{"id":1535,"date":"2020-06-26T09:05:04","date_gmt":"2020-06-26T09:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/?p=1535"},"modified":"2020-06-26T09:05:04","modified_gmt":"2020-06-26T09:05:04","slug":"do-i-have-illness-anxiety-disorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/do-i-have-illness-anxiety-disorder\/","title":{"rendered":"Do I Have Illness Anxiety Disorder?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>\u200bThe journey to find a good therapist<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Searching for a therapist<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whether you\u2019re dealing with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or feel like you may just need to talk about what is happening in your life with someone outside your social circle, therapy can be an incredibly helpful tool in finding our way through life. For some people it\u2019s hard to come to a place where they are ready to see a therapist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it can be even harder to find the right therapist that will actually help you with the problems you are facing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It took me a long time to finally find a person that works for me in my unique situation. And the process of getting there has been frustrating and confusing at times. The first step for most of us these days is to hop online and start searching for our options. And looking at all the different letters after a therapist\u2019s name is where some of the confusion may already start.<\/p>\n<h3>Your therapist might be multiple people<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For me, my therapist ended up being several different people. During my depression, I had access to a mental health counselor. Working with him was the very first step I took toward counselling and therapy. After several years, I had to relocate for school. Needless to say, I had to find a different therapist in the new city.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u201cOur wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful parts of us.\u201d&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&#8211; David Richo<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">And as I moved along my journey through depression, many others joined my mental health team. For instance, I worked with a psychiatrist and a hypnotherapist for some time. After that, my needs changed and I worked with a relationship counselor and later on a women-focused life coach. You may find that over time, your needs will change as well.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>Psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or therapist?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Broadly speaking, different designations (their title represented by letters after their name) refer to different paths and lengths of education that person has taken to come to practice. They may also be registered with different regulatory bodies depending on which designation they have. I have a quick outline for you here. But keep in mind that there may be differences depending on the country of practice or even the state or province you live in.<\/p>\n<h3>Psychiatrist<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\">A medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental illness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">*Licensed to write prescriptions*<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Equipped to deal with extreme presentations of mental illness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>May focus solely on medication management and a medical diagnosis and work in tandem with another therapist for behavioral therapy (some psychiatrists will also do behavioral therapy themselves)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Determines appropriate treatments based on clinical diagnoses and observations<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>May have a more academic approach<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Psychologist<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\">Has a doctoral degree in psychology<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Most psychologists cannot (in most states of the USA, for example) prescribe medication, so they may work with your medical doctor if prescriptions or medical procedures are necessary<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Focus is on behavioral therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Helps clients clarify their feelings and make life decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Aims to support and guide you<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"\">Licensed Counselor<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\">Usually has a Master&#8217;s Degree in Psychology, counseling, or a related field<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Cannot prescribe medications<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Focus is on talking and behavioral therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Helps clients clarify their feelings and make life decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Aims to support and guide you<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Clinical social worker<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\">Has at least a Master&#8217;s Degree in Social Work and additional training to be able to evaluate and treat mental illnesses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Most can help with case management (like hospital discharge planning), in addition to referring to community resources and advocate for patients in the system<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Helps clients clarify their feelings and make life decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Aims to support and guide you<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Therapist<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"\">A broad term in the mental health field that usually refers to someone who specializes in behavioral therapy, like a psychologist, psychiatrist, marriage counselor, social worker, or even alternative helping practitioners and life coaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Helps clients clarify their feelings and make life decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"\">Aims to support and guide you<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>Navigating the internet for a therapist<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the above guidelines in mind, have a look at online registries and search results and start browsing your options. Reading through their websites thoroughly can often give you a pretty good idea of the type of therapy they provide. A lot of times you can find a rating for a doctor or therapist and read through the reviews online. Moreover, there are many mental health forums you can join that help you find a therapist in your area.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You may also want to find the answers to some basic questions for each therapist. Is their approach more academic or emotional? What type of methods do they specialize in? Do they work with specific demographics? How long have they been a therapist? What are their qualifications and are they licensed to practice where you live?<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Finding a therapist online\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Finding a therapist online\" data-id=\"1243\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Finding-a-therapist-online.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/426;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a good idea to narrow down the field with practical things like driving distance, hours of operation or offering online appointments.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you end up finding a helpful therapist, you could be going to see them for months or even years. A long commute or restricted working hours may end up becoming a burden when sessions have to fit between work and life. In addition, you might prefer to have sessions online, if driving is not feasible. In that case, be sure to check if they offer online appointments.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>Will the cost of a therapist be covered?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In case you are lucky enough to have extended medical coverage, you may also want to check with your insurance provider if they cover the specific designation of therapist you are considering. The letters at the end of the name can be a minefield of confusion. Even one letter different than the approved designation can mean that you end up paying out of pocket.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I found it easiest to actually have their title in front of me when I called my insurance provider to double check if it was included in my coverage. If you don\u2019t have medical coverage, there are still many resources online. Moreover, certain programs you may qualify for that subsidize therapy or provide free counselling. Check with your doctor, community mental health resources, or online for more information specific to your area.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Therapist costs\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Therapist costs\" data-id=\"1244\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Therapist-costs.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/426;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">During my teenage years, I received free counselling through our local mental health program. Later, my therapy was covered through my studies at university. Once I finished studying, I did not have a job with medical coverage. I ended up in another community mental health program. This worked very well for me because I was still in a large city. It might be a little more difficult to get access to support in smaller towns or rural areas.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As my needs changed and I considered alternative therapies, some sessions were covered by my extended medical and some were not. I have to say that private medical insurance is getting much better at covering therapy; however, they still have a long way to go. You may find that if you choose an alternative practitioner, like a hypnotherapist, you may have to pay out of pocket.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span>Ask friends and family or check online reviews<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Different people respond to different therapists and everyone has different goals for their own therapy. In other words, what might work for one person, may not work for another. So with that in mind, it\u2019s still worth asking for recommendations from friends or family. It can be very helpful if they are seeing their therapist for similar reasons or goals to your own. If you\u2019re comfortable, ask around to your family or friends to see if anyone has had an experience worth recommending.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Therapist reviews\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Therapist reviews\" data-id=\"1245\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Therapist-reviews.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/426;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If that\u2019s not an option for you, it can always be worthwhile to read the online reviews for some therapists you are considering. Again, keep in mind that a therapist is a very individual fit, but sometimes the review can apply more broadly. Take the online reviews with a grain of salt. I have seen so many bad reviews that actually had nothing to do at all with the quality of therapy. Above all, don\u2019t be turned off solely by the online reviews.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You may be seeing a doctor already for your depression and you can always ask her or him for a recommendation. Often, doctors know the available therapists in the area and can even make a quick call for a referral. Keep in mind that you are not obliged to stick with that therapist. But, it might get you a quick appointment, if you need help now. My doctor set up my referral to the community mental health program and I received the help I needed right away.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Have a consultation call<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Once you\u2019ve narrowed the field of potential therapists, try to request a short consultation phone call or ask questions in an email. Share a bit about your background and your goals and see if this fits into their area of expertise. After that, you can also ask any questions the website did not answer for you. Especially any questions around fees or age group.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Consultation call\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Consultation call\" data-id=\"1246\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Consultation-call.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/426;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some people ask the therapist about where they went to school or the experience they have with their type of issue. Have they ever helped someone overcome it successfully? Their answer should make you feel confident that they can help you achieve your goals. So, go with your gut feeling when it comes to making the final decision.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">The first session<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Especially if it\u2019s your first time to counselling, it can be an awkward experience to just sit down and start talking about your intimate feelings with a complete stranger. A good therapist will, however, always make you feel welcome and comfortable. They will be a very attentive listener, while building a conversation as organically as possible. You should never feel like they are distracted, or pushing their own agenda or opinion on what you\u2019ve shared. You should feel like they are only working to support your goals for therapy.<\/p>\n<p>Look for any red flags, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>                    <span style=\"\">Your therapist is talking more than you<\/span><\/li>\n<li>                    <span style=\"\">The therapist is interrupting you a lot<\/span><\/li>\n<li>                    <span style=\"\">Your therapist is making you feel judged or ashamed<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Physical contact without express consent that makes you uncomfortable<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Inappropriate behavior or questions that make you uncomfortable in a way that feels unrelated to the goals of the therapy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span>Violating confidentiality about you or another patient (like sharing details with you about another patient while actually sharing that individual\u2019s identity)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"First session with a therapist\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" title=\"First session with a therapist\" data-id=\"1251\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/First-session-with-a-therapist.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"427\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"427\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/427;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>If all goes well, and you feel comfortable, you and your therapist will agree on a treatment plan and schedule going forward; however, if the session did not make you feel comfortable for any reason, you have no obligation to schedule another appointment. You can simply continue looking for another therapist. Never feel pressured to have to stay with one therapist. Therapy is deeply personal and you need to feel like you can work with a particular therapist.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">How long should I see a therapist<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This answer very much depends on the issue you are dealing with and the type of treatment you are receiving. Everyone is different. Some people go to therapy for only a few months to overcome a particularly hard time in their lives. Others will need the support for life. Talk to your therapist about their recommendations in order to set expectations and find the right fit for your life.<\/p>\n<p>I started off with counselling several times a week because of my situation. Over time, I went once a week. Later, I simply phoned when I needed an appointment. You may find that when you are in the midst of a severe depression, you will need a lot more support than when you are just feeling down. As you get to know yourself and your depression, you may also find that you get better at asking for help when you need it. Now, when I know I am sliding down a slippery slope, I get in touch with my therapist and get the support I need. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a support network you can call on when things get tough.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Finding a good fit<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While highly trained, therapists are people, and just like anyone else you meet, they will have a certain style through which they communicate. Depending on where you\u2019re at with your journey and why you\u2019re seeking counselling, you may or may not feel comfortable with the way they communicate with you and approach what you\u2019re sharing with them.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Trust and rapport with therapist\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" title=\"Trust and rapport with therapist\" data-id=\"1252\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Trust-and-rapport-with-therapist.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"427\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"427\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/427;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Some have a very \u201cno-nonsense\u201d approach that can cut through messy feelings, while others may take a very soothing or comforting tone to encourage elaboration instead. It\u2019s important to go with your gut when deciding whether a certain therapist\u2019s style is right for you; however, it\u2019s most important to have a good rapport and feel very comfortable sharing with them.<\/p>\n<p>If after several sessions of getting to know them, you find yourself not wanting to share the whole story, or lying about anything, you\u2019ve most likely not found a good fit yet. The tendency to hold back or distort the truth means you are still feeling some kind of judgement from that person, and likely won\u2019t be able to share truthfully enough to make progress. Telling the whole truth in therapy is vital. In other words, if I\u2019m lying to my therapist, I\u2019m paying a lot of money to have someone work on a false problem. And that doesn\u2019t help!<\/p>\n<p>It may take a few sessions to know if you want to continue seeing a certain therapist, but don\u2019t feel bad if you have to try a few different ones before you find the right fit. While it can feel overwhelming to have to open up to different people in order to find a therapist you really find helpful, the reward of having someone who truly understands and guides you can be life changing (well worth the work).<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">My own journey with therapists over the years<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I once saw a psychologist for a few sessions who showed that she empathized with me like a trained parrot who said \u201cawww yes, that must have been hard for you\u201d after literally every sentence I said. At first I thought it was a nice way of sympathizing, but after an hour I had to restrain myself from yelling \u201cyes of course it was\u2026 that\u2019s why I\u2019m here, thank you for dwelling on that!!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I also saw a very stuffy counselor who was quite matter-of-fact. And at the end of the session I felt a bit judged and ashamed, almost like she was telling me to \u201csuck-it\u2019up\u201d about what I was feeling. In conclusion, I found that to be a very discouraging session and it took me a long time to even try with another counselor again.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Bad experience\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" title=\"Bad experience\" data-id=\"1253\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Bad-experience.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"427\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"427\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/427;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>I have also seen other therapists who just wallowed in my pain with me out of immense empathy but never got me anywhere productive in my thoughts. Above all, while sympathy and empathy are important, you also want to find a way to resolve your problem, not just keep drawing it out.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, through a friend\u2019s inadvertent recommendation I found a woman who has just the right amount of humor, sympathy and \u201clet\u2019s do it\u201d attitude to make me feel like I am talking with a friend. I feel accepted, so I can be completely honest with her, and to me, that is the most important part.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">The Takeaway<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">No matter how many degrees a therapist has, if you feel scared, intimidated, or judged, you won\u2019t tell them the full truth. And they will never really be able to help you with your inner conflict. You have to find someone you can be open with, someone you trust fully; however,&nbsp; the biggest mistake I made was giving up after meeting with a counselor who was simply not a good fit for me. I mistakenly thought all therapy would be the same.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What I learned over time is that it might take a bit of searching and trying before finding someone who clicks with you. In addition, you might want to widen your search area to therapists who work with different methods. Some people respond better to one therapy method and others need a different way to work through their situation. I feel like therapy is as individual as buying your clothes. In other words, what fits for you might be terrible for someone else.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">And you can hopefully count on the fact that you will change. Your therapist will likely make the very best effort to support you as much as they can. For instance, you may reach a point where you have resolved one issue and are needing to resolve something else. Sometimes, as you grow as a person, you may outgrow your therapist and need to work with someone else.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"New therapist\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"New therapist\" data-id=\"1249\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/New-therapist.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/426;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t be afraid of therapy<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Therapy is there to help you. You may not want to hear the truth about certain things you discuss in therapy, but even that is crucial if you want to move forward. I found that while it was comforting to talk to my family or friends, I needed someone completely unrelated to help me. None of my family is trained in therapy. But, they also tend to coddle me and that did not help with my recovery in the long term.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Often, after severe trauma, it is difficult to get started with therapy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Don\u2019t let that fear of opening up and having to \u201crelive\u201d your trauma stop you from seeking help. Therapists are trained to work with traumatized people and they will support you through whatever you are experiencing. I found that working with my trauma actually allowed me to heal through it. I feel like if I had not worked with a therapist, my trauma would still be haunting me at every turn because I would have just tried to ignore it and shut it out.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"No fear of therapy\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"No fear of therapy\" data-id=\"1248\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/No-fear-of-therapy.jpg\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 640px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 640\/426;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One final thought I want to put out there is that you need to be open. If you go to therapy with the mindset that you have no problems and you will just prove them wrong, therapy will be a waste of your time. You can only be helped if you are open to receiving help and open to changing. You are in your current situation because you have followed one path. It seems obvious that if you are not prepared to change that path, you will continue down the same road with the same results.<\/p>\n<p>Make a conscious decision to choose yourself today. You deserve to be happy and find the healing and support you need.<\/p>\n<p>Sources<\/p>\n<p><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/mental-health\/guide-to-psychiatry-and-counseling#1\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/mental-health\/guide-to-psychiatry-and-counseling#1<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: none; display: inline-block;\">https:\/\/www.allpsychologyschools.com\/psychology\/differences-therapist-psychologist\/<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thejorni.com\" style=\"outline: none;\">www.thejorni.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u200bThe journey to find a good therapist Searching for a therapist Whether you\u2019re dealing with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or feel like you may just need to talk about what is happening in your life with someone outside your social circle, therapy can be an incredibly helpful tool in finding our way through life. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"<div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e259e15\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb--cols--2 tcb-resized\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5d96c3\"><span data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5df7b5\">\u200bIllness anxiety disorder is more than being cautious<br><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0249\"><strong>Obsessive behavior and illness anxiety disorder<\/strong><\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is pretty likely that we know someone who has always been a little \u201csqueamish\u201d about personal contact. It might be because they were afraid of germs. Or of being exposed to a contagious condition. In Vancouver, I always saw a lot of Asian people wearing masks outside on a daily basis.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-160c1e84e06\" data-ct-name=\"Modern 9\" data-ct=\"stylebox-8929\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\">\n<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e825c68\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tve-cb tve_empty_dropzone\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e825c69\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4e4a7f\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sometimes my fellow students would even come to class with gloves on.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">After university, I worked with a woman who used to bring her own pens to work. She couldn\u2019t bear the thought of using a pen that another person had held. Right away she sanitized her hands at her desk after shaking someone\u2019s hand. And she always used her sleeve to open the washroom doors. She used to talk a lot about her latest \u201csymptom\u201d of an undiagnosed but serious illness over lunch or coffee.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the way our world has changed because of Covid-19, her behavior no longer feels that out of place. Perhaps I even feel a little like she was ahead of the crowd when it comes to personal safety. Yet for many people, \u201ccleanliness rituals\u201d and health preoccupations are not a fad. They may not even be strictly related to Covid-19.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2538ab\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2945a3\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2787cf\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e285f42\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\u201cThe greatest wealth is health.\u201d<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;- Virgil<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Their general fears about their health were there long before the pandemic hit. And the mindset will remain long after the face shields are retired. What if your worrying about health is more than just a smart defence? Is there a point where we can be too preoccupied with our health?<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb--cols--2 tcb-resized\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5d96c3\"><span data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5df7b5\">\u200bWhat is illness anxiety disorder?<br><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-172efc81db7\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Illness anxiety disorder is when worrying about your health becomes something that occupies more of your time than it needs to. It\u2019s a persistent fear of having some kind of serious illness or health condition. Illness anxiety disorder can suck the energy right out of you. You spend days worrying about your health, going from doctor to doctor to find an answer.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-171f0a7b071\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1540\" alt=\"Worry over illness anxiety disorder\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Worry over illness anxiety disorder\" data-id=\"1540\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Worry-over-illness-anxiety-disorder.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eb50c15\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">It used to be referred to as hypochondriasis, but the medical community decided to change it to some more non-judgmental terms. Basically, someone who deals with this type of anxiety is always hyper-conscious of their body. They often interpret any body signals as a cause for concern or a symptom of a grave or serious illness.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">We may have a very narrow understanding of what a person with illness anxiety disorder looks like. We have all seen the character in sitcoms who won\u2019t touch any door handles. In reality, this type of anxiety can be much more complex and varied. Many individuals with illness anxiety disorder are actually more occupied with what is already happening in their body, rather than protecting it from germs.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">They may believe that their headache is, in fact, the early stage of a brain tumor. Or that their cough is a sign of lung cancer. Those thoughts will be very intrusive and take over their daily routine. Since this is a condition, the process is not voluntary. Illness anxiety disorder is similar to obsessive compulsive disorder and some professionals see the two as related.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb--cols--2 tcb-resized\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5d96c3\"><span data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5df7b5\">\u200bSomatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder<br><\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whereas people used to just be lumped in under \u201chypochondriasis\u201d, the medical community now distinguishes between two types of disorders. It is generally accepted that if a person complains about physical symptoms, they would likely be diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder. Whereas people who complain about mild or no physical symptoms would be diagnosed with illness anxiety disorder.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-172efc8e4e6\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">This makes a distinction between people who are preoccupied with and experiencing physical symptoms. As opposed to people who are more consumed by the fear over developing a grave or terminal illness<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-171f0a7b071\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1541\" alt=\"Suffering from illness anxiety disorder\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Suffering from illness anxiety disorder\" data-id=\"1541\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Suffering-from-illness-anxiety-disorder.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eb50c15\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is important to note that often people with either disorder have been gravely ill in the past. A traumatic event like that can lay the foundation for illness anxiety disorder, for example. It is common for illness anxiety disorder to start in the late teenage years. But, it can really start at any age. Symptoms can be made worse or even triggered by a traumatic event like losing a loved one.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0ef9\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Much like with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), the person does not choose to focus on their health. This is a mental health condition and usually needs mental health support rather than urgent medical care. Since people with illness anxiety disorder tend to visit their doctor often, it is usually their doctor who begins to suspect a mental health condition.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb--cols--2 tcb-resized\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5d96c3\"><span data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5df7b5\">The symptoms<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">So what kind of symptoms does a person with Health Anxiety display? There is a broad range, but there are certain underlying themes that tend to be common among most people affected.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-styled_list\" data-icon-code=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6743239\" style=\"\"><ul class=\"tcb-styled-list\"><li class=\"thrv-styled-list-item\"><div class=\"tcb-styled-list-icon\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_icon tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete tcb-no-clone tcb-no-save tcb-icon-inherit-style tcb-icon-display\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e673fa80\" style=\"\"><svg class=\"tcb-icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 192 512\" data-id=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-name=\"\">\n            <path d=\"M166.9 264.5l-117.8 116c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0l-7.1-7.1c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17L127.3 256 25.1 155.6c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l7.1-7.1c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l117.8 116c4.6 4.7 4.6 12.3-.1 17z\"><\/path>\n        <\/svg><\/div><\/div><span class=\"thrv-advanced-inline-text tve_editable tcb-styled-list-icon-text tcb-no-delete tcb-no-save\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6740836\" style=\"\">Being convinced that you have or are developing a serious illness (even with the absence of physical symptoms)<\/span><\/li><li class=\"thrv-styled-list-item\"><div class=\"tcb-styled-list-icon\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_icon tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete tcb-no-clone tcb-no-save tcb-icon-inherit-style tcb-icon-display\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e673fa80\" style=\"\"><svg class=\"tcb-icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 192 512\" data-id=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-name=\"\">\n            <path d=\"M166.9 264.5l-117.8 116c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0l-7.1-7.1c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17L127.3 256 25.1 155.6c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l7.1-7.1c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l117.8 116c4.6 4.7 4.6 12.3-.1 17z\"><\/path>\n        <\/svg><\/div><\/div><span class=\"thrv-advanced-inline-text tve_editable tcb-styled-list-icon-text tcb-no-delete tcb-no-save\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6740836\" style=\"\">Constantly checking for signs of illness<\/span><\/li><li class=\"thrv-styled-list-item\"><div class=\"tcb-styled-list-icon\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_icon tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete tcb-no-clone tcb-no-save tcb-icon-inherit-style tcb-icon-display\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e673fa80\" style=\"\"><svg class=\"tcb-icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 192 512\" data-id=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-name=\"\">\n            <path d=\"M166.9 264.5l-117.8 116c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0l-7.1-7.1c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17L127.3 256 25.1 155.6c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l7.1-7.1c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l117.8 116c4.6 4.7 4.6 12.3-.1 17z\"><\/path>\n        <\/svg><\/div><\/div><span class=\"thrv-advanced-inline-text tve_editable tcb-styled-list-icon-text tcb-no-delete tcb-no-save\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6740836\" style=\"\">Preoccupation with researching symptoms and illness<\/span><\/li><li class=\"thrv-styled-list-item\"><div class=\"tcb-styled-list-icon\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_icon tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete tcb-no-clone tcb-no-save tcb-icon-inherit-style\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e675543c\"><svg class=\"tcb-icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 192 512\" data-id=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-name=\"\"><path d=\"M166.9 264.5l-117.8 116c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0l-7.1-7.1c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17L127.3 256 25.1 155.6c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l7.1-7.1c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l117.8 116c4.6 4.7 4.6 12.3-.1 17z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><\/div><span class=\"thrv-advanced-inline-text tve_editable tcb-styled-list-icon-text tcb-no-delete tcb-no-save\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6740836\">Having a persistent fear of illness, even after medical tests and reassurance<\/span><\/li><li class=\"thrv-styled-list-item\"><div class=\"tcb-styled-list-icon\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_icon tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete tcb-no-clone tcb-no-save tcb-icon-inherit-style\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6755640\"><svg class=\"tcb-icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 192 512\" data-id=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-name=\"\"><path d=\"M166.9 264.5l-117.8 116c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0l-7.1-7.1c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17L127.3 256 25.1 155.6c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l7.1-7.1c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l117.8 116c4.6 4.7 4.6 12.3-.1 17z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><\/div><span class=\"thrv-advanced-inline-text tve_editable tcb-styled-list-icon-text tcb-no-delete tcb-no-save\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6740836\">Overuse of various types of medical care<\/span><\/li><li class=\"thrv-styled-list-item\"><div class=\"tcb-styled-list-icon\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_icon tve_no_drag tcb-no-delete tcb-no-clone tcb-no-save tcb-icon-inherit-style \" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6755886\"><svg class=\"tcb-icon\" viewBox=\"0 0 192 512\" data-id=\"icon-angle-right-light\" data-name=\"\"><path d=\"M166.9 264.5l-117.8 116c-4.7 4.7-12.3 4.7-17 0l-7.1-7.1c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17L127.3 256 25.1 155.6c-4.7-4.7-4.7-12.3 0-17l7.1-7.1c4.7-4.7 12.3-4.7 17 0l117.8 116c4.6 4.7 4.6 12.3-.1 17z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><\/div><span class=\"thrv-advanced-inline-text tve_editable tcb-styled-list-icon-text tcb-no-delete tcb-no-save\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e6740836\">Asking for a second or third opinion after testing negative for a suspected illness<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb-resized tcb--cols--2\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e60884d\"><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Misunderstanding bodily functions<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">People who suffer from illness anxiety disorder most often have two things in common. They generally exaggerate the danger of certain health situations. And they misunderstand normal bodily functions. These two things can make any health situation feel worse and cause a lot of anxiety in the process.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Much of the anxiety around health is built up and perpetuated by intrusive thoughts. This includes thinking that certain health conditions are more common and more easily contracted than they actually are. For example, if there is an Ebola outbreak in Africa, it isn\u2019t likely that a person living in rural Arkansas shows symptoms of it that same day.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-171f0a7b071\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1542\" alt=\"Illness anxiety disorder and symptoms\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Illness anxiety disorder and symptoms\" data-id=\"1542\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Illness-anxiety-disorder-and-symptoms.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eb50c15\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">A person with illness anxiety disorder may become convinced that they have or will contract Ebola. Even if the risk is extremely minimal and they have not been exposed. Similarly, just because someone in your family has died of throat cancer doesn\u2019t mean that it is inevitably going to kill you too. The risk associated with this is actually not that straight forward.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-172efc0d884\" style=\"\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-172e6746cd7\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another way that illness anxiety disorder may overwhelm an individual is through misinterpreting normal bodily functions as symptoms of illness. A noisy belly rumble, or a normal mole may have them convinced that this is the symptom of a serious illness. Admittedly, it can be hard to decipher all the strange and wonderful things the human body does. We all have some strange marks and some funny noises sometimes. It\u2019s when these harmless signs seem like the definite symptoms of illness every time that the anxiety is perhaps unwarranted.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb-resized tcb--cols--2\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e60884d\"><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Going down the rabbit hole<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another common habit that fuels illness anxiety disorder is researching health issues online to an extreme. Without a doctor\u2019s insight, medical information can be difficult to understand fully. And symptom lists can be far too simplified to provide the needed context for a diagnosis.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Individuals with illness anxiety disorder may spend an excessive amount of time online obsessing over what a mild symptom may \u201cmean\u201d. While extra information and research online can be helpful to an extent, it is best to have a medical doctor\u2019s opinion and tests in order to give context to the overwhelming information online.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eb50c10\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1543\" alt=\"See your doctor with illness anxiety disorder\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"See your doctor with illness anxiety disorder\" data-id=\"1543\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/See-your-doctor-with-illness-anxiety-disorder.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e2dd2420\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is a hallmark of illness anxiety disorder to continue to believe you have a specific illness even after tests confirm that you do not. This is where the anxiety can take control and outweigh \u201creasonable\u201d concern over illness.&nbsp;<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-160c1e84e06\" data-ct-name=\"Modern 9\" data-ct=\"stylebox-8929\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\">\n<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e825c68\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tve-cb tve_empty_dropzone\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e825c69\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4e4a7f\">And the rabbit hole of an internet diagnosis can fuel this anxiety even more.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">This can become especially difficult when your doctor has run all reasonable tests they could think of. At some point they may get frustrated because there is no reason for concern. And you may get just as upset and decide to seek a second, fifth, or tenth opinion. Understanding that illness anxiety disorder is a mental health condition is vital at that point.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb-resized tcb--cols--2\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e60884d\"><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Now what?<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have all become a little more aware of our health and our body\u2019s signals. We are constantly being reminded of contagion and safety wherever we look in order to keep us safe. It\u2019s when these thoughts start to take over all your time, interfere with work or relationships, or cause you excessive anxiety that you may be dealing with illness anxiety disorder.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ask yourself how many of your latest health \u201csuspicions\u201d were actually confirmed with tests. And if this shows a pattern of unnecessary worry. If you see one dedicated doctor, they may already have a suspicion of this disorder before you come to realize you are suffering from it. The key is not to get offended if your doctor has a conversation with you about the possibility of this disorder. They are just trying to help you find a way to cope with it.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eb50c10\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1545\" alt=\"Getting help with illness anxiety disorder\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Getting help with illness anxiety disorder\" data-id=\"1545\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Getting-help-with-illness-anxiety-disorder.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e2dd2420\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most individuals will persist down the line of thinking that they need medical care, when in reality they need mental health care to address this issue. Treating the anxiety should result in the person being able to worry only about credible health threats. And spend more time feeling healthy (or at least not on the brink of a terminal illness). It\u2019s important to be honest with yourself and your doctor in order to find the right solution for you.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb-resized tcb--cols--2\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e60884d\"><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Illness anxiety disorder treatment<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">For most cases of illness anxiety disorder the likelihood of recovery is actually quite good. This, of course, depends on whether the person receives the right kind of support and treatment they need. This is why it is important that your doctor refers you to a mental health professional. Once they have repeatedly run tests and reassured you, they should begin to suspect an underlying mental health condition.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">As a starting point, your mental health professional may opt for medication. Since illness anxiety disorder is similar to OCD, medication for OCD may be prescribed. There are certain medications that work well for both OCD and illness anxiety disorder. Your doctor may also try antidepressants to help ease your anxiety.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eb50c10\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1546\" alt=\"Therapy and illness anxiety disorder\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Therapy and illness anxiety disorder\" data-id=\"1546\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Therapy-and-illness-anxiety-disorder.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-172e2dd2420\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Often, illness anxiety disorder presents with other mental health disorders at the same time. It\u2019s possible for illness anxiety disorder to occur in conjunction with depression, schizophrenia, or somatization disorder. Your doctor may need to do some tests to find out. The treatment plan will then consider all mental health disorders and how to best address them.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2e5be0\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are also certain types of therapy that work well for this type of disorder. Your doctor might suggest cognitive behavioral therapy, for example. In certain cases therapy can be very successful and provide techniques on how to cope with your anxiety. Although curing illness anxiety disorder can be a lengthy process, you can definitely learn to manage it in the meantime.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e342696\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4620c5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-columns\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e453273\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-row tcb-resized tcb--cols--2\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e452da4\"><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457d4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4560fb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5dd307\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-158\" alt=\"Round Arrow\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Round Arrow\" data-id=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Round-Arrow-1.png\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4414d6\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-flex-col\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e4457f1\" style=\"\"><div class=\"tcb-col\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e5e3e36\"><h2 class=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e60884d\"><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">The Takeaway<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2fd23f\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Illness anxiety disorder can be an extremely frustrating experience. Not only do you experience anxiety around your health, it is also possible that your doctor hasn\u2019t diagnosed you with something that is real. It is definitely possible that you feel symptoms that are difficult to diagnose. Or that your doctor hasn\u2019t done their due diligence to really rule out a certain illness.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2fd23f\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">Having said that, diagnosing illness can be a very complex process. Often patients do need to advocate for themselves in order to find answers and not be brushed off. Health anxiety in this scenario would be well warranted and is actually a signal that there is still an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8eaa1067\" data-ct-name=\"Modern 9\" data-ct=\"stylebox-8929\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\">\n<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8ea92876\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tve-cb tve_empty_dropzone\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8ea92877\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tve_empty_dropzone\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8ea9287a\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8ea9287b\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">It can be difficult to know if what you are feeling is anxiety or the sign of a real medical problem.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2fd23f\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">But if you find yourself in that situation often, with different conditions at different times, you may be dealing with illness anxiety disorder. As difficult as it may be, you will need to seek help from a mental health professional rather than a medical doctor at that point. Since you are suffering from the disorder, it may be impossible to make that call on your own.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e9bd23b\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img class=\"tve_image wp-image-1548\" alt=\"Treating illness anxiety disorder\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" title=\"Treating illness anxiety disorder\" data-id=\"1548\" src=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Treating-illness-anxiety-disorder.jpg\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e9bd240\" style=\"\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"426\" data-init-width=\"640\" data-init-height=\"426\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e2fd23f\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">As long as you stick with the same doctor, she or he should begin to understand what is happening and refer you. At the same time, you deserve to be treated professionally and with respect. Even if your doctor repeatedly comes up with nothing on their tests, they should not be rude, dismissive, or refuse to give you appointments.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e31337a\">Understand that seeking treatment for illness anxiety disorder can be scary, but you deserve to thrive fully and without constant fear of being terminally ill.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed46b\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-divider\" data-style-d=\"tve_sep-1\" data-thickness-d=\"1\" data-color-d=\"rgb(204, 204, 204)\" data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed464\">\n\t<hr class=\"tve_sep tve_sep-1\">\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed465\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed467\">Sources<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tve-froala fr-box fr-basic\" data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6fabd5\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed468\"><span><a class=\"tve-froala fr-basic\" data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed46a\" href=\"https:\/\/adaa.org\/understanding-anxiety\/related-illnesses\/health-anxiety\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/adaa.org\/understanding-anxiety\/related-illnesses\/health-anxiety<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6fabd5\" style=\"\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16efc6ed468\"><span style=\"text-decoration: none; display: inline-block;\">https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/a_to_z\/illness-anxiety-disorder-a-to-z<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tve-froala fr-box fr-basic\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e93746d6b\" style=\"\"><p data-css=\"tve-u-16e9374575e\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"tve-froala fr-basic\" data-css=\"tve-u-16e93753a63\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thejorni.com\" style=\"outline: none;\">www.thejorni.com<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","tve_custom_css":"@import url(\"\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css?family=Montserrat:400,400i,700,700i,500,500i,300,300i,600,900,800&subset=latin\");@import url(\"\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css?family=Quicksand:400,500&subset=latin\");@media (min-width: 300px){[data-css=\"tve-u-16e6f9579b5\"] { padding: 0px !important; }:not(#tve) [data-css=\"tve-u-16e8e1d0249\"] { --g-regular-weight:400; font-size: 18px !important; font-family: Montserrat !important; font-weight: var(--g-regular-weight, normal)  !important; padding-bottom: 9px !important; 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But, if worrying starts to affect your daily life, you might be suffering from Illness Anxiety Disorder.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thejorni.com\/blog\/do-i-have-illness-anxiety-disorder\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Do I Have Illness Anxiety Disorder? | The J\u014drni Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It&#039;s normal to worry about our health. 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