People that struggle with illness anxiety disorder or health anxiety (formerly known as hypochondriasis) are continuously scared of having a terrible disease such as cancer. Ordinary feelings that you might experience in your body like a cramp, a little lump, or an itch, are a confirmation that something is wrong and that it is time to panic. Symptoms such as a headache, a sore throat, a muscle strain, or coughing are quickly seen as severe or even deadly diseases. Even after visiting a doctor to check up on these symptoms, the fear of having a serious disease remains. People with an illness anxiety disorder are looking for reassurance, but often don’t find it. This can have a worsening effect on their fear.

Recognizing illness anxiety disorder

How can you recognize illness anxiety disorder:

  • an unusual amount of attention towards ordinary symptoms
  • constantly worrying about having a possible disease (for at least 6 months consecutively)
  • avoiding or obsessively looking up information about diseases
  • spending a lot of time on checking your body, and developing preventive behaviour such as washing your hands and avoiding sick people or hospitals
  • regularly visiting a doctor, not believing the doctor’s advice, or avoiding the doctor out of fear for diagnosis 
  • asking for a complete body check-up, like scans or even operations
  • exaggerating the effects of an actual disease

Symptoms

At times when the anxiety predominates and a panic attack arises, people experience the following symptoms:

  • palpitations
  • shortness of breath
  • tingling or a numb sensation
  • a dry mouth, nausea, an upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea
  • headaches, flushed cheeks, or fainting
  • the sense of not knowing who or where you are
  • a feeling of losing control, losing your mind, or dying

Panic attacks are one of the core symptoms of illness anxiety disorder. The problem is that these ‘regular’ symptoms of panic attacks could be perceived as symptoms of serious diseases. The fear of diseases often goes hand in hand with feelings of gloom or depression. People feel dispirited and helpless. They assume the worst, although they rarely dare to say it out loud.

Where does the fear come from?

In some families, anxiety disorders are quite common, but it isn’t exactly clear why. Anxiety disorders seem to be hereditary. However, the way someone deals with feelings of fear and physical symptoms seems to have been taught. Upbringing, education, and experiences in the past have a part in this.

Treatment

An illness anxiety disorder can be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy, a proven effective treatment. Over two-thirds of the people with a fear of disease benefit from this method, sometimes in combination with medication. During this treatment, the focus is on confronting the feelings and symptoms in the body, without doing body checkups or asking for reassurance.

Therapy can also exist from:

  • relaxation and breathing techniques
  • learning to put thoughts about diseases in perspective
  • learning and reading about their condition, self-help literature
  • informational meetings

NiceDay

Are you or do you know someone who is constantly living in fear of having a serious or life-threatening disease? Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Visit your local doctor for advice or a referral to a psychologist. Or click here for more information about treatment via NiceDay at various mental health institutions.

Here you can read our psycho-education about dealing with illness anxiety disorder.

When the evening falls and my eyes are starting to feel heavy, I lift myself off  the couch and head towards my favorite place: my bed. Ever since I was little my bed has been important to me. It stands for safety and security. I used to hide under the blankets, scared of monsters and burglars. When I got older my bed got another meaning: besides safety and security it gave me comfort. Feeling safe is a big topic in my life right now. I started asking myself with whom and where I feel safe, now that I am 25 years old. Did something change? Or do I still only feel safe in my own bed?

Where do you feel safe?

During multiple therapy sessions I have been asked where I feel most safe. In the beginning it took me quite some time to find an answer to that question. The only answer that would pop up was: I feel safe in my own bed. It was when I said it out loud that I started to realize. I felt sad that I didn’t feel safe while being with a person, but with an object. I thought something was wrong with me. Later I found out that it wasn’t the bed that gave me comfort, but the blanket. The weight of the blanket made me feel like I was being hugged. The warmth and softness of the blanket gave me peace and comfort and helped soften the pain.

With whom do you feel safe?

Two weeks ago I had another EMDR session. By the end of the session a memory came up. It was the Summer of 2016 and I had just returned home from a session with the POH-GGZ. I had told her about something that was extremely hard for me. Once I got home in my student home I burst into tears. I felt so much pain and sadness, but I was too scared to talk about it and felt so alone. To comfort myself I laid down in my bed with the heavy blanket wrapped around me. After telling my therapist about this memory she asked me the following: “If this were to happen now, who would you want to be with you?”. This time it didn’t take me long to know the answer. 

I feel safe with you

I have said it so many times. With you I feel safe. At the same time my mind and my body aren’t on the same page. My mind keeps telling me that I am not allowed to feel safe with you and that I should ignore the feeling. My body on the other hand keeps telling me the exact opposite. I know where this battle is coming from. In my past there have been people that have violated my trust and therefore I am extra cautious when I start feeling attached to someone. I don’t easily open up to other people, only when I can physically feel that everything’s alright. 

And that happened with you. I keep insuring myself that I don’t have to be afraid. That I don’t have to fear that you won’t treat my right. That the security that I feel with you is genuine and that I can trust my body on this. The inner battle is still ongoing and I accept that it is. That’s all I can do right now. There’s no use in fighting it. 

Love, Ghyta

Find all Ghyta’s experience stories here.

Meet my friend Sylvia, she is 80 years old, we have known each other for 7 years now and we regularly meet to eat and chat. With an age difference of 50 years and very different backgrounds, we have a fascinating friendship and are open to each other’s perspectives and ideas in life.

This won’t affect us. That was our initial thought, until the first infection in the Netherlands was reported and Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the official guidelines regarding the corona virus on Monday the 23rd of March. When this happened what were your first thoughts?

I was very happy with the guidelines and I wasn’t worried for myself. I thought: I am healthy and I am strong. I feel lively and have been active all my life. I tried to remind myself: only listen to the news once a day and only listen to the experts. There is a lot of panic in the news, and this created a lot of anxiety in my environment. Everyone around me was talking about it, it was the hot topic. I go outside every day, to take a walk in a quiet place. I usually do this with one person that I keep at a distance.

I am aware that people over 80 are more vulnerable. Deterioration of your organs and immune system is something to be expected with old age. I am realistic and won’t let it get to my head.

Do you or have you felt alone during this period?

There has been no change in my feelings of loneliness before or during corona. As always, I maintain social contact through the telephone. I do miss going to the museum alot and visiting my granddaughter in Amsterdam. I don’t take public transport. Further than that, I don’t feel limited. I have a car and can drive anywhere.

Do you or have you felt gloomy?

My mood has not changed during or by corona. I still think: I am so happy that I have traveled so much. Portugal, Mexico, Curaçao, Kenya, South Africa, wow! I am so glad that I have been able to have this experience. Remembering this gives me great pleasure.

Imagine someone you know feels alone or anxious. What would you say to that person?

I advised my friend to still leave the house occasionally, to get some fresh air and stay active. Besides that, one thing I hadn’t done is meet my granddaughter. After a few weeks, my son came along with my granddaughter. I had seen a child psychologist briefly on the youth news. A child said, “I am not sick and neither is my grandmother. Can I go visit my grandmother? And the psychologist said, “Yes you may!” Based on that, I thought: I am healthy, I will make sure that I still see my granddaughter.

Has the news ever made you feel anxious?

I can put it into perspective fairly quickly. I try to rationalize it. I am also lucky with my genetics. There are no diseases in the family. I have a good immune system for my age, partly due to my genetics but also due to my lifestyle. I love simple and healthy food.

The corona guidelines are being relaxed. What did you think about this and how are you going to behave?

I am happy that the schools have opened again for all children. Some of the conditions at home are bad, it is tough for children to continuously focus on a screen, learning difficulties can arise. I used to work in education, so I can really sympathize with them. I am glad that the children can see their friends again. I think the catering industry is a big step. I will not be so quick to sit on a terrace. I definitely want to go to the museum, if there are good safety measures in place. On a small terrace with enough space, yes I will sit there. I am aware of the actions I make and I don’t really feel any different.

What are your top tips for others?

– Go outside and stay active.
– Keep in touch with your friends, and stay in contact.

#coronavirus is trending. The Netherlands is turned upside-down. People rush to the supermarkets to stock toilet paper (?). I see videos and images on social media and think to myself, just act normal people. There is no nuclear war and we don’t have to go into hiding. But why do people react this way? Is this a reflection of fear?

Social media creates fears

It is 2:50 PM, Thursday afternoon on March 12, 2020. I have just left university and am in bed because I can’t keep my eyes open any longer. My phone rings and I see the following: “Schools are closing due to corona. There will soon be a press conference.” My heart rate goes from resting to intensive. I had a conversation with a fellow student about the closing of schools an hour ago. We came to the conclusion that this will probably not happen. But the news is full of it and there will soon be a press conference. At 15:15 the time has come for the press conference to begin. I wait with bated breath until the man from RIVM has finished talking. Then the regulations. I can hardly breathe. After five minutes, the measures are listed and my heart rate has dropped. Okay, so this was it? In my head I had expected much worse. I grab my phone and text my mom: “Gosh mom, they scare us so unnecessarily.” And that’s what happened. The media puts everything under a magnifying glass. Social media is full of posts about corona and people seem to believe everything. There is panic and people are dragged into this, including myself.

Fear is not necessary

Fear makes you ready for flight or fight. I think the corona virus also causes anxiety in people. They are afraid of getting infected or running out of things, like toilet paper. On the one hand, it is a logical reaction, but I think the fear will go over in this case. If you look on a (reliable) website with information about the corona virus, there are clearly identified risk groups and there are general precautions that people should follow. That should be enough.

My advice: take care of each other

It is important that we keep thinking about each other and not go through life as a group of antisocial people. I understand very well that people are guided by fear. It is scary. There is a virus that is contagious and there is a chance that complications arise. But try to reassure yourself by looking at the situation realistically. Corona has come, but will also disappear again.

Love,

Ghyta

About the book

The Alchemist is my favorite book and is the first book I recommend when someone asks “what book should I read?”. The book is about a young shepherd named Santiago, who is looking for his own legend, the purpose of his life. The boy decides to make a long journey, far away from home and during this trip he learns to listen to his heart and speak the language of the world. An enchanting story, but also a story that teaches some lessons. This is what I learnt:

#1 Have faith

You may not know what your “legend” is. I also do not know yet, but what I do know is that you make it a little easier for yourself by trusting yourself and your wishes and dreams. When you make sure you are doing your best every day and enjoy the steps (and mistakes!) that you make, you will find something that suits you. Whether it’s about your education, job or maybe friendship / relationship: have faith. Ultimately, everything will fall into place.

#2 Anxiety is a bigger obstacle than the obstacle itself

In the book, Santiago constantly dives into challenges. Although he is afraid of the unknown, he still makes the choice to continue: regardless of his uncertainties and fears. How often have you been afraid / nervous about something and in the end it went well/ wasn’t scary at all? I can make an endless list of moments like that which I had myself. Do not let your fear stop you from making that choice, you’ll see that afterwards it’s almost always less scary than you thought beforehand.

#3 Be grateful for your ‘normal’ life

To know what I mean by this, I recommend reading the book yourself ;).

“When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he has never dreamed of when he first made the decision.”

#4 Focus on yourself

Make choices for yourself regardless of what others think. The right people will stay with you, in any case. It may seem scary to wave away the opinions and comments of others. But if I’ve learnt something from ‘The Alchemist’, it’s that only you can determine your path.

#5 Do not compensate on your dreams and wishes

And last but not least, do not compensate on your dreams and wishes! Others may say it is unreachable, or maybe that is what your inner critic is saying to yourself. Do not listen to those critical voices: go for what you want! And if you need a reminder or a back in the back, pick up the “The Alchemist” again.

What book do you recommend to anyone?