Health anxiety
Overview
Health anxiety is when you spend so much time worrying you're ill, or going to get ill, that it starts to take over your life. It's related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Treatment
If a GP diagnoses you with health anxiety, they may refer you for a talking therapy, such ascognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), or offer you a medicine for anxiety. You can refer yourself directly to an NHS talking therapies service without a referral from a GP. If you can afford it, you can choose to pay for your therapy privately. The cost of private therapy sessions varies, but it can cost from £35 upwards per session. Free therapy or low-cost sessions starting at £15 are sometimes available. Find out more from these charities: Mind: How to find therapy or counsellingAnxiety UK: Therapy services The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies has a register of all accredited therapists in the UK, andThe British Psychological Society has a directory of chartered psychologies, some of whom specialise in CBT.