The Concept of Health Anxiety

Abstract

Abstract Health anxiety occurs when perceived bodily sensations or changes are interpreted as symptoms of a serious disease. Everyone experiences health anxiety at some point in their lives, and in some cases, it can be persistent and distressing. Contemporary cognitive behavioral models conceptualize health anxiety as existing along a continuum, ranging from mild to severe, and as being a core facet of several psychiatric diagnoses. Maladaptive presentations of health anxiety, often referred to as severe health anxiety, are associated with various dysfunctional beliefs and several forms of health-related checking behavior. These maladaptive presentations are often personally debilitating and associated with considerable societal costs. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce contemporary cognitive behavioral models proposed to understand health anxiety, to provide an overview of its clinical profile, to describe the core features associated with its etiology and maintenance, and to introduce considerations for assessment and treatment.