Your Illness is Only in Your Head

Abstract

is excessive worrying about your health, to the point where it causes great distress and affects your everyday life. Some people with health anxiety have a medical condition, which they worry about excessively. Others have medically unexplained symptoms, such as chest pain or headaches, which they are concerned may be a sign of a serious illness, despite the doctor's reassurance. They usually misinterpret their sensations or minor symptoms to fit with their feared illness. Others may be permanently anxious about their future health, worrying about things like: "What if I get cancer or heart disease?"