If you have health anxiety, you likely view health or being sick in rigid or firm terms. The phrases thinking errors or cognitive distortion are inaccurate thoughts that come in a variety of forms. Those with anxiety tend to have cognitive distortion more often than those without anxiety, but everyone still experiences them from time to time. These patterns of thought typically lead you to conclusions that are extremely unlikely and significantly more catastrophic than the likely outcome.
All-or-Nothing thinking is a common cognitive distortion if you have health anxiety. Instead of taking a balanced approach to a situation, you might see it as black-or-white and rigid. With health anxiety, this thought error is common because you likely assume that the only categories can be completely healthy or deathly ill. This leaves very little room for anything in between, leading your anxiety levels to rise.
For example, if you receive blood work from your doctor and it is explained to you that you seem to be in good health, you probably feel at ease and happy after hearing this news. But what if you got home and you got a sharp pain in your abdomen? If you have health anxiety, you might immediately assume you have appendicitis and are actively in crisis physically. Even though it is likely just some unimportant pain that will pass, your anxiety tells you it is the end of the world.
Challenging this thinking error is key in helping ease these unpleasant feelings. Being healthy and being sick exist on a spectrum. So many people experience minor health issues, and pretty much every single person has ways that they could be healthier. Beyond this, there are so many levels of illness. Health issues do not equal death. Those who experience chronic health issues still can live long, happy lives.
If you find yourself in a health anxiety spiral, remember a few questions to ask yourself. Firstly, ask yourself if there is a logical reason for the symptom that has made itself known. Maybe you have a headache because you didn’t sleep well last night instead of it being due to a brain tumor.
Next, ask yourself about all of the in-between possibilities. Even though your thoughts have immediately gone to the worst-case scenario, list other things that could also be the reason for your pain. Basically, try to think of the minor issues that could be causing what you are feeling, instead of focusing on the worst possible scenario.
These exercises are a great start if you struggle with health anxiety. It challenges your anxiety telling you that a very unlikely horrible scenario will happen. It allows you to process and understand that your health cannot be simplified into two rigid categories of totally healthy or dying. It is extremely beneficial to get into the habit of recognizing that there are so many possibilities besides the two categories that exist in your mind.
Managing anxiety is difficult at times. If you are actively struggling with health anxiety, remember that you are not alone. Health anxiety is nothing to be embarrassed about, and opening up to your friends and family about your feelings can help you gain support. Having individuals around you that can help validate your feelings while also reminding you that the worst-case scenario is unlikely can be incredibly helpful. If these feelings are not easing up, seeking therapy services is also a wonderful option when you are trying to break out of negative thought patterns.
Reference:
Chesworth, Brittney. “Health Anxiety and Rigid Thinking Patterns” Psychology Today, 7 Mar. 2022, https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/managing-health-anxiety/202203/health-anxiety-and-rigid-thinking-patterns.