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Understanding Health Anxiety (Hypochondria) Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

October 2, 2026

Health anxiety is characterized by persistent, elevated fear that you either have or are at risk of developing a serious illness, even when there is no plausible evidence that such a problem exists.

At Time Wellness Arkansas, we treat mental health concerns such as health anxiety with evidence-based services and compassionate support in a safe and respectful environment. For additional details or to schedule a free assessment, contact us today.

Learn more about anxiety treatment in Arkansas or verify your insurance now.

What Is Health Anxiety?

Health anxiety refers to excessive fears or worries about your physical health. 

Virtually everyone has moments of increased concern about their well-being, but those feelings are typically triggered by the development of certain symptoms or exposure to potential contaminants. 

For people with health anxiety, these fears and concerns become virtually omnipresent, persisting even when there is no credible reason to be worried.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Health Anxiety?

Health anxiety is a psychological concern that can affect how a person thinks, feels, and acts.

The cognitive impact of health anxiety can include:

  • Automatically assuming that common minor issues such as headaches or an upset stomach are evidence of serious illnesses
  • Experiencing only temporary relief when medical tests find nothing to be concerned about, then quickly focusing on another potential problem
  • Developing intense worry prior to routine medical checkups 
  • Becoming preoccupied with perceived health concerns to the point that it disrupts your ability to focus on your job, school, relationships, and other important areas of your life

Behavioral warning signs that someone is struggling with health anxiety include:

  • Making an excessive number of doctor’s appointments for concerns that typically turn out to be nothing to worry about
  • Delaying or refusing medical attention due to fear of being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition
  • Needing to be constantly reassured by friends or family members that they’re OK
  • Devoting considerable amounts of time to checking themselves for health problems and researching medical issues

Is Health Anxiety a Mental Illness?

Simply being anxious about your health doesn’t necessarily mean you have a mental illness. But if your anxiety becomes so severe that it causes ongoing emotional distress and disrupts your ability to function, you may have a diagnoseable condition.

Prior to the publication of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the mental health condition characterized by severe health anxiety was called hypochondriasis.

When the DSM-5 was released in 2013, hypochondriasis had been eliminated and replaced by two new conditions, illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder. 

Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD)

The dominant characteristic of IAD is experiencing severe health anxiety without having any significant symptoms of a medical condition.

To be diagnosed with illness anxiety disorder a person must:

  • Be preoccupied with having or developing a serious illness
  • Experience either extremely mild physical symptoms or no symptoms whatsoever 
  • Have a high level of health anxiety and be easily alarmed by changes in their health status
  • Either repeatedly check for evidence of a health problem or go to great lengths to avoid being examined by a healthcare professional

To meet the criteria for an IAD diagnosis, a person must have these symptoms for at least six months. During that period, the focus of their anxiety may change from one feared condition to another

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)

Unlike those with IAD, people who have SSD actually experience some type of physical discomfort, limitations, or other symptoms. But their response to these symptoms is excessive and primarily negative.

The diagnostic criteria for somatic symptom disorder include:

  • Having one or more somatic (physical) symptoms that cause distress and/or disrupt daily activities
  • Exhibiting at least one of the following as a result of these symptoms:
  • Having persistent disproportionate thoughts about the seriousness of the symptoms
  • Feeling ongoing severe anxiety about symptoms or overall health
  • Spending a significant amount of time on thoughts or activities related to symptoms or overall health anxiety

Other Conditions

Though not a primary symptom like it is with IAD and SSD, health anxiety can be an effect of several other mental health conditions, including: 

  • Anxiety disorders: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), specific phobia, and panic disorders are among the anxiety disorders that have been linked with severe health-related worries.
  • Depression: Various depressive disorders can cause people to develop severe anxiety about their health and well-being.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Deep fear of becoming contaminated is a common obsession among people with OCD. This health-related obsession can lead to behavioral compulsions such as excessive showering or hand washing.
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): People who have PTSD often develop physical symptoms such as chest pains and persistent muscle tension, which can cause elevated anxiety about their health.

What Causes Health Anxiety?

There is no single underlying cause of health anxiety. Instead, experts have identified a range of characteristics and experiences that can increase a person’s risk.

Potential risk factors for health anxiety include:

  • Being sexually assaulted or otherwise abused during childhood
  • Having a serious illness as a child
  • Family history of health anxiety
  • Having depression, anxiety, OCD, or PTSD
  • Recent exposure to overwhelming stress
  • Abnormal sensitivity to pain
  • Personality traits such as negative affectivity (neuroticism)

How Is Health Anxiety Treated?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely regarded as the most effective form of therapy for people with health anxiety. 

CBT is based on the view that psychological problems are due in part to unhealthy ways of thinking (or cognitions), such as: 

  • Core beliefs: Usually learned early in life, these are deeply ingrained negative beliefs about yourself and the world around you.
  • Dysfunctional assumptions: These are rigidly held but problematic rules for your life. Examples include If I fail at a task, I’m worthless and If I ask for help, that’s a sign of weakness that will cause people to think less of me.
  • Automatic negative thoughts: These are reflexive responses such as catastrophizing (immediately jumping to the worst possible outcome when you encounter a challenge) or personalizing (blaming yourself when bad things happen even if you weren’t actually responsible for them).

The behavioral premise of CBT is that these types of unhealthy thought patterns can lead to maladaptive or self-defeating behaviors. 

During CBT sessions, participants learn how to identify their own problematic ways of thinking, then replace this mindset with a more positive or realistic outlook, with the goal of making productive behavioral changes. 

Other therapies that may be beneficial for people who have been experiencing health anxiety include:

Learn More About Health Anxiety Treatment in Arkansas

Time Wellness Arkansas is a trusted source of personalized outpatient treatment for adults whose lives have been disrupted by health anxiety and other mental health concerns. We also offer dual diagnosis services for clients with co-occurring addictions to alcohol and other drugs.

Treatment options at our outpatient center in Fayetteville, AR, include a partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and virtual (online) services.  

Call 479-336-6895 today to learn more or verify your insurance now.