What is the Difference Between Health Anxiety and Medical Anxiety?
You might feel tense or scared at even the thought of going to the dentist or you might push back or outright avoid important medical care because of your anxiety. Maybe you live in fear that a chronic condition could develop or worsen.
If you relate to these points, you might have health or medical anxiety. Although these two types of anxiety can share symptoms, there are several differences that you might recognize.
Health anxiety, or illness anxiety, is the fear that you may develop a terrible illness despite reassurance from medical providers or tests. If you have a chronic illness, you might experience anxiety directly from this illness or the symptoms. For example, if you experience chronic pain, you might have thoughts like “I’m afraid I’ll have a flare up during this important event” or “I fear that I will never experience relief, and this is what the rest of my life will look like”.
Medical anxiety, on the other hand, most commonly refers to a specific anxiety or fear related to seeking medical assistance or scheduling appointments with medical providers. You might feel anxious about an upcoming medical procedure or test. This can include a fear of needles, anxiety related to an upcoming surgery or even childbirth, or the fear of being in an enclosed space for an MRI or other type of medical test. This medical anxiety might affect your mental health, mood, and relationships.
You might have thoughts like “I won’t be able to control my anxiety at the doctor’s office” or “I fear I will not be able to survive the pain of this procedure”. Maybe, you struggle to make medical appointments or speak up in your medical appointments because you’ve experienced medical trauma or you feel your providers do not take the time to understand your symptoms.
What are some signs of health or medical anxiety?
Feeling nervous, restless, or tense at appointments
Increased heart rate
Sweaty palms
Feeling hyper-aroused at a medical office
Trouble focusing on information given to you at medical appointments
Upset stomach
Avoiding or procrastinating making medical appointments
How can online counseling help your health or medical anxiety?
Examine potential causes and triggers to your health anxiety
Replace unhelpful or anxious thoughts about your health with confidence and self-compassion
Learn about tools you can use before and during your medical appointments for relaxation
Explore how this anxiety shows up in your body and affects your physical health
Manage your anxiety so that you are able to take control of your health
Practice advocating for your medical needs in a way that feels authentic to who you are
Want to see if counseling for medical or health anxiety is right for you?
Call us today at 985-441-7550 or email us at contact@revivepractice.com for your free 15 minute consultation to explore what relief from this type of anxiety might look like for you.
