How to Work Through Health Anxiety

Category 2

Jun 3

The internet and health anxiety make a terrible, terrible combination. Especially during the days of COVID-19 and the misinformation that has been spread. Beyond reminding yourself over and over again that Google self-diagnoses are not useful and rarely accurate, here are a few steps you can take to combat searching for symptoms and feeding the anxiety:

Exit. Exit. Exit. See that red “x” in the corner of your browser? Click on it. Get away from the internet when you start to feel like you need to look up symptoms. What we are doing by looking up a diagnosis on the web is feeding our anxiety. Anxiety thrives on keeping you under its control and making you think all sorts of negative thoughts. By clicking away from the search for medical symptoms, you are telling the anxiety that you are not going to let it win.

Find Appropriate Resources. If you must look online, look at the correct resources. Don’t look to your friend who once took a science class in undergrad and “knows” these symptoms. Check places like the CDC or the World Health Organization for most up to date information on viruses. Or you can call your doctor - many doctors have telehealth or email portals that can be super helpful.

Mindfulness Techniques. Try some guided meditation on one of the handy apps like “HeadSpace,” take a moment of your day and relax. Follow the meditation to notice the breath in your body and the calming sounds of the meditation. Finding time to do this can allow you to put your focus elsewhere and not on looking for symptoms. When you look for symptoms you may start to notice smaller sensations you had not noticed before leading to a preoccupation with bodily sensations which become amplified, which can lead to spiraling into the worry.

Acceptance. Learning to accept that our health is not always in our control is also important. When we accept that sometimes we will get sick and there are treatments in place, we can lead a life without the constant worry that there may be something wrong with us. When we are in constant worry, it affects our day to day life, relationships, work, leisurely activities that you otherwise enjoyed may not have the same pleasure as they used to. Considering what you are missing out on could help you find the motivation to move forward from the worry.

Consider Therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is great for treating so many mental health diagnosis. Finding a therapist who is trained in CBT and will help you reframe your worries will be helpful. If you are interested in booking a consult with me, please click here.

Rachel Aredia, LCPC, NCC

Thank you for coming to get to know me! I am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, practicing in Chicago, Illinois. I have a Bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Sociology and Philosophy from Southern Illinois University and obtained my Master’s in Clinical Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

I have 10+ years experience working in the mental health field, with experience holding a variety of different titles and helping hundreds of clients in a variety of therapeutic settings. I have a special interest in working with clients who experience anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and related disorders. I have received specialized training in LGBTQ Affirmative Therapy as well as mindfulness-based treatment therapy, and motivational interviewing. In addition, I have obtained advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and am a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP).

Focus & Approach

During my journey in the mental health field (both personally and professionally), I have learned that the biggest thing for my clients is fostering a judgement-free space where one can be authentic and feel genuinely heard.

I am in a great place of privilege to be able to help people navigate the most challenging and stressful times of their lives. I strongly believe the quality of the therapeutic relationship plays a significant role in an individual’s healing process, and therefore my goal is to develop and maintain a safe, open, and trusting dynamic with each client that I work with by humanizing the process. I believe everyone should have a therapist, myself included. I also understand that I will not meet everyone’s needs all of the time and when that happens, I am happy to make referrals to therapists that would better fit your needs as the client – therapist relationship is so important for your treatment.

My approach has been described as engaging, empathic, direct, warm and non-judgmental. I have been known to use humor in my sessions to promote comfort and humanize the process of therapy. I strive to create a space where you can be your authentic self and break down any barriers you may have to leave you feeling empowered and at ease. I encourage positive change in a supportive, compassionate manner while simultaneously offering at times, blunt feedback with empathy and humor.

I hold special interest in working with clients who may have experienced difficult therapeutic relationships in the past. Perhaps you or a loved one engaged in therapy with a therapist who did not fit your needs and left a “bad taste” of therapy. My hope is to engage these clients and assist them in finding a better fit for the therapeutic relationship as I believe therapy is so important.

Personal Note

When not in therapy, I have been known to enjoy Cubs games, enjoy spending time with my dog, and enjoying true crime documentaries.

I have also engaged in therapy as a client and understand the value of the relationship of the client and therapist. I also understand that sometimes, we just need someone to simply talk to.

My Statement on the BLM movement

I stand in support of the Black community in solidarity against racism and injustice. I am committed to learning how I can work together with my clients and community toward a future of equality. My practice is open to everyone as this is a judgment free zone. I look forward to the continued conversations and opportunities to not only discuss the Black Lives Matter movement and the current state of racial relations in America, but to do my part to raise awareness of systemic racism and to help dismantle that system, wherever possible.

https://www.inspirewithintherapy.com