Understanding Health Anxiety

An accessible and informative guide to understanding health anxiety, written specifically for clients.

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Guide (PDF)

A psychoeducational guide. Typically containing elements of skills development.

Overview

Our ‘Understanding…’ series is a collection of psychoeducation guides for common mental health conditions. Friendly and explanatory, they are comprehensive sources of information for your clients. Concepts are explained in an easily digestible way, with plenty of case examples and accessible diagrams. Understanding Health Anxiety is designed to help clients with health anxiety to understand more about their condition.

Why Use This Resource?

This guide aims to help clients learn more about health anxiety. It explains what health anxiety is, what the common symptoms are, and effective ways to address it, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

  • Identify symptoms of health anxiety and the factors that contribute to it.
  • Understand what keeps health anxiety going.
  • Explore effective treatments for health anxiety.
  • Gain insights into how people experience health anxiety and how they overcome it.

Key Benefits

Comprehensive

Explores what health anxiety is and what maintains it.

Relatable

Contains detailed examples and relatable case studies.

Supportive

Written in a friendly and accessible manner.

Hopeful

Outlines effective treatment options.

Who is this for?

Health Anxiety

Designed to help clients understand and learn more about health anxiety.

Integrating it into your practice

01

Assess

Identify clients who may be experiencing health anxiety.

02

Share

Provide the guide to clients who could benefit from it.

03

Educate

Use the content to inform clients about health anxiety and help normalize their experiences.

04

Reflect

Discuss the client’s personal experience with health anxiety.

05

Intervene

Plan treatment with the client or direct them to other sources of help and support.

Theoretical Background & Therapist Guidance

Some concern about health is normal - and even beneficial - as it can promote self-care and help-seeking. However, when worries about health become excessive, persistent, and distressing, they may indicate health anxiety. In such cases, health-related concerns can dominate an individuals' thoughts, interfere with daily functioning, and lead to significant emotional distress. Prevalence estimates suggest that between 1% and 10% of individuals experience health anxiety each year.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are both evidence-based psychological treatments for health anxiety. The Understanding Health Anxiety guide is designed to support clients in making sense of their condition. It provides a clear overview of symptoms and treatments, and also outlines key maintenance processes associated with health anxiety, including interpreting bodily sensations or health-related triggers as threatening, hypervigilance, and intrusive images related to illness or death.

What's inside

  • Introduction to health anxiety.
  • Guidance for introducing and using the resource with clients.
  • Key references for learning more about health anxiety.
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FAQs

Health anxiety involves excessive worry about having or developing a serious illness, often despite medical reassurance.
Important maintenance factors often include hypervigilance for signs of illness, use of safety behaviors, and avoidance.
CBT is an effective therapy that focuses on addressing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain health anxiety.

How This Resource Improves Clinical Outcomes

By using this resource in their clinical practice, therapists can:

  • Identify individuals who may be experiencing health anxiety.
  • Help clients better understand their difficulties and what maintains them.
  • Explore treatment options.
  • Encourage hope and optimism about change.

References And Further Reading

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
  • Cooper, K., Gregory, J. D., Walker, I., Lambe, S., & Salkovskis, P. M. (2017). Cognitive behaviour therapy for health anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 45(2), 110-123.
  • Eilenberg, T., Fink, P., Jensen, J. S., Rief, W., & Frostholm, L. (2016). Acceptance and commitment group therapy (ACT-G) for health anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine, 46(1), 103-115.
  • Muse, K., McManus, F., Hackmann, A., Williams, M., & Williams, M. (2010). Intrusive imagery in severe health anxiety: Prevalence, nature and links with memories and maintenance cycles. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(8), 792-798.
  • Taylor, S., & Asmundson, G. J. (2004). Treating health anxiety: A cognitive-behavioral approach. Guilford Press.
  • Taylor, S., Asmundson, G. J., & Coons, M. J. (2005). Current directions in the treatment of hypochondriasis. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 19(3), 285.

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