A twinge in your chest while you're making dinner. A headache that won't quite go away. A small spot on your arm you're sure wasn't there last week. For most people, these moments pass. For someone with health anxiety, they can take over a whole evening, a whole week. If you've ever wondered, "What is it like to have health anxiety?", or you're quietly living with it, this post describes health anxiety from the inside, with care and without judgment.
This post is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. The voices below are composites, written to reflect common experiences, not real clients.
Health anxiety, in plain words
The U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) describes health anxiety as spending so much time worrying that you're ill, or going to get ill, that it starts to take over your life. The MSD Manual notes that the related diagnosis, illness anxiety disorder, used to be called hypochondria, a term that was dropped because of its negative connotations.
Health anxiety isn't "making things up." The worry is real, the fear is real and the physical sensations are real. What's different is how the mind reacts to them.
The moment a new sensation shows up
So, what does it feel like to have health anxiety? For many people, it starts with a jolt.
"I'll be fine, watching TV, and then I notice my heart skip. Suddenly I can't hear the show anymore. My whole body goes on alert, and I'm already imagining the worst." (composite)
The MSD Manual notes that people with illness anxiety are easily frightened by new bodily sensations. The NHS adds that anxiety itself can cause symptoms like headaches or a racing heartbeat, which can then feel like more proof that something is wrong.
Checking, scanning and searching
Once the worry starts, it can be hard to leave alone. The NHS lists signs such as frequently checking your body for lumps, tingling or pain, and obsessively looking at health information online or in the media.
"I tell myself I'll just look up one thing. Two hours later I've read about six conditions, and I feel worse than when I started." (composite)
Checking and searching are attempts to feel safe. But they often keep attention locked on the body, which makes every sensation seem louder.
Why reassurance never lasts long
Reassurance can feel like oxygen. A friend says you look fine, a test comes back clear, and for a moment you can breathe. Then the doubt creeps back in.
The NHS lists always asking people for reassurance and worrying that a doctor or tests may have missed something as common signs. The MSD Manual notes that people with illness anxiety repeatedly seek reassurance from family and friends.
"The relief lasts about a day. Then I start wondering if they checked the right thing." (composite)
That's how health anxiety makes you feel for many people: relieved, then uncertain, then anxious again, in a loop that's exhausting to live in.
Hiding it from the people around you
Many people with health anxiety feel embarrassed. They worry about seeming dramatic, or they sense that loved ones are getting tired of the same questions. The MSD Manual notes that the constant worry can strain relationships.
So people often hide it. They search in secret, keep their fears to themselves and smile through dinner while their mind is somewhere else entirely. That secrecy can make living with health anxiety feel very lonely. It can also mean the people who care about you never get the chance to understand what you're carrying.
How it shows up at work and at night
Health anxiety doesn't stay in one place. At work, it might look like losing focus after noticing a sensation, stepping away to check yourself, or missing parts of a meeting because your mind is elsewhere.
Night can be hardest. With fewer distractions, sensations feel bigger and worries grow louder. Some people lie awake scanning their bodies. Others avoid sleep because the quiet makes the fear harder to ignore.
"Some weeks, it feels like health anxiety is ruining my life. I'm tired, distracted and scared, and nobody can see it." (composite)
What people with health anxiety wish others knew
When people describe living with this, a few themes come up again and again:
"I know it sounds irrational. That doesn't make it stop." Understanding the worry logically doesn't switch off the fear.
"I'm not looking for attention." Most people would give anything to stop thinking about their health.
"Brushing it off makes me hide it." Hearing "you're fine, stop worrying" can feel dismissive, even when it's meant kindly.
"Some days are good." Health anxiety often comes in waves. A calm week doesn't mean it's gone, and a hard week doesn't mean nothing has changed.
"Patience helps more than answers." Feeling heard often matters more than being told what to think.
If any of these sound like you, you're not alone, and you're not being dramatic.
Health anxiety, panic or OCD?
Health anxiety can overlap with other kinds of anxiety. The NHS notes it's related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and sudden waves of fear with a racing heart can feel like panic. Our post on what it's like to have anxiety describes how anxiety can feel more broadly.
You don't need to sort out the label yourself. A counsellor can help you understand your own pattern. And if you ever have sudden, severe symptoms, like chest pain with trouble breathing, call 911. Never assume a symptom is "just anxiety."
How long does health anxiety last?
There's no single answer. The MSD Manual describes illness anxiety as often long-lasting, with symptoms that may ease and then return, sometimes during stressful times. For some people it flares around illness in the family, big life changes or news stories.
That can sound discouraging, but it isn't the whole story. Patterns that have been around for a long time can still change. Understanding the cycle of worry, checking and reassurance is often the first step.
What change can feel like
Change rarely means never worrying again. More often, people describe noticing a sensation and letting it be there without spiralling. Searching less. Asking for reassurance less often. Getting their evenings back.
"I still notice things. I just don't follow every thought down the rabbit hole anymore." (composite)
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one approach the MSD Manual notes can help. Our post on CBT for health anxiety explains how it works.
How counselling helps
Counselling gives you a calm space to talk about your fears without being judged or brushed off. Together, you can understand what keeps the cycle going and build ways to respond differently, at a pace that feels manageable. We offer counselling for anxiety at our Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Ottawa offices, and online anywhere in Ontario on a secure, encrypted video platform.
Sessions with our therapists range from $130 to $200, depending on the clinician.
Depending on your plan, insurance may cover some or all of the cost. Coverage varies, so check your plan.
We accept Health Spending Accounts (HSAs).
We can direct bill many insurers, including for sessions with a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying). Desjardins is the exception: through TELUS eClaims, we can direct bill Desjardins for sessions with an RSW, RP or psychologist, but not for an RP (Qualifying).
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our admin team. "I worry about my health all the time, and it's wearing me out" is enough.
If you're in crisis: if you or anyone else is in immediate danger, or you have sudden severe symptoms, call 911. If you're having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 9-8-8 any time, day or night. Our crisis lines page lists both.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Sources
National Health Service (NHS), Health anxiety
MSD Manual Consumer Version, Illness anxiety disorder