By Hilary Akman, LMHC, LPC — Online Counseling Solutions | Serving Davie, FL, and all of Florida through online therapy
When thousands gathered at Nova Southeastern University for the annual Broward Heart Walk in March, many heard the message loud and clear that simple movement like walking can drastically lower the risk of a heart attack, which is the #1 cause of death in America.
What is meant to serve as motivation to get moving and cause some to respond with fear. Fear is anxiety’s best friend and often speaks in language such as, “What if” thinking.
“What if something is wrong with my heart?”
“What if I’m ignoring a symptom?”
“What if the doctors missed something at my last exam?”
There can be a fine line between health conscientiousness and health anxiety.
As a cognitive behavioral therapist, I have worked with individuals who fear getting their blood pressure taken, avoid routine health screenings and check-ups. Conversely, there are people who visit their doctor excessively for numerous ailments, never really receiving the reassurance and peace of mind they think another doctor appointment will bring.
What Is Health Anxiety?
Health anxiety goes beyond typical concern. It’s not just noticing symptoms—it’s interpreting them in the most catastrophic way possible. Catastrophic thinking is a very common error.
A normal thought might be:
“I feel my heart racing—I should slow down and hydrate.”
Health anxiety sounds more like:
“My heart is racing—what if I’m having a heart attack?”
Notice that the symptom is the same- one thought is rational, the other is likely irrational. The meaning attached to the symptom is responsible for the panic.
From a CBT perspective, health anxiety is fueled by a behavioral loop:
- Body sensation (normal or benign)
- Catastrophic thought (“This is dangerous”)
- Anxiety spike
- Safety behaviors (Googling, checking pulse, reassurance-seeking)
- Temporary relief
- Anxiety increases
That temporary relief reinforces the fear, making the cycle stronger over time.
What Are Healthy Choices?
Healthy choices, on the other hand, are proactive, based on rational thought, not fear-driven.
Attending something like the Broward Heart Walk is a great example. It reflects:
- Awareness without panic
- Prevention without obsession
- Action rooted in taking care of the bodies God has given us.
Healthy choices sound like:
- “I want to care for the body I’ve been given.”
- “I’ll get regular check-ups and trust my doctor.”
- “I can exercise because it strengthens me—not because I’m afraid something is wrong.”
If you are struggling with the dichotomy between avoiding the doctor and visiting the doctor too much, you are not alone. Health anxiety is a real thing and something that is easily treatable when you are taught how to challenge and change your fear-based thinking