Winter bugs and health anxiety

It’s that time of year again. The sniffles are doing the rounds, someone at work is coughing or the kids are bringing home germs from school, and your own throat feels a bit scratchy.

For most people, that’s an annoyance. But if you live with health anxiety, it can set off a whole chain of worry: Is this something serious? Should I be checking? What if I’ve missed something?

A recent Ipsos poll found that two-thirds of Britons experience some health-related anxiety, and more than a quarter say they have a lot or a moderate amount. Two in three have looked up symptoms online in the past year, and plenty of people say what they see on social media makes the worry worse.

Health anxiety isn’t silly, and it isn’t “just in your head”. `Your mind is trying to keep you safe. The trouble is that it can get stuck on high alert, treating every normal bodily sensation as a warning. Checking, searching and seeking reassurance bring a moment of relief, but they usually feed the worry for the next time.

The good news is that things can shift. Here are some techniques I use with clients as part of a solution focused approach. It starts from what’s already working rather than what’s wrong.

1. Notice the times it’s quieter. When was the last time you had a cough, ache or twinge and it didn’t spiral? What was different? Where were you, what were you doing, and what were you telling yourself? Those moments are clues, and you can do more of what’s in them.

2. Picture your life with the worry turned down. Imagine waking tomorrow and the worry has loosened its grip. What’s the first thing you’d notice? How would you be spending your morning? Make it small and specific. Your mind starts moving towards what it can clearly see.

3. Try a scale, not a verdict. Instead of “I’m terrified” or “I’m fine”, ask yourself where you are from 0 to 10. Then ask: what’s keeping me from being lower? and what would one point better look like? One small step is plenty.

4. Build a calm anchor. Find a quiet moment, take a slow breath, and bring to mind a time you felt safe and settled. Notice where you feel it in your body. Then press your thumb and finger together gently as you stay with the feeling. Practise a few times a day, and use it when the worry starts to climb. Over time, your mind learns to link that gesture with calm.

5. Put limits on the “checking”. If you’re searching for symptoms or asking for reassurance several times a day, try gently delaying it. “I’ll check in 15 minutes if I still want to.” Often the urge passes on its own. Notice that, and give yourself credit.

6. Talk to your mind like you would a friend. If a friend told you they were worried about a symptom, you wouldn’t tell them off. You’d reassure them and help them decide what to do. Try offering yourself that same tone.

A note on getting symptoms checked: health anxiety doesn’t mean you should ignore your body. If something is new, worrying or won’t go away, speak to your GP or call NHS 111. The aim is to deal with real concerns sensibly and not be ruled by every passing sensation.

If health anxiety has been taking up a lot of your headspace or stopping you from getting out and enjoying things, clinical hypnotherapy can be a gentle way to tackle the condition.

If you’d like to talk it through, get in touch for a free initial chat - https://www.tamsindenbightherapy.com/book-a-free-call

Tamsin Denbigh

Clinical hypnotherapist and Trauma Therapist

Online and In-person in Somerset