20 Myths About Health Anxiety Treatment: Busted
Health Anxiety Treatment
Health anxiety is a condition that is characterized by excessive worry and anxiety about a serious illness. These feelings are accompanied by a heightened level of checking and repeated requests for assurance.
The condition, known as hypochondria is caused by misconception and false perception of illness. Treatment options include psychotherapy (or talk therapy) and medications.
Medicines
Health anxiety is a serious disease that affects one's ability both to work and interact with other people. Fortunately, there are several options available to help patients manage their symptoms and live a full life. These treatments could include medication, psychotherapy or a combination of both. Psychotherapy is typically the first step in addressing this condition, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a typical treatment. This type of therapy can help you recognize and confront harmful beliefs, behavior, and thoughts that cause anxiety. It also assists you in finding various ways to deal with your worries, such as exercise and relaxation techniques.
You can take medications to treat anxiety-related episodes that are severe. Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, Xanax, and Valium are fast-acting medicines that can offer immediate relief. They affect the neurotransmitter gamma aminobutryic acid (GABA), and reduce the activity of specific neurons in the brain that are overexcited by anxiety. These drugs shouldn't be taken more than four weeks in a row because they could become addictive.
Antidepressants are prescribed to treat depression and anxiety. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, like SSRIs, boost levels of serotonin in the brain, which can reduce depression and anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which block the reabsorption process of both norepinephrine and serotonin are also effective.
People who suffer from health anxiety frequently are convinced that they have medical problems and cannot stop worrying about their symptoms, despite being provided with reassurance from doctors. They may also suffer from delusions such as somatic illusions that make them believe that the symptoms are due to their mental or psychological state. They usually have trouble sleeping, have trouble eating and are often physically uncomfortable. They may also be angry and impatient and may avoid friends and family. To help combat anxiety caused by health issues it is best to get an assessment from a psychiatrist or psychologist. They can help you determine whether your anxiety is caused by medical issues and set limitations on tests in the lab imaging, referrals and other tests.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
It's normal to be concerned about your health, but if this becomes excessive, it can cause a lot of stress. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one the most effective methods of psychological treatment for anxiety related to health.
This treatment focuses on learning new skills that will help you respond to anxiety in a more productive manner. The treatment typically comprises many individual sessions lasting between 45 and 60 minutes. A typical treatment plan will consist of 12 to 20 sessions although it will depend on your specific needs. Through CBT, you will be taught to recognize your faulty behavior, like checking and reassurance seeking. You will be taught a variety mindfulness techniques known to reduce anxiety and promote recovery following illnesses.
People who suffer from health anxiety frequently fear developing or having serious medical conditions. This can result in various maladaptive behaviors including constant checkups, seeking assurance from medical professionals or others, and avoiding people and places that bring back memories of illness. As time passes, these habits can have a negative impact on your life and relationships.
In some instances health-related concerns, anxiety are associated with other disorders like depression or delusional disorder (somatic type). But, most times, they focus on confusion about bodily sensations and over-inflated fears of the possibility of having an illness that is medically related.
Health anxiety can cause a amount of anxiety and can cause a lot of disruption with daily functioning. If you experience health anxiety as a problem, it is important to seek out assistance to find relief and continue living life to the fullest.
There is no single reason for why people experience anxiety or health problems however, some of the most common causes include sudden deaths of family members close to you and difficult illnesses that occur in the early years or later or an underlying history of omitted diagnoses for physical ailments. It is important to explore these issues with your therapist to discover what has led to the emergence of your health anxiety. Together, anxiety self-help can create an action plan to aid you in breaking the cycle of anxiety.
Talk therapy
Most people suffering from health anxiety have a misinterpretation of bodily sensations, or an exaggerated belief regarding their chances of developing a disease. The constant worry can create stress and affect the ability of a person to function normally in their daily lives.
A therapist can correct your misperception of threats and help you find ways to manage your anxiety. You can stop avoiding situations, looking for answers, or seeking comfort. These actions only reinforce your anxious beliefs and thoughts. You can also learn to confront negative thoughts and to view the world from an unbalanced viewpoint. The use of medication can help to manage symptoms and reduce discomfort. They are commonly used to treat depression but can also be beneficial to those suffering from health anxieties.
If your GP diagnoses you with an illness anxiety disorder, they could refer you to psychotherapy or prescribe medication to help alleviate symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy is offered by a variety of NHS talking therapies services for this condition. You can also contact an accredited psychologist or counsellor to provide psychotherapy in private. You can find an accredited psychotherapist by searching the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies register or the British Psychological Society directory.
Talk therapy is the most effective way to manage health anxiety. It helps you identify negative or unhelpful behavior and thoughts. Your therapist will likely employ cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which is the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders.
CBT helps you identify and challenge unhelpful and unreasonable beliefs about your body and self. It helps you understand medical procedures and challenges any harmful or unreasonable beliefs. It teaches you how to respond to your anxiety in a more positive manner by avoiding excessive medical testing or reassurance-seeking behavior. In some cases exposure therapy is utilized by your therapist. This is about confronting your fears and retraining your mind to react differently.
For example, Harriet is 36 and has never had any serious health problems. However, she is worried that she may have arthritis in her hands due to discomfort in two of her knuckles. She has seen doctors and received assurance but her anxiety persists. She is forced to stop doing activities and restricts her social life because of her fear. A therapist can assist her learn CBT and how to deal effectively with the pain she feels in her hands.
Family therapy
Health anxiety sufferers spend a lot of their time worrying about serious diseases like HIV and dementia, as well as cancer. Their anxiety about health can be so severe that it could affect their daily functioning and create anxiety in their relationships. They often feel that any physical symptom is an indication of a serious illness. They may spend time researching symptoms, seeking out reassurance from family and friends or visiting numerous doctors for unnecessary tests. This could cause you to feel exhausted, financially stressed and have less of a quality of life.
Typically, psychotherapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders affecting the health. This kind of therapy is called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Psychotherapy and medication can be used together to enhance results. If medication is prescribed, it should be administered in small doses to prevent negative side effects.
The first step of a family therapy session is to have a brief intake with the therapy therapist. This session helps the therapist comprehend how anxiety affects all members of the family and what the root issues are. Everyone in the family should be involved in the process.
If you're struggling with extreme anxiety, it's best to arrange an appointment with your primary healthcare provider. This will allow you to rule out any medical issues that could be causing anxiety.
People with health anxieties often misinterpret physical symptoms such as headache, nausea or muscle twitch as signs of a deadly illness. They visit a variety of doctors, and they are told that their symptoms are a result of their imagination. This can cause discontent and despair and cause them to not seek treatment for anxiety. In addition to causing financial and emotional stress, these patients often are unable to work or attend social activities to go to doctor appointments. They also have frequent disagreements with their spouses regarding their worries about their health. In some cases, family members feel that they are being blamed by their loved ones and start to act in unhealthy ways.