Hypnotherapy for health anxiety

Someone with health anxiety will find themselves worrying a great deal about their health and may think they’re unwell when they’re not. They might check their body regularly for signs of illness, including unusual lumps, pains or other physical sensations.

Health anxiety can often cause people to check their symptoms online and/or worry about illnesses reported on in the media. It can lead to people asking for reassurance from friends, family and even their doctor.

Anxiety itself can often cause physical symptoms, including a fast heartbeat, chest pain and headaches. Someone with health anxiety may, therefore, mistake these symptoms for illness too and worry they are seriously ill.

Living with this type of anxiety means you’re in a constant state of worry. Despite your logical mind telling you, you’re OK, the anxiety forces you into a feeling of panic. Hypnotherapist Sue Jeffery explains this in her article, ‘Exhausted by anxiety?’

“Our fear is exaggerated. Our thinking distorted. We see everything through the filter of possible danger. Fear becomes the lens through which we see the world.”

There is a way out, though.

There are several different therapy approaches that can help with health anxiety, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy for health anxiety may even incorporate CBT techniques and/or neuro linguistic programming (NLP). The aim of hypnotherapy for health anxiety is to help remove the fear of your health being in danger and replacing it with a different, more positive suggestion.  

Hypnotherapy can also help you learn relaxation techniques to help calm your mind when anxiety pops up. Often, hypnotherapists will recommend self-help techniques too, such as breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and self-hypnosis.  

Hypnotherapist Becca Teers shares some simple steps to alleviate anxiety in her recent article, including exercise, journaling, avoiding alcohol, spending time with loved ones and focusing on a goal. Self-help techniques can help you make the most of your hypnotherapy session, continuing the work outside of the therapy room.