible diseases all leading to the person feeling as though something must be wrong with their health. […] Other potential causes for hypochondria are listed below. […] A History of Physical and/or Sexual Abuse Observing or experiencing physical and sexual abuse, particularly as a child, can result in a heightened sense of physical vulnerability. […] Google Syndrome Search engines may contribute to hypochondria. […] Seriously ill family members or friends can create an environment, for a child especially, where love and attention are directly linked to the illness.

• #26 Illness Anxiety Disorder | Health Anxiety | Hypochondriasis – Causes, Signs & Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis, Health Tips

  https://www.medindia.net/health/conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder.htm

  When a child sees that a family member who is seriously ill is getting all the attention, they tend to link expression of love and affection to the illness. […] Experiences of abuse during childhood can make the individual feel vulnerable and unstable. […] Parents who are anxious about their children’s health can be the reason for a child to develop hypochondriac behavior during later years. […] People take to looking into the internet for their symptoms that may be harmless. The information on the internet presents all possible disorders associated with a particular symptom or set of symptoms.

• #27 What are the Causes of Hypochondria

  https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/causes-of-hypochondria

  Hypochondria is a disorder marked by the persistent and misguided belief that you have serious health problems when no such problems are present. […] Hypochondria can be serious for a lot of people. But what causes it isn’t entirely known. […] This condition is caused by an oversensitivity to the way a person feels, combined with serious panic attacks that mimic terrible diseases all leading to the person feeling as though something must be wrong with their health. […] Other potential causes for hypochondria are listed below. […] A History of Physical and/or Sexual Abuse Observing or experiencing physical and sexual abuse, particularly as a child, can result in a heightened sense of physical vulnerability. […] Google Syndrome Search engines may contribute to hypochondria. […] Seriously ill family members or friends can create an environment, for a child especially, where love and attention are directly linked to the illness.

• #28 Social Anxiety Disorder: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

  https://patient.info/mental-health/anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder

  Some causes of anxiety disorder include: […] Many people with social anxiety disorder have had traumatic events in childhood. These can include having been bullied at school, having lived with controlling or authoritarian parents, having experienced abuse or living with family conflict. […] There is a genetic component as well; people are more likely to develop social anxiety disorder if a parent or sibling has been similarly affected. […] It is now known that early negative childhood experiences can affect the development of the brain so situations like neglect, abuse or ridicule in very young children can cause mental health conditions such as social anxiety disorder in later childhood/teens/adulthood. […] In one study about half of affected people said their phobia began after one memorable embarrassing experience. The other half said it had been present for 'as long as they could remember’.

• #29 Hypochondriasis – Wikipedia

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypochondriasis

  Anecdotal evidence suggests that some individuals become hypochondriac after experiencing major medical diagnosis or death of a family member or friend. Similarly, when approaching the age of a parent’s premature death from disease, many otherwise healthy, happy individuals fall prey to hypochondria. These individuals believe they have the same disease that caused their parent’s death, sometimes causing panic attacks with corresponding symptoms.

• #30 Hypochondriasis – Wikipedia

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypochondriasis

  Anecdotal evidence suggests that some individuals become hypochondriac after experiencing major medical diagnosis or death of a family member or friend. Similarly, when approaching the age of a parent’s premature death from disease, many otherwise healthy, happy individuals fall prey to hypochondria. These individuals believe they have the same disease that caused their parent’s death, sometimes causing panic attacks with corresponding symptoms.

• #31 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #32 Hypochondria: Types, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and More

  https://www.health.com/hypochondria-7975877

  While the exact cause of illness anxiety disorder is unknown, there are known risk factors. Anyone can develop illness anxiety disorder, but you more likely to develop the condition if you’ve experienced any of the following: An anxiety disorder like generalized anxiety disorder, An immediate family member with IAD, A personal experience with a serious or chronic illness or having a family member go through such an experience, A negative experience with the medical system that makes you distrust your healthcare providers, A major health scare that turned out to not be a problem, Sexual, physical, or child abuse, Discomfort with normal bodily sensations, such as sweating.

• #33 Always worried about your health? You may be dealing with health anxiety disorder – Harvard Health

  https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/always-worried-about-your-health-you-may-be-dealing-with-health-anxiety-disorder

  Statistics show that anxiety disorders, in general, are vastly undertreated. […] This may reflect the stigma related to these conditions, and in the case of health anxiety, people may not actually attribute their symptoms to anxiety, but truly believe they are sick. […] It’s common for people with health anxiety to have other mental health conditions as well, such as depression, an anxiety disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

• #34 Health Anxiety – English Fact Sheets – ABCT – Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

  https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/health-anxiety/

  Anxiety is the body’s natural response to the perception of threat. Because most people consider their physical health to be of great importance, it is not surprising that most people experience anxiety about their health from time to time. Most people’s health anxiety is fleeting, in that reassurance from a medical professional alleviates any distress and worry. […] Other people, however, experience anxiety about their health that is intensely distressing, frequent, and persistent. Such “clinical health anxiety” is especially common for people with psychological disorders such as illness anxiety disorder (IAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, or somatic symptom disorder (i.e., hypochondriasis, pain disorder). In health anxiety (which is not an official diagnosis itself), the person experiences excessive, unreasonable fears of, and a preoccupation with, having or acquiring a serious illness such as heart disease, cancer, or some other physical malady. The fear and anxiety is usually based on a misinterpretation of a harmless (or minor) bodily sensation (e.g., heart fluttering, dizziness, headache) and it persists in spite of appropriate medical evaluation and determination that no medical problem is present.

• #35 Health anxiety – NHS

  https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/health-anxiety/

  Health anxiety is when you spend so much time worrying you’re ill, or going to get ill, that it starts to take over your life. It’s related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). […] If a GP diagnoses you with health anxiety, they may refer you for a talking therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or offer you a medicine for anxiety.

• #36 Illness Anxiety Disorder Clinical Presentation: History, Physical, Causes

  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/290955-clinical

  The core feature of illness anxiety disorder is a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious, undiagnosed medical illness. […] Developmental and other predisposing factors consistently indicate the importance of parental attitudes toward disease, previous experience with physical disease, and culturally acquired attitudes relevant to the etiology of the disorder. […] A cognitive model of illness anxiety disorder suggests that patients misinterpret bodily symptoms by augmenting and amplifying their somatic sensations. […] The psychodynamic theory implies that aggressive and hostile wishes toward others are transferred via repression and displacement into physical complaints. […] Neurochemical deficits with illness anxiety disorder and some other somatoform disorders (eg, body dysmorphic disorder [BDD]) appear similar to those of depressive and anxiety disorders.

• #37

  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1472263/

  Excessive health anxiety – which is anxiety about one’s health that is disproportionate to the person’s medical status – is a common and often debilitating problem. Little is known about its etiology. […] Results indicated that, after controlling for medical morbidity, environmental influences accounted for most of individual differences in health anxiety. […] This suggests that environmental factors play an important role in this disorder. […] A major problem in interpreting Torgersen’s results is the very small sample size (N = 35 twin pairs), along with the low population base-rate of hypochondriasis – lifetime prevalence = 1-5% (1) – which would make estimates of concordance in that study highly unreliable. […] Larger studies of MZ and DZ twins have examined the heritability of hypochondriasis using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Hypochondriasis (Hs) scale. Results suggested that hypochondriasis is moderately heritable, with genetic factors accounting for up to 35% of the variance in Hs scores (7,8).

• #38 Causes of Hypochondria or Illness Anxiety Disorder | PortalCLÍNIC

  https://www.clinicbarcelona.org/en/assistance/diseases/illness-anxiety-disorder/causes-and-risk-factors

  The causes of illness anxiety disorder are unknown, although stress may be a trigger for its onset. […] Some factors probably increase the risk of developing it, such as someone you know having an illness or having had one, or an increase in certain diseases globally, such as the COVID pandemic.

• #39 What is Health Anxiety? – Wellbeing Lothian

  https://services.nhslothian.scot/wellbeinglothian/what-is-health-anxiety/

  Most of us know what its like to worry about our health at some point in our life. But for some people, worries about being ill or becoming ill are overwhelming and begin to take over their life. This level of worry is called health anxiety. […] Experts arent sure of the exact causes of health anxiety, but its thought that the following factors may be involved: […] Having a poor understanding of physical sensations or diseases can lead people to think that a serious disease is causing bodily sensations. This can then lead to looking for evidence that confirms a disease […] Having a family member or members who worried excessively about their health or the health of others […] Having past experiences of dealing with real serious illness in childhood, so as an adult, the physical sensations you experience are frightening to you […] A stressful event or situation […] The possibility of a serious illness that turns out not to be serious […] Being abused as a child […] Having had a serious childhood illness or a parent with a serious illness.

• #40 My terror of living with health anxiety – Mental Health UK

  https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/my-terror-of-living-with-health-anxiety/

  One of the hardest things I found about experiencing health anxiety is the guilt that comes with it. […] However, when I did reach out for support, I immediately felt it was the right thing to do as it helped me unravel my feelings and I realised that actually I wasnt being selfish. […] Through talking therapy, I managed to get to the potential root causes of why my anxiety surrounding health and death might be the way it is. […] There might not always be an obvious reason, and there doesnt have to be a reason to experience health anxiety. […] But therapy can help you to think about life events, past traumas, worries or concerns you have in life about health or death that might be triggering your anxiety. […] I realised a lot of my anxiety was related to being in control, and being fully in control of our health sadly isnt something we can be. […] My experience actually took place pre-pandemic. But I read that health anxiety has sharply risen post the Covid-19 pandemic, due to the trauma many of us experienced and how health consumed our lives during that period.

• #41 Illness Anxiety Disorder – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf

  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/

  Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis) is a psychiatric disorder defined by excessive worry about having or developing a serious undiagnosed medical condition. […] The exact etiology of illness anxiety disorder remains largely unknown. However, multiple risk factors have been implicated in the development of this disorder. […] People with IAD may be uncomfortable experiencing normal body sensations, and they may label the subtle bodily changes as pathological. […] If a person is raised in a family where health anxieties are frequently discussed or if parents were disproportionately concerned about health-related issues, IAD may develop. […] A person might be at increased risk of developing IAD if they experienced serious illness in their childhood or their parent(s) or siblings suffered from a serious medical condition. […] People with underlying anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) are also at an increased risk of developing IAD. […] If a person spends an exorbitant amount of time reviewing health-related materials on the internet, he or she may be at an increased risk of developing IAD.

• #42 What to Know About Hypochondriasis or Illness Anxiety Disorder

  https://www.verywellmind.com/hypochondriasis-2671689

  Illness anxiety disorder (IAD), formerly known as hypochondriasis, is a condition marked by an excessive fear of having a serious medical condition despite having few or no symptoms. […] The exact causes of illness anxiety disorder are not known, but there are a number of contributing factors that may play a role in the development of this condition. Some of these factors may include: a history of illness during childhood, having another mental health condition such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or major depressive disorder, a history of trauma, abuse, or neglect during childhood, the presence of a serious symptom that poses a health threat, stress, feeling uncomfortable when experiencing normal body sensations. […] Some research also suggests that people may have a higher risk of developing IAD if they spend a great deal of time on the internet reviewing the symptoms of different health conditions.

• #43 What are the Causes of Hypochondria

  https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/causes-of-hypochondria

  Hypochondria is a disorder marked by the persistent and misguided belief that you have serious health problems when no such problems are present. […] Hypochondria can be serious for a lot of people. But what causes it isn’t entirely known. […] This condition is caused by an oversensitivity to the way a person feels, combined with serious panic attacks that mimic terrible diseases all leading to the person feeling as though something must be wrong with their health. […] Other potential causes for hypochondria are listed below. […] A History of Physical and/or Sexual Abuse Observing or experiencing physical and sexual abuse, particularly as a child, can result in a heightened sense of physical vulnerability. […] Google Syndrome Search engines may contribute to hypochondria. […] Seriously ill family members or friends can create an environment, for a child especially, where love and attention are directly linked to the illness.

• #44 Health anxiety disorder – Priory

  https://www.priorygroup.com/mental-health/anxiety-treatment/health-anxiety

  Health anxiety is a specific type of anxiety disorder, where people spend a lot of time worrying about being unwell or becoming unwell. […] Its possible for the symptoms of health anxiety to just appear out of the blue with no clear cause. It can also be linked back to a trigger event. Examples of potential triggers for health anxiety include: […] A lack of information, or poor understanding of disease and illness, can also contribute to health anxiety. You might look on the internet for answers and assume that the most severe responses are what’s happening to you. […] This information may not have been reliably sourced and might be at odds with the reality of your symptoms this can therefore fuel your health anxiety.

• #45 What is Health Anxiety? – Wellbeing Lothian

  https://services.nhslothian.scot/wellbeinglothian/what-is-health-anxiety/

  Most of us know what its like to worry about our health at some point in our life. But for some people, worries about being ill or becoming ill are overwhelming and begin to take over their life. This level of worry is called health anxiety. […] Experts arent sure of the exact causes of health anxiety, but its thought that the following factors may be involved: […] Having a poor understanding of physical sensations or diseases can lead people to think that a serious disease is causing bodily sensations. This can then lead to looking for evidence that confirms a disease […] Having a family member or members who worried excessively about their health or the health of others […] Having past experiences of dealing with real serious illness in childhood, so as an adult, the physical sensations you experience are frightening to you […] A stressful event or situation […] The possibility of a serious illness that turns out not to be serious […] Being abused as a child […] Having had a serious childhood illness or a parent with a serious illness.

• #46 Anxiety disorders – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

  The causes of anxiety disorders aren’t fully understood. Life experiences such as traumatic events appear to trigger anxiety disorders in people who are already prone to anxiety. Inherited traits also can be a factor. […] For some people, anxiety may be linked to an underlying health issue. In some cases, anxiety signs and symptoms are the first indicators of a medical illness. If your doctor suspects your anxiety may have a medical cause, he or she may order tests to look for signs of a problem. […] Examples of medical problems that can be linked to anxiety include: Heart disease, Diabetes, Thyroid problems, such as hyperthyroidism, Respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, Drug misuse or withdrawal, Withdrawal from alcohol, anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines) or other medications, Chronic pain or irritable bowel syndrome, Rare tumors that produce certain fight-or-flight hormones.

• #47 Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

  https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/anxiety-disorders

  There isn’t a complete understanding of where anxiety disorders come from. Some causes of anxiety disorders include: […] Genetics. Anxiety disorders can run in families. […] Brain chemistry. Some research suggests anxiety disorders may be linked to faulty circuits in the brain that control fear and emotions. […] Environmental stress. This refers to stressful events you have seen or lived through. Life events often linked to anxiety disorders include childhood abuse and neglect, the death of a loved one, or being attacked or seeing violence. […] Drug or alcohol withdrawal or misuse. Certain drugs may be used to hide or decrease certain anxiety symptoms. Anxiety disorder often goes hand in hand with alcohol and substance use. […] Medical conditions. Some heart, lung, and thyroid conditions can cause symptoms similar to anxiety disorders or make anxiety symptoms worse. GI disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome), respiratory conditions (such as asthma), and tumors that create certain hormones can be linked to anxiety.

• #48 Always worried about your health? You may be dealing with health anxiety disorder – Harvard Health

  https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/always-worried-about-your-health-you-may-be-dealing-with-health-anxiety-disorder

  Health anxiety is a condition that causes healthy people to worry that they are sick even when they have no symptoms, or minor symptoms like a scratchy throat. […] People with health anxiety often misinterpret normal or benign physical symptoms and attribute them to something more serious. […] Symptoms produced by anxiety which can include muscle pain, chest pain, heart rate changes, headaches, and dizziness, among others can heighten existing anxiety about one’s health. […] While testing may seem like a quick, easy way to alleviate health-related worries, for people in whom health anxiety has become uncontrollable, testing rarely provides lasting relief. […] This avoidance can become very dangerous when someone has a real condition but is afraid to get checked out for fear of bad news such as a person who has appendicitis but puts off going to the doctor.

• #49 Hypochondria – health anxiety

  https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/hypochondria/

  Health anxiety is sometimes called hypochondria. […] This is when you spend so much time worrying you’re ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life. […] Anxiety itself can cause symptoms like headaches or a racing heartbeat. You may mistake these for signs of illness. […] If your GP diagnoses you with health anxiety, they may: refer you for talking therapies. […] You can also refer yourself for psychological therapy.

• #50 Anxiety disorders – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

  The causes of anxiety disorders aren’t fully understood. Life experiences such as traumatic events appear to trigger anxiety disorders in people who are already prone to anxiety. Inherited traits also can be a factor. […] For some people, anxiety may be linked to an underlying health issue. In some cases, anxiety signs and symptoms are the first indicators of a medical illness. If your doctor suspects your anxiety may have a medical cause, he or she may order tests to look for signs of a problem. […] Examples of medical problems that can be linked to anxiety include: Heart disease, Diabetes, Thyroid problems, such as hyperthyroidism, Respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, Drug misuse or withdrawal, Withdrawal from alcohol, anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines) or other medications, Chronic pain or irritable bowel syndrome, Rare tumors that produce certain fight-or-flight hormones.

• #51 Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

  https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/anxiety-disorders

  There isn’t a complete understanding of where anxiety disorders come from. Some causes of anxiety disorders include: […] Genetics. Anxiety disorders can run in families. […] Brain chemistry. Some research suggests anxiety disorders may be linked to faulty circuits in the brain that control fear and emotions. […] Environmental stress. This refers to stressful events you have seen or lived through. Life events often linked to anxiety disorders include childhood abuse and neglect, the death of a loved one, or being attacked or seeing violence. […] Drug or alcohol withdrawal or misuse. Certain drugs may be used to hide or decrease certain anxiety symptoms. Anxiety disorder often goes hand in hand with alcohol and substance use. […] Medical conditions. Some heart, lung, and thyroid conditions can cause symptoms similar to anxiety disorders or make anxiety symptoms worse. GI disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome), respiratory conditions (such as asthma), and tumors that create certain hormones can be linked to anxiety.

• #52 Medical conditions that can present as anxiety

  https://www.mentalhealth.com/library/medical-conditions-that-present-as-anxiety

  Various nutrition and vitamin deficiencies can contribute to the development of anxiety, including low levels of B12 and magnesium. Nutrition has been found to greatly impact mental wellbeing as well as physical health. Poor nutrition can contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, increased heart rate, irritability, and stomach issues, as well as changes in mood.

• #53 Illness Anxiety Disorder Clinical Presentation: History, Physical, Causes

  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/290955-clinical

  The core feature of illness anxiety disorder is a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious, undiagnosed medical illness. […] Developmental and other predisposing factors consistently indicate the importance of parental attitudes toward disease, previous experience with physical disease, and culturally acquired attitudes relevant to the etiology of the disorder. […] A cognitive model of illness anxiety disorder suggests that patients misinterpret bodily symptoms by augmenting and amplifying their somatic sensations. […] The psychodynamic theory implies that aggressive and hostile wishes toward others are transferred via repression and displacement into physical complaints. […] Neurochemical deficits with illness anxiety disorder and some other somatoform disorders (eg, body dysmorphic disorder [BDD]) appear similar to those of depressive and anxiety disorders.

• #54 Health Anxiety

  https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/looking-after-yourself/health-anxiety

  To worry about your health is a normal human experience. Health anxiety refers to the excessive concern that there may be a threat to your health which triggers your anxiety (fight/flight) response. Health anxiety is problematic when it is excessive, out of proportion to the realistic chances of having a serious problem, persists despite negative tests and reassurance from health professionals, leads to excessive unhelpful behaviours such as body-checking and medical test-seeking, and causes you significant distress or impacts on your functioning. […] This module explores, and provides a model of, how health anxiety may develop. […] This module explores, and provides a model, of how health anxiety might be triggered and then maintained. […] This module explores how avoidance and safety behaviours can keep health anxiety going, and introduces a strategy to gradually reduce and overcome these behaviours. […] In this module we will focus on challenging the unhelpful rules and assumptions that can keep you caught in the vicious cycle of health anxiety.

• #55 Shedding Light on Health Anxiety OCD | Sheppard Pratt

  https://www.sheppardpratt.org/news-views/story/shedding-light-on-health-anxiety-ocd/

  It is important to recognize when hyper-responsibility is playing a role in your health anxiety, so it can be targeted effectively during treatment. […] In treating any form of OCD, it is important to identify unhelpful ways of framing experiences that drive your belief system and perpetuate you engaging in compulsions. […] Mistaken Belief: You can know the status of your health with absolute certainty: You can never know with 100 percent certainty that you are healthy. […] Mistaken Belief: Symptoms and sensations indicate illness and always have a specific cause that can be determined: This is a fallacy. […] Mistaken Belief: Having the perfect diagnosis will always lead to effective treatment and elimination of all symptoms: While often there are effective treatments for your symptoms, this is not always the case.

• #56 Shedding Light on Health Anxiety OCD | Sheppard Pratt

  https://www.sheppardpratt.org/news-views/story/shedding-light-on-health-anxiety-ocd/

  It is important to recognize when hyper-responsibility is playing a role in your health anxiety, so it can be targeted effectively during treatment. […] In treating any form of OCD, it is important to identify unhelpful ways of framing experiences that drive your belief system and perpetuate you engaging in compulsions. […] Mistaken Belief: You can know the status of your health with absolute certainty: You can never know with 100 percent certainty that you are healthy. […] Mistaken Belief: Symptoms and sensations indicate illness and always have a specific cause that can be determined: This is a fallacy. […] Mistaken Belief: Having the perfect diagnosis will always lead to effective treatment and elimination of all symptoms: While often there are effective treatments for your symptoms, this is not always the case.

• #57 Shedding Light on Health Anxiety OCD | Sheppard Pratt

  https://www.sheppardpratt.org/news-views/story/shedding-light-on-health-anxiety-ocd/

  It is important to recognize when hyper-responsibility is playing a role in your health anxiety, so it can be targeted effectively during treatment. […] In treating any form of OCD, it is important to identify unhelpful ways of framing experiences that drive your belief system and perpetuate you engaging in compulsions. […] Mistaken Belief: You can know the status of your health with absolute certainty: You can never know with 100 percent certainty that you are healthy. […] Mistaken Belief: Symptoms and sensations indicate illness and always have a specific cause that can be determined: This is a fallacy. […] Mistaken Belief: Having the perfect diagnosis will always lead to effective treatment and elimination of all symptoms: While often there are effective treatments for your symptoms, this is not always the case.

• #58 Shedding Light on Health Anxiety OCD | Sheppard Pratt

  https://www.sheppardpratt.org/news-views/story/shedding-light-on-health-anxiety-ocd/

  It is important to recognize when hyper-responsibility is playing a role in your health anxiety, so it can be targeted effectively during treatment. […] In treating any form of OCD, it is important to identify unhelpful ways of framing experiences that drive your belief system and perpetuate you engaging in compulsions. […] Mistaken Belief: You can know the status of your health with absolute certainty: You can never know with 100 percent certainty that you are healthy. […] Mistaken Belief: Symptoms and sensations indicate illness and always have a specific cause that can be determined: This is a fallacy. […] Mistaken Belief: Having the perfect diagnosis will always lead to effective treatment and elimination of all symptoms: While often there are effective treatments for your symptoms, this is not always the case.

• #59 Shedding Light on Health Anxiety OCD | Sheppard Pratt

  https://www.sheppardpratt.org/news-views/story/shedding-light-on-health-anxiety-ocd/

  Mistaken Belief: You are responsible for taking all possible precautions to avoid illness. The reality is that if you took every precaution you could possibly take to prevent illness, you would never be able to leave your home or have anyone come to your home, including the mail carrier. […] Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), simply put, is a process where you confront your fears about your health and refrain from doing compulsions. […] The awareness is experienced as aversive often because of the meaning and judgement subscribed to the experience. Being mindful of physical symptoms and sensations means viewing them from a different standpoint. […] The good news is you are not alone. Currently you may only know the suffering associated with your health anxiety but through the right treatment, there is hope of learning to appreciate the way your mind works.

• #60 Health anxiety – NHS

  https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/health-anxiety/

  Health anxiety is when you spend so much time worrying you’re ill, or going to get ill, that it starts to take over your life. It’s related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). […] If a GP diagnoses you with health anxiety, they may refer you for a talking therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or offer you a medicine for anxiety.

• #61 Hypochondria – health anxiety

  https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/hypochondria/

  Health anxiety is sometimes called hypochondria. […] This is when you spend so much time worrying you’re ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life. […] Anxiety itself can cause symptoms like headaches or a racing heartbeat. You may mistake these for signs of illness. […] If your GP diagnoses you with health anxiety, they may: refer you for talking therapies. […] You can also refer yourself for psychological therapy.

• #62 Health Anxiety – English Fact Sheets – ABCT – Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

  https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/health-anxiety/

  It is important to consider health anxiety as a diagnosis when frequent and intense preoccupation with unexplained physical symptoms persists despite a thorough medical examination that fails to identify any disease or abnormality. […] Certain antidepressant medications can be helpful in reducing health anxiety symptoms, but the reasons that these medications work are presently not clear. […] The first-line psychological treatment for health anxiety is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a skills-based approach that helps people learn to adopt different ways of thinking and behaving in response to health anxieties. […] CBT teaches the person to better manage their fear, which often leads to long-term fear reduction and improvement in life functioning.

• #63 Shedding Light on Health Anxiety OCD | Sheppard Pratt

  https://www.sheppardpratt.org/news-views/story/shedding-light-on-health-anxiety-ocd/

  Mistaken Belief: You are responsible for taking all possible precautions to avoid illness. The reality is that if you took every precaution you could possibly take to prevent illness, you would never be able to leave your home or have anyone come to your home, including the mail carrier. […] Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), simply put, is a process where you confront your fears about your health and refrain from doing compulsions. […] The awareness is experienced as aversive often because of the meaning and judgement subscribed to the experience. Being mindful of physical symptoms and sensations means viewing them from a different standpoint. […] The good news is you are not alone. Currently you may only know the suffering associated with your health anxiety but through the right treatment, there is hope of learning to appreciate the way your mind works.

• #64 Health Anxiety – English Fact Sheets – ABCT – Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

  https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/health-anxiety/

  It is important to consider health anxiety as a diagnosis when frequent and intense preoccupation with unexplained physical symptoms persists despite a thorough medical examination that fails to identify any disease or abnormality. […] Certain antidepressant medications can be helpful in reducing health anxiety symptoms, but the reasons that these medications work are presently not clear. […] The first-line psychological treatment for health anxiety is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a skills-based approach that helps people learn to adopt different ways of thinking and behaving in response to health anxieties. […] CBT teaches the person to better manage their fear, which often leads to long-term fear reduction and improvement in life functioning.

• #65

  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1472263/

  The goal of the present study was to estimate the relative effect of genetic and environmental factors on the variability of health anxiety measures using a sufficiently large sample and a suitably valid assessment instrument. […] Our findings support the use of environmental interventions, such as psychosocial (cognitive-behavioral) treatments for health anxiety. […] The present findings, which suggest that genetic factors play some role in excessive health anxiety, also raise the question of whether pharmacological treatment can be improved by tailoring medications to the person’s genotype.

• #66

  https://nikitasen.medium.com/health-anxiety-causes-symptoms-and-treatments-486793cfc824

  The causes of health anxiety are multifaceted and include a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. […] Biologically, genetic predisposition plays a role, as some individuals may be more likely to develop health concerns due to their family history. Additionally, neurochemical imbalances in the brain may contribute to increased levels of anxiety. Psychologically, past trauma can trigger health anxiety, as well as cognitive biases such as catastrophizing and selective attention to physical sensations. Environmentally, media exposure to health-related content may promote anxiety, as well as a family history of anxiety disorders. Understanding these causes is essential for effective intervention and management of health anxiety, helping individuals free themselves from the grip of excessive health anxiety and regain control over their lives.

• #67

  https://nikitasen.medium.com/health-anxiety-causes-symptoms-and-treatments-486793cfc824

  The causes of health anxiety are multifaceted and include a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. […] Biologically, genetic predisposition plays a role, as some individuals may be more likely to develop health concerns due to their family history. Additionally, neurochemical imbalances in the brain may contribute to increased levels of anxiety. Psychologically, past trauma can trigger health anxiety, as well as cognitive biases such as catastrophizing and selective attention to physical sensations. Environmentally, media exposure to health-related content may promote anxiety, as well as a family history of anxiety disorders. Understanding these causes is essential for effective intervention and management of health anxiety, helping individuals free themselves from the grip of excessive health anxiety and regain control over their lives.

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