Sick from health worries

Health Worrying You Sick

We all care about our health and we tryto stay healthy as much as we can. However, this should not interruptour daily obligations or mingle with our normal lives. Rather, weshould always keep health in mind, bun not be obsessed with it.

Nevertheless, there are people whoworry about health so much, that they become sick in return. Thisparadoxical situation can be quite destructive since people areburdened by various symptoms of illnesses even though they arecompletely healthy. For example, a person who fears he/she might besick can suffer from headaches, dizziness, nausea and many othersymptoms, making the whole matter worse, possibly even getting sickin the process, from nothing else but worrying about their own health.

There are many ways of dealing withthis health issue. However, one of the best possible methods isthrough cognitive behavioral therapy.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy vs HealthAnxiety

People who suffer from health anxietyfind themselves between two opposite states of mind. One wants to be healthy no matter what, paying incredible amounts of attentionupon noticing the symptoms of illnesses. The other side, however,perceives normal bodily signs as symptoms of illnesses which triggersstress and panic attacks which subsequently result in seriousoccurrences of the above mentioned fits. All this creates a viciouscircle of worries and fits which makes a person sick only fromworrying about health excessively.

Cognitive behavior therapy helps thesepeople pinpoint the exact method they are using in their ownhealth management which is actually wrong. First, through thorough medical examination, theyare persuaded that they are completely healthy, or treated ifsomething is truly wrong with them. Then, through a series oftherapeutic sessions, they are taught how to perceive their health in a healthy way, which is best for them and their overallwell-being.

They are taught about health andillnesses, being encouraged not to fear everything, knowing that manyillnesses cannot affect them. This encouragement usually results incessation of the health anxiety. Of course, every patient hasdifferent reasons behind his/her health anxiety. Therefore, acognitive behavior therapist is to perceive all the fears his/herpatient has and to eliminate them from future lives of these people.Positive motivation is crucial and, through careful, therapeutic workwith the patient, the therapist usually manages to help these peopleovercome their groundless fears.