Adult Health Anxiety Treatment in Cary NC
Adult Health Anxiety
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Many adults experience moments of worry about their health. However, for some people, those worries become overwhelming - dominating their thoughts, creating constant fear of illness, and interfering with daily life. Health anxiety (sometimes called illness anxiety disorder or hypochondria) can make even small sensations or normal bodily changes feel alarming.
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At Etheridge Psychology in Cary, NC, our clinicians specialize in helping adults understand and manage health-related anxiety. We provide evidence-based therapy for clients across Raleigh, Apex, and the greater Triangle area, helping them regain peace of mind and confidence in their bodies.
Common Symptoms of Health Anxiety
People with health anxiety often experience persistent worry and physical tension, even when medical tests show no clear cause.
Common symptoms may include:
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Constant fear of having a serious illness despite reassurance from doctors
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Frequent checking of the body for signs of disease (such as lumps, spots, or irregular sensations)
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Repeated online searches about medical symptoms (“cyberchondria”)
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Difficulty trusting medical providers or needing multiple opinions
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Obsessive thoughts about health, death, or medical conditions
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Physical symptoms triggered or worsened by anxiety (such as headaches, stomach upset, or rapid heartbeat)
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Reassurance-seeking behaviors—asking others to confirm you are “okay”
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Avoiding medical appointments due to fear of bad news
If these patterns sound familiar, you are not alone. Health anxiety is a common and treatable condition, and therapy can help you break the cycle of worry and fear.
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How Therapy Helps
At Etheridge Psychology, treatment for health anxiety focuses on changing the relationship between your thoughts, your body, and your fears. Using approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, and exposure therapy, we help clients learn to manage uncertainty, reduce checking behaviors, and calm the body’s stress response.
Therapy can help you:
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Reduce excessive reassurance-seeking and medical checking
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Tolerate uncertainty about health and wellness
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Reconnect with your body in a balanced, non-fearful way
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Improve sleep, focus, and daily functioning
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Regain peace of mind and confidence in your overall well-being
Getting Started
If you are struggling with ongoing fear about your health, you do not have to face it alone. Etheridge Psychology, serving Cary, Raleigh, and Apex, NC, provides compassionate and practical support for adults living with health anxiety. Our licensed clinicians will work with you to identify the patterns keeping your anxiety going and help you build tools for long-term relief.
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To schedule an appointment or learn more about therapy for adult health anxiety, contact Etheridge Psychology today.
Coping Techniques for Health Anxiety
While therapy provides the most lasting relief, there are several strategies you can begin using right now to help calm your mind and body:
1. Limit online symptom checking.
Set clear boundaries around searching medical symptoms. Instead, write down your concerns and discuss them with your therapist or doctor.
2. Practice grounding and mindfulness.
Focus on what you can see, hear, or feel in the present moment. Slow, deep breathing and grounding exercises help redirect attention from “what if” thoughts to “what is.”
3. Schedule “worry time.”
Rather than letting health concerns take over your entire day, set aside a 10–15 minute window to acknowledge and reflect on your worries. Outside that time, gently remind yourself you will think about it later.
4. Notice reassurance-seeking patterns.
Repeatedly asking others or checking your body can increase anxiety over time. When you notice the urge to seek reassurance, pause and tolerate the uncertainty instead.
5. Engage in balanced self-care.
Sleep, nutrition, gentle movement, and social connection all play important roles in managing anxiety. Try small, sustainable changes rather than perfection.
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Learning to manage health anxiety takes time and patience, but these small steps can help you start regaining a sense of control. If you find your worries still feel overwhelming, therapy can help you move forward with greater peace and confidence.