Health Anxiety Symptoms and Characteristics

Core Psychological and Physical Symptoms

Patients with health anxiety experience excessive anxiety and worry about health that is difficult to control, persisting for at least 6 months, according to the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2
Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge is a common symptom of health anxiety, as reported by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2
Being easily fatigued is a physical symptom associated with health anxiety, as noted by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2
Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank is a cognitive symptom of health anxiety, as stated by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2
Irritability is a common symptom of health anxiety, as reported by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2
Muscle tension is a physical symptom associated with health anxiety, as noted by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2
Sleep disturbance is a common symptom of health anxiety, as stated by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 1, 2, 3

Health anxiety must be distinguished from appropriate health concerns in the context of actual medical illness, and persists despite appropriate medical evaluation showing no serious pathology, as noted by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 3
The worry being disproportionate to actual medical risk is a key characteristic of health anxiety, as reported by the Journal of Clinical Oncology 3
Comorbidity with depression is common, with approximately 31% of patients with anxiety disorders also having major depressive disorder, necessitating screening for both conditions, as stated by Praxis Medical Insights 4