Health anxiety

Worrying about your health from time to time is normal. But when that worry becomes constant, and it's hard to feel reassured no matter what a doctor tells you, it can start to take over daily life.

What it is

Health anxiety involves persistent, excessive worry about having or developing a serious illness, even when medical evidence doesn't support it. It can involve frequently checking your body for symptoms, seeking repeated medical reassurance, or avoiding healthcare altogether out of fear of what might be found. Health anxiety is a real and understandable response, often linked to past health scares, a family history of illness, or a general tendency toward anxious thinking. A professional can assess your experience and help you find relief, without dismissing your very real distress.

Signs to notice

• Frequently checking your body for symptoms or researching illnesses online
• Seeking repeated reassurance from doctors, family or friends about your health
• Difficulty feeling reassured even after medical tests come back normal
• Avoiding healthcare, news or conversations about illness out of fear
• Persistent worry about health that interferes with work, sleep or relationships
• Physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a racing heart, that then feed further health worry

What helps

• Limit symptom-checking and online searching, which tends to increase anxiety rather than resolve it.
• Set a specific, limited time to discuss health worries with a trusted person, rather than letting it dominate every conversation.
• Practise grounding and breathing techniques when health worry spikes, to calm your nervous system in the moment.
• Challenge anxious thoughts gently by asking what evidence actually supports them, rather than what fear suggests.
• Keep regular, reasonable check-ups with one trusted doctor, rather than seeking multiple opinions or emergency visits for the same concern.
• Focus on what you can control, like healthy routines, rather than trying to eliminate all uncertainty about health.

When to reach out for help

Reach out if health worries are constant, hard to control, or interfering with your work, relationships or daily life, or if you find yourself avoiding healthcare or seeking it excessively. A professional can assess whether what you're experiencing is health anxiety and offer therapy approaches, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, that are effective in helping people manage it.

Getting help in South Africa

Speak to your GP about how health anxiety is affecting you - they can rule out physical causes and refer you for further support. Cleared Mind's EAP counsellors can help you manage health anxiety through practical, evidence-based strategies. SADAG's Mental Health Line (011 234 4837) is also available if you need someone to talk to.