Illness Anxiety Disorder, or Health Anxiety, involves an excessive fear of having a serious illness (e.g., cancer, AIDS, MS). People with health anxiety will typically consult with doctors frequently and/or excessively check for symptoms on the internet. Although visits to medical professionals can provide some relief when there is no evidence of a serious illness, this reassurance is short-lived, and people with health anxiety will often check and scan their bodies for symptoms of disease.
We all have concerns about our health from time to time, and it is of course recommended to have regular medical check-ups. However, people with health anxiety will typically worry most days about their health and excessively consult with doctors and specialists. Many people with health anxiety find themselves frustrated over time, as the more often they consult with their doctors, the less they feel they are taken seriously.
