Health Anxiety

Do I have Health Anxiety?

Do I have Health Anxiety?

Are you the person who :

• Thinks about possible health issues several times a day ?
• Focuses on a part of the body or physical feeling relentlessly ?
• Searches the internet for potential answers ?
• Seeks re-assurance from others regularly ?
• Resists visiting their GP from fear of hearing negative news?

Then you may be suffering symptoms of Health Anxiety

Why do I feel overwhelmed?

Every thought has a feeling, so if a thought is negative it would usually be attached to a feeling that comes from our flight or fight response, such as fear, anxiety or panic.

Because the mind feels threatened, it will release chemicals, for example, adrenalin and you will then also feel the response in your body. Tension, changes in breathing and an upset stomach are just a few of the results that could be felt.

Health Anxiety typically engages thought responses and inner conversation that is negative.

Negative ” What If’s ” in the mind can trigger a process of chemical release and catastrophizing thoughts which can lead to feeling overwhelmed.

Let’s look at an example of how this can happen.

1. A thought occurs – “What if this lump on my leg is a growth?
2. The brain considers this a threat and releases chemicals.
3. You start to feel uncomfortable.
4. Your mind then goes on to a following negative thought “What if the growth is a indication of something serious?”
5. Yet again, more chemicals released and you start to feel fearful and your body responds.
6. Before you know it, several thoughts have occurred and you’re feeling scared.
7. Along the process you may even have been running a movie of this in your mind. This in turn may cause your subconscious to be in expectation of the movie to be something that is going to happen.
8. Now you want to find a solution or gain reassurance to help you feel differently.

Over time if this process is repeated over and over again, it can become a subconscious response, just like how a habit can be developed.

How can I change the Anxiety ?

Changing the thoughts can change the feelings, but how can I do that?

Developing a change in thought responses that are positive and also putting the negative thoughts into their correct perspective of fears can prevent ‘Fight or Flight’ states. Additionally, they encourage feelings of safety and calm which in turn release positive chemicals from the brain, such as, Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins. This can be worked on both consciously and subconsciously by means of Hypnosis, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming.)

Hypnosis also helps with the Subconscious reactions associated with the fears. By addressing the fears in a calm state, the mind can learn how to see, address and create new positive responses and associations of control.

Here at AbsoluteU Clinical Hypnotherapy, a combined therapy of Hypnosis, CBT and NLP is available to you change your responses and behaviors to the ones that you desire to feel calm, comfortable and in control.

Call : 07909 992635 or Email : info@absoluteu.co.uk for your FREE initial telephone consultation to find out how you can start to change your Health Anxiety now. Contact us at AbsoluteU Clinical Hypnotherapy (clinicalhypnotherapywestsussex.co.uk)