Health anxiety and bias - looking for trouble?
Severe health anxiety can affect every aspect of a person’s life. It impacts on relationships, plans for the future, the ability to relax and enjoy life, and can lead or cross into other mental health disorders such as depression, OCD and panic disorder. Today we look at some causes of health anxiety and some ways in tackling this life limiting disorder.
So what causes health anxiety?
A whole host of factors can increase the risk of developing health anxiety.Genetic predisposition, the family environment that we were brought up in, adverse events and childhood trauma, or the exposure to death and illness through our work (e.g. nurses). Even our view of the healthcare system and competency of the doctors can have an impact. And of course the media, with click bait stories of illness, health related research (often single studies) and for the health anxious ‘quick fix’ - Doctor Internet, MA in BS!
The role of bias
Have you ever been in a debate and realise your losing the argument? Rational thinking goes out of the window, the fight and flight response kicks in and you scramble for anything that will confirm your belief, absurd as it may sound? This reaction is similar for those who have health anxiety and somatic disorders (a focus on physical symptoms arising out of psychological causes). They will look for confirmation that their aches and pains are caused by some fatal disease, their confirmatory bias kicks in and they automatically focus on Dr Internet who gleefully claims their pain “can be a symptom of impending death!”. They respond with “See I knew it”. I think, so I feel, I feel so I am what I feel. They go back to Dr Internet only this time, they read another symptom and, yes they have those too! All the time they use confirmatory bias to make the irrational, rational and the unlikely likely. They go to a real doctor but their view of doctors is that they get things wrong so they must be wrong now…. and so the vicious cycle continues.
So what can we do about it?
So it’s sensible to rule out any physical condition in the first instance and that means a check up from a real doctor if symptoms persist. Once you receive the good news it’s time to develop realistic appraisals of your symptoms. No therapist will tell you to ignore symptoms at all costs but they will help you approach them with a balanced view. Try these tips.
Plan your week and include time for exercise, fresh air and socialising. Get a buddy to encourage you to reach weekly goals.
Don’t use your physical symptoms to avoid those workouts in the gym. (unless the doctor told you to rest the muscle strain) or attending that social event.
Eat well - you are what you eat. Avoid overdoing the alcohol and caffeine or anything that you know doesn’t agree with you.
Remember you’re not a robot! you will ache, you will get pain, discomfort and physical reactions to stress, certain foods and a high octane lifestyle. Its a normal response. People with somatic disorders focus on symptoms in a negative way.
Use confirmatory bias to your advantage. - Confirm the reasons why it isn’t serious rather than confirming why it is. By doing this you form a more balanced approach and reduce the anxiety response.
Stay in the moment. Anxiety lives in the future. Right here right now your medically healthy. Give 100% to the task in hand and focus on now.
Use Progressive Muscle Relaxation (there are many examples on the internet). Relaxing every part of the body from head to toe. Focus on breathing and bodily sensations. Sit with the vulnerability for a while, accept the feelings (a bit of exposure therapy is good) and move down your body until you begin to feel relaxed.
Health anxiety can increase with life stressors and events. Reduce as many as you can.
Avoid seeking out reassurances from others. Don’t give oxygen to your anxiety and it will eventually suffocate and die. Hearing what you want to hear won’t allow you to overcome the anxiety. Friends can empathise and support you in other ways.
Schedule your body checking and wellness check ups as recommended by the NHS and stick to them.
If the disorder is impacting severely on your life consider seeking therapy. Specially designed CBT can help but be aware that controlled exposure maybe a central component - face the fear and the fear loses its power.
