Health Anxiety Therapy in London and Online
It is common to worry about your health from time to time. It can even be helpful as it can drive us to make changes to improve our health, such as making good changes to our diet, stopping smoking and getting more exercise.
However, some people worry excessively about their health which can become overwhelming and it can take over their lives. This is called health anxiety or hypochondria. If this is something you are experiencing you do not have to keep suffering on your own. Our therapists at Therapy Central can help you tackle this anxiety to help you get your life back on track.
The medical term for health anxiety is hypochondria. However, due to its negative connotations we prefer the term health anxiety which will be used from now on.
Work with our qualified Health Anxiety therapists today.
Request a free 15min consultation
Discover Health Anxiety
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety involves worrying excessively about your health when there is no or very little medical reason to do so. You may worry you have cancer, you are having a stroke and/or you have HIV/AIDS when there is no medical evidence to support this.
There are various behaviours that often characterise people with health anxiety. You may relate to all or just some of the following:
- Often seek reassurance from others (GP, family, friends) about your health concerns
- Regularly research your symptoms online
- Check your body frequently
- Avoid anything associated with illness, such as your GP surgery, hospitals and being around people who are unwell
Worrying excessively about health and engaging in some/all of the above behaviours can begin to significantly interfere in various aspects of people’s lives, such as work, relationships and leisure activities. This can lead onto other emotional problems, such as depression. It is also common for people to experience Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) alongside health anxiety.
What Causes Health Anxiety?
There are various experiences that can increase the likelihood of developing health anxiety:
- Having experienced a serious physical health problem yourself or someone close to you has had a serious physical health problem
- Death of someone close to you
- Having a family member with health anxiety
- Hearing negative/worrying information in the media e.g. hearing about people being misdiagnosed and hearing of serious and unpleasant illnesses
The above experiences can lead people to feel that they are vulnerable and this can trigger people to worry lots about their health.
What Keeps Health Anxiety Going?
Let’s now look at some of the ways in which health anxiety can be maintained:
1- Anxiety can bring on various unpleasant and seemingly strange physical sensations in the body, such as an increase in heart rate, tingling sensations, muscles tension and difficulties concentrating. Additionally, aside from anxiety, we all experience minor discomfort in our bodies from time to time, such as a reduction in energy, pain and a lump or bump.
If a person is already worrying a lot about their health they may misinterpret the above physical sensations as a serious illness. This can, in turn, increase anxiety and then the physical sensations can intensify. Moreover, when we worry excessively about our health, our attention on internal physical sensations heightens and so the physical sensations mentioned above are noticed more easily! To add to this, it is a well-known phenomenon that the more we focus in on a physical sensation the more the sensation intensifies!
2- It is common to want to seek advice and reassurance from others about physical sensations that are worrying you. You may have received the message from those around you that the physical sensations you experience, such as tingling and pain, are “all in your head”. When seeking medical advice your physical problems may have been brushed aside. This may then lead you to worry that your physical problems have not been thoroughly investigated which feeds your anxiety even more. Alternatively, it could be that your Doctor agrees to arrange medical investigations and they show that there is nothing medically wrong. This may be reassuring, however this is short lived. People may then worry that something has been missed and continue to worry excessively. They then increasingly seek reassurance to feel that short term sense of relief.
How Does Health Anxiety Therapy help?
In the early stages of therapy, your therapist will help you to gain an in-depth understanding of your health anxiety; how it developed and how it is being maintained. This in itself can be empowering and can also inform how to take steps to overcome it. You can use the therapeutic space to explore your worries and the challenges they present, including the detrimental impact it has been having upon your life in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. Your physical sensations are very much real. However, if medical causes for the physical sensations have been ruled out and you are continuing to worry excessively about your health, you will be helped to learn that rather than being a sign of a serious illness they are often due to your normal physiological responses. Your health anxiety therapist can also help you to learn various coping strategies to tackle your health anxiety.
What are the Best Therapy Approaches for Health Anxiety?
CBT Therapy is the therapy approach of choice for health anxiety. This is because lots of research and clinical experience suggests many people with health anxiety benefit from it. In CBT for health anxiety, the behaviours you engage in due to your worries will be explored. You will most likely learn that although they help you to cope with your anxieties in the short term, they worsen your anxiety in the longer term. You will be helped to challenge your worries and discover that your anxiety surrounding health contributes to you feeling unpleasant physical sensations, as opposed to being attributable to a serious illness. Over the course of therapy you will become better equipped to manage your health worries. This will enable you to return to living your life whilst not being held back by your worries. Below is a common vicious cycle that people with health anxiety experience which is based upon CBT:
1- Trigger: feeling unwell
2- Thoughts/Thinking processes: Hypervigilance to changes in the body, Increased attention on detected changes in the body, “I have cancer, I am going to die”
3- Feelings: Anxiety, stress, overwhelmed
4- Behaviour: Seek reassurance from friends, family and medical professionals, check symptoms frequently by checking for lumps, search symptoms online (Reduces anxiety in the short term but this is short lived)
5- Physical: increased heart rate, tension in the body, lumps/soreness appearing (due to excessive prodding!), fuzzy head, tingling
Other psychological approaches which have shown to be helpful for people with health anxiety include, mindfulness-focused therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
What are the Benefits of Health Anxiety Therapy?
You do not have struggle with health anxiety on your own. Research and clinical experience shows that therapy for health anxiety can lead to various positive improvements including:
- Reduction in worries
- Improved mood
- Improved quality of life
- No longer avoid difficult situations due to your anxiety
- Ability to engage in more social activities
And even better news is that evidence suggests that the benefits listed above are often long lasting.
How long Does Health Anxiety Therapy Last?
The length of therapy depends upon the severity of health anxiety. Some people can make significant improvements in six sessions. Usually people can benefit greatly from six to twenty four sessions in total.
Our therapists specialised in Health Anxiety
All of our therapists are qualified psychologists, psychotherapists or counsellors registered with several professional bodies. These include the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the British Psychological Society (BPS), as well as, BACP, UKCP and BABCP.
Our therapists use CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), psychodynamic, humanistic and integrative approaches tailored around your needs to help you deal with your unique challenges and reach your goals.
Testimonials
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The Therapist l had was absolutely brilliant with me. He had patience with me and bit by bit l gained a little of confidence to try and get out and go on the buses.
He deserves an award and if l could l would in the beginning l thought how is this person going to get me back on public transport but he did he gave me the confidence l lost and now have back.
I will never forget him and what he has done for me. I wish him nothing but the best in his life.
(Patricia)
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My therapist was excellent. I highly recommend her and I am truly thankful for my sessions, I left feeling confident and positive.
The mental tools, systems and approaches I have been able to develop with her and use in my life have been hugely beneficial.
Thank you to all at Therapy Central.
(John)
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The Therapist really gave me the space to talk and express my feelings and fears in a very comforting environment.
She was there not only to listen, but challenge my thinking, guide me during the uncertainty I was experiencing and give me useful and practical tips to improve my mental health and wellbeing. Highly recommended!
(George)
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Working with the therapist has been a life-changing experience. Each session has been invaluable, helping me gain a good understanding of CBT methodology enabling me to incorporate ways to combat stress and anxiety in my daily life.
The Therapist shows that she really cares and has the ability to make you feel calm whilst discussing any personal issue.
(Richard)
Fees & Insurances
Therapy, Counselling and CBT sessions are 50 minutes long and are usually held at regular weekly time slots.
Free
15 Minute Initial
Phone Consultation
£80 - £125
Psychological Therapy/
Counselling (Self-funded)
£115 - £150
Couples Therapy/
Family Therapy
Covered by
Your Private Healthcare Insurance Provider
Health Anxiety Therapy in London & Online
If you are looking for health anxiety therapy in Central London or Online, at Therapy Central we can help you learn the strategies you need to start controlling your anxiety and understand its causes. As a result, you’ll be enabled to make the crucial changes to bring balance and fulfilment back into your life.
It’s not easy to recognise that you might have a health anxiety issue, but remember that you are not choosing to feel anxious, and thus it’s largely not your fault to feel the way you do. You are not alone.
Get professional help with Health Anxiety in London and Online today. Contact us for a free 15 min consultation with a Health Anxiety Therapist to see if our help would fit your needs. You can also get in touch via email at info@therapy-central.com or call us at (+44) 020 348 82797.
FAQ
What happens after I make an enquiry?
After receiving your enquiry we’ll contact you to organise a FREE phone consultation. You will be able to tell us more about your specific circumstances and needs and ask any questions you have. Then, if you want to proceed with therapy or counselling, we’ll match you with the therapist(s) with the best expertise to help you with your challenges and send you a list of their available appointment slots. If you’re satisfied with one of these, we can then go ahead and book your first appointment. You can also request to work with a specific practitioner and, depending on availability we’ll try accomodate this.
What happens at my first appointment with the therapist?
Your first session will likely be different than future appointments. You and your therapist will get to know each other and will begin to build a working alliance. It will be a chance to have the confidential space to express your circumstances, feelings and thoughts and being listened to with depth, attention, empathy and without judgement . Your therapist will likely ask you more about your reasons for seeking therapy, and any symptoms you’re experiencing. You may also be asked questions about your past and the history of your issues, as well as how they currently impact your life in the present. Finally, your first session may be a powerful place to discuss what you would like to achieve with therapy and agree on the length, methods and approaches of treatment.
Is online therapy effective?
If you choose online over in-person therapy rest assured that this has been proven to be just as effective as regular face to face therapy, and in some cases even more effective. In addition, choosing online therapy brings additional benefits, for example avoiding longer waiting times, greater flexibility with appointments and you won’t need to travel to our practice. You can enjoy online therapy from the comfort of your home.
How long the Therapy/counselling sessions last?
Therapy/counselling sessions last 50 minutes and are held at regular weekly time slots. On occasions we are able to allow some flexibility. This can be discussed with your therapist.
Do you offer reduced rates/concessions?
We offer low-cost rates to people with a low income, unemployed or students. Please let us know in your enquiry if you would like a concession rate and how you qualify for this. Depending on the availability of our therapists, we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.
Do you have a cancellation policy?
We have a 48 hours no-fee cancellation policy. However you will be charged for sessions missed without giving the full notice.
Our Practice in Central London
Our comfortable and confidential therapy rooms are conveniently located 3 min walk from Oxford Circus station, in Central London (see map below). Change starts with Talking!
Learn More:
How to Manage Health Anxiety about COVID-19
Authors:
Dr Raffaello Antonino, Counselling Psychologist
Dr Amy Smith, Counselling Psychologist
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