What is health anxiety?

Health anxiety (formerly called hypochondria, now classified as Illness Anxiety Disorder or Somatic Symptom Disorder in DSM-5) is a condition characterized by excessive and persistent worry about having or developing a serious illness, despite no significant medical findings or in excess of what the medical situation warrants. It includes repetitive body checking, seeking reassurance (from doctors, family, or internet), avoiding medical information for fear of what it might reveal, and spending significant mental energy on health fears.

How do I know if I have health anxiety?

Key indicators of health anxiety: (1) reassurance does not provide lasting relief — you seek it repeatedly for the same fear; (2) you frequently search symptoms online and become more anxious, not less; (3) you check your body repeatedly for signs of illness; (4) physical sensations that others dismiss as normal (heartbeat, digestion sounds, muscle twitches) consistently trigger health fear; (5) health worry occupies significant daily mental time and affects your functioning. This self-assessment can help you identify whether these patterns apply to you.

Is health anxiety a real condition?

Yes. Health anxiety corresponds to DSM-5 diagnoses of Illness Anxiety Disorder (predominantly cognitive worry with minimal somatic symptoms) or Somatic Symptom Disorder (significant physical symptoms with excessive health-related thoughts, feelings, or behaviors). It is estimated to affect 4-9% of the population. It is highly treatable with CBT, particularly exposure and response prevention targeting reassurance-seeking and body checking behaviors.

What is the best treatment for health anxiety?

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) with an exposure hierarchy is the most evidence-supported treatment for health anxiety. The key behavioral interventions are: reducing reassurance-seeking (from doctors, internet, family), reducing body checking, tolerating uncertainty about physical symptoms, and exposure to feared situations (medical TV shows, hospital environments, discussing illness). SSRIs can be effective as an adjunct. The reassurance delay exercise — delaying reassurance-seeking by 30-120 minutes — is the most practical first step.

10 questions · 3 minutes · Based on validated clinical indicators

Health Anxiety Test

A free 10-question self-assessment based on validated health anxiety clinical indicators. Find out if your health worry is anxiety-driven and what to do next.

Important: This is an educational self-assessment — not a clinical diagnosis. If you have specific health concerns, please consult your doctor. This assessment focuses on the pattern and intensity of health worry, not whether any specific symptoms are medically significant.

0 of 10 answered

1.How often do you worry about having a serious illness, even when doctors have reassured you?

2.How often do you search symptoms online and find yourself more anxious after searching?

3.How often do you check your body for signs of illness (lumps, rashes, heartbeat irregularities, etc.)?

4.When you notice a physical sensation (heart flutter, headache, stomach gurgle), how quickly do you think of serious illness?

5.How long does reassurance from a doctor or test result typically provide relief?

6.How much daily time do you estimate you spend thinking about health fears?

7.Do you avoid medical TV programmes, health articles, or conversations about illness because they increase your anxiety?

8.How often do you seek reassurance about health concerns from family, friends, or online communities?

9.Have health worries led you to cancel activities, avoid certain places, or limit your life in significant ways?

10.When you have a health worry, how difficult is it to distract yourself and move on?

Frequently asked questions

Health anxiety is one of the most treatable anxiety types.

CBT tools are the most effective approach — and many of them you can start right now. Our free exercises include the core health anxiety techniques.

Start CBT exercises — free Health anxiety full guide

Frequently asked questions

Health anxiety is one of the most treatable anxiety types.

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