How to Deal With Health Anxiety

Health anxiety can be a huge burden, but learning to manage it can make your other issues approachable and even solvable. We derive more of our confidence than we realize on things that we become incapable of when we’re sick. But in the event that we fall ill, taking care of our psychological needs can be just as necessary as managing our physical needs. In truth, when unfortunate viruses such as the flu or common cold befall us, sometimes managing our anxiety is all we can do. When we can’t treat the maladies of our body, what can we do to treat the maladies of our mind and spirit?

“There is something in sickness that breaks down the pride of manhood.” -Charles Dickens

I’ve Caught A Cold, And Now I’m Anxious!

When we get sick, there’s a lot that’s out of our control. If we catch an infection, the doctor can prescribe us antibiotics, but it’s still down to our body and patience to fight off the germs. When we catch a virus, there’s even less we can do. All the treatments are about improving your comfort, but when we’re anxious, comfort is the last thing on our minds. Here are some common pain points for those feeling critically under the weather (and links to resources that can help!): 

• • I’m Stressed! One of the great mismanaged threats to our species is the epidemic of stress. Before you got sick, you may have had a decently large list of problems that were already stressing you out. Your path to feeling healthy again probably involves putting some of that stress down. 

• • I’m Helpless! When our health takes a dip, so too does our competence (this is one of the many reasons we are encouraged to rest when we’re sick). Loss of control is extremely common when we get sick, and coping with the accompanying helplessness is one of your duties as a (mostly) self-sufficient organism. 

• • I’m Gonna Get Worse! Sometimes our most painful thought can be the nagging worry that things will turn from bad to worse. Catastrophizing can make the good seem bad, and the bad seem cataclysmic. You can take care of yourself in your sickness by recognizing and talking back to your catastrophizing thoughts.

How Do I Stop Worrying About My Health?

There isn’t an instant switch you can flip when it comes to worrying about your health. It can be a doozy managing your fears about your health, especially when so much of it is beyond your control. But when you have the right tools at hand, your health anxieties can be managed, and the stories of your past needn’t be the blueprint for your future. How can you stop worrying about your health? Start by trying these: 

• • Listen To Your Body. It might seem counterintuitive to focus on the sensations of your body when you’re feeling sick, but our body sends us messages for a reason. When we feel tired, our body is telling us to rest. By respecting and listening to the messages of your body, you can start to let go of your background anxiety. 

• • Fight The Masculine Urge To Fake Wellness And Get Worse. Being sick can be especially stressful for men because they tie so much of their self-worth to their competence. Anyone married to a man can tell you,  men experience extreme psychological torment from even more mild sicknesses like the common cold. Exploring your relationship to masculinity could help you work through your stories around being sick.

• • Address Your Burnout. Sometimes our physical symptoms are the result of the psychological symptoms we’ve long ignored. I think we’ve all been unfortunate enough to experience working ourselves into sickness, but many of us never learn how to stop. Addressing your psychological burnout can lessen the impact of your physical burnout and allow you to walk free of the fatigue that’s been chasing you.

How Do You Treat Health Anxiety?

Sometimes, our anxieties are too big to face alone, and we need extra support and for another person to check our blindspots. A therapist can be that for you and provide you with coping mechanisms that are the right fit for you. Whether it’s OCD or generalized anxiety, our therapists are here for you. Click here to have a consultation with our intake specialist and get scheduled with a therapist!

Sunny Ebsary is an educator, multi-modal artist, and writer specializing in the intersection of myth and mental health. Sunny’s writing walks the line between poetic and logical, giving readers a chance to interface with the mind and imagination. Sunny’s been putting pen to paper since he was a child, writing everything from albums, novels, and plays, to essays, interactive games, and of course, many articles! While studying both psychology and writing, he realized his real passion in life was helping others unlock their creative spark. Whether he’s leading a D&D game, directing a production, or diving deep into the brain, you can be sure Sunny will be ushering you toward finding meaning in your life.