When health anxiety becomes something else

Specialist CBT therapy for anxiety, OCD, depression and more in West London

Health worries can be understandable, especially when a symptom is new, persistent or frightening. A blog cannot determine whether a physical symptom is anxiety, a medical condition, both, or something else. New, severe, persistent or worrying symptoms should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional. Therapy is not a substitute for medical assessment. It can also be useful to notice what happens around the worry. Some people find themselves checking repeatedly, searching for reassurance, avoiding an activity or asking others to confirm that they are safe. Those behaviours can be important to discuss, but they do not establish a diagnosis or mean that a person should stop seeking medical care when it is needed. An assessment can consider the whole picture: the symptom itself, medical advice already received, sleep, stress, mood, practical pressures, previous experiences and the effect of worry on daily life. It may suggest medical review, specialist care, another service or, where appropriate, CBT based therapeutic support. Where CBT based work is suitable, it may explore thoughts, uncertainty and coping behaviours in context. It should not ask someone to ignore new symptoms, delay necessary medical care or run self directed exposure exercises. Any behavioural work should be collaboratively planned and paced with a clinician. The Lyceum offers CBT based support in West London and online where clinically appropriate. An initial conversation can discuss whether a further assessment may be relevant. The distinction between careful attention and anxious attention is not always obvious. It may change with the symptom, the medical advice received and the person’s history. You do not need to decide that distinction alone. Keeping a brief, factual note of symptoms and questions can be useful for a medical appointment, but it should not become another compulsory checking ritual. It is also reasonable to say when a worry is affecting sleep, work, relationships or the ability to enjoy ordinary activity. That information helps a clinician understand the impact without assuming that the symptom itself is “just anxiety”. A good assessment can hold both concerns: the need to take physical symptoms seriously and the need to respond compassionately to the distress that uncertainty can create. Support should make space for changing information. A plan can be reviewed if symptoms change, medical advice changes or the current approach no longer feels safe or useful. FAQ: Can health anxiety cause physical symptoms? Physical symptoms have many possible causes. Do not assume anxiety is the explanation; seek appropriate medical advice for new, severe, persistent or worrying symptoms. FAQ: Should I stop seeing my GP if I have health anxiety? No. Decisions about medical care should be made with an appropriate healthcare professional. FAQ: Can CBT help with health worry? CBT based support may be considered after assessment, but it cannot diagnose a medical condition or guarantee an outcome.