Illness Anxiety Disorder (Health Anxiety)

Get Effective Health Anxiety Treatment in Tampa for Lasting Relief

Do you constantly worry that you’re getting sick? Are you preoccupied with thoughts about having a serious illness or disease? Do you focus on minor symptoms or bodily sensations and wonder what’s wrong? In general, are you easily alarmed by health concerns, and noticing that it’s getting harder to stop thinking about your health? Illness anxiety disorder—commonly called health anxiety or hypochondria—can affect both men and women and may cause noticeable disruptions in daily functioning. If you’ve ever been labeled a hypochondriac and you answered “yes” to any of these questions, health anxiety treatment in Tampa may help. At Anxiety Center of Tampa, our therapists specialize in working with clients who experience excessive worry about their health.

If you’re wondering whether you or someone close to you may be dealing with health anxiety disorder in Tampa, some key signs to look out for are reassurance seeking and body checking. These are two of the most common behaviors seen in individuals struggling with illness anxiety. You might frequently ask questions like:

  • “Do you think I’m going to be okay?”

  • “What do you think this is?”

  • “Do you think I should go to the doctor for this?”

  • “Have you ever felt this before?”

No matter the answer, it’s rarely enough. A person with illness anxiety might feel briefly reassured but will soon begin asking again, either to the same person, someone new, or a medical professional. Often, this includes visiting multiple doctors in search of confirmation that nothing is wrong. Even after receiving clean test results, doubts may creep in, such as wondering whether the doctor missed something or if a specialist is needed.

People with illness anxiety also tend to engage in compulsive behaviors aimed at reducing their fears. These may include:

  • Checking for lumps or changes in their body

  • Monitoring breathing or heart rate

  • Taking their temperature or blood pressure

  • Searching for symptoms online

  • Reading about treatments or diseases

  • Taking extra health precautions to avoid illness

It’s important to understand that someone can have a real medical condition and still suffer from illness anxiety. The disorder is not about whether a person is sick—it’s about the overwhelming fear and anxiety they feel around the idea of becoming sick, and the way it interferes with everyday life.

What is Illness Anxiety Disorder?

Illness anxiety, also referred to as health anxiety or hypochondria, involves a persistent fear of having a serious medical condition. People experiencing health anxiety in Tampa often become hyper-focused on their body, interpreting normal sensations as symptoms of something dangerous. Many visit urgent care or multiple doctors in search of reassurance. Illness anxiety is considered an OCD-related disorder because of the obsessive thoughts about health and the compulsive need to ease those fears.

Some individuals with illness anxiety may have a history of being seriously ill or may have experienced frequent medical concerns as a child. Sometimes, support systems unintentionally reinforce the anxiety by offering excessive reassurance or accommodations. It’s important to understand that individuals with illness anxiety are not faking symptoms—they genuinely believe something is wrong and live with a constant sense of medical threat.

How Do I Know I Have Illness Anxiety Disorder?

According to the DSM-V, the diagnostic criteria for Illness Anxiety Disorder is as follows:

  1. Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness.

  2. Somatic symptoms are not present or, if present, are only mind in intensity. If another medical condition is present or there is a high risk for developing a medical condition (ex. strong family history is present), the preoccupation is clearly excessive or disproportionate.

  3. There is a high level of anxiety about health and the individual is easily alarmed about personal health status.

  4. The individual performs excessive health-related behaviors (ex. repeatedly check his or body for signs of illness) or exhibits maladaptive avoidance (ex. avoids doctors appointments or hospitals.

  5. Illness preoccupation has been present for at least 6 months, but the specific illness that is feared may change over that period of time.

  6. The illness-related preoccupation is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as somatic symptom disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or delusional disorder, somatic type.

Symptoms of Illness Anxiety Disorder

Start Treatment for Health Anxiety Disorder in Tampa, Florida

Our anxiety therapists at Anxiety Center of Tampa are specialized in providing treatment for anxiety disorders. All the clients seen at our practice have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition. Starting treatment here gives you the opportunity to begin the evidence-based care needed to manage anxiety effectively. While many therapists may offer CBT, only a few in the Tampa Bay Area are trained to provide the essential ERP component, crucial for treating health anxiety disorder in Tampa and related conditions.

Treatment at our practice is highly individualized. Your schedule, session length, and frequency are all taken into account when creating your treatment plan. During your intake session, you and your therapist will explore your needs and any potential barriers to care to help set you up for long-term success.

Call Anxiety Center of Tampa at 813-773-5807 for more information or to schedule your appointment today. You can also contact us via email through our contact page.

Here are the easy steps so that you can get your life back on track:

  • Contact us to set up an intake session.

  • Meet our anxiety therapists.

  • Learn how to cope with anxiety and live a meaningful life!