6 Misconceptions People With Health Anxiety Have

The video discusses health anxiety, a condition where individuals obsess over bodily functions and minor symptoms, fearing they indicate serious illness. It outlines common misconceptions, such as believing normal test results mean undetectable illness, and explains how these misconceptions develop through conditioned responses. The video introduces interoceptive exposure therapy, a method to help individuals tolerate distressing sensations and reduce anxiety by disproving catastrophic beliefs.

What are the two disorders combined under the term 'health anxiety'?

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar Disorder

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder

• Somatic Symptom Disorder and Illness Anxiety Disorder

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder

Which misconception involves believing that normal test results mean an illness is undetectable?

• Symptoms will escalate in sleep

• Learning more helps doctors

• Normal results mean undetectable illness

• Doctors can't diagnose without tests

What is the term for the behavior of constantly checking for new symptoms?

• Symptom tracking

• Health monitoring

• Illness observation

• Body surveillance

How do people with health anxiety typically respond to their physical symptoms?

• They accept them as normal

• They seek immediate medical treatment

• They associate them with catastrophic diseases

• They ignore them

What is interoceptive exposure?

• A method to avoid anxiety triggers

• A technique to provoke and tolerate distressing sensations

• A strategy to distract from anxiety

• A way to eliminate physical symptoms

What is the goal of interoceptive exposure?

• To avoid all physical sensations

• To disprove false beliefs about catastrophic consequences

• To confirm the presence of illness

• To increase anxiety levels

Which activity could be used to practice interoceptive exposure for dizziness?

• Spinning in a swivel chair

• Lifting heavy weights

• Running a marathon

• Swimming laps