Overcoming Health Anxiety

Katherine Owens, M. Antony Martin

Description

If you experience troubling symptoms, it’s only natural to worry about your health. But if your anxiety persists even after doctors tell you they can find nothing wrong, it may be hurting you more than it helps. You might research medical conditions on the internet, exercise constantly, or check your body for signs of disease, all the while growing more and more consumed by worry. And that worry has consequences of its own—the never-ending cycle of anxiety can all but destroy your quality of life.

If you’re ready to stop being overly preoccupied with fears about your health, Overcoming Health Anxiety offers an evidence-based approach called cognitive behavioral therapy to help you get started. You’ll learn the difference between people with health anxiety and hypochondriacs, find the root of your health anxiety, and challenge illness-related thoughts. In time, you’ll drastically reduce your fears and enjoy a life free from recurring health-related worries.

This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.

Informations

• Publié par: New Harbinger Publications
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 0001
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781572248397
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

overcomîng ealanxîey letting go of your fear of illness

Kaerîne M. B. Owens, PD Marîn M. Anony, PD

New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Pubîser’s Noe hîs pubîcaîon îs desîgned o povîde accuae and auoîaîve înomaîon în egad o e subjec maTe coveed. ï îs sod wî e undesandîng a e pubîse îs no engaged în endeîng psycoogîca, Inancîa, ega, o oe poessîona sevîces. ï expe assîsance o counseîng îs needed, e sevîces o a compeen poessîona soud be soug.

Dîsrîbued în Canada by Raîncoas Books

Copyrîg © 2011 by Kaerîne M. B. Owens and Marîn M. Anony New Harbînger Pubîcaîons, ïnc. 5674 SaTuck Avenue Oakand, CA 94609 www.newarbînger.com

Cover desîgn by Amy Soup ex desîgn by Mîcee Waers-Kermes Acquîred by Caarîne Meyers Edîed by Neda Sree

A Rîgs Reserved

PDF ISBN: 9781572248397

Lîbrary o Congress Caaogîng în Pubîcaîon Daa on Ie

For ravîs, Eadîe, and Vîcorîa. Happy eîgeen bîrday, orî! —Kaerîne M. B. Owens

For Cynîa. —Marîn M. Anony

Capter 1

Capter 2

Capter 3

Capter 4

Capter 5

Capter 6

Capter 7

Conens

Acknowedgmens

ïnroducîon

Undersandîng Hea Anxîey

ïnvesmen în Cange

ïdenîyîng and Cangîng Anxîous hînkîng

ïdenîyîng and Cangîng Anxîous Beavîors

heEfecoHeaAnxîeyonYour Reaîonsîps

Sraegîes or Deaîng wî Sress

Medîcaîons or Hea Anxîey

Resources

Reerences

vii

1

5

31

49

75

99

121

139

153

155

Acknowedgmens

he auors wîs o ank e many peope wo eped îs projec come ogeer by readîng capers and makîng useu commens and sugges- îons. Specîa anks o Sao Musaaeva, wose careu prooreadîng and compîîng o reerences made e ask o wrîîng a muc easîer. Aso, we are graeu o e saf a New Harbînger Pubîcaîons or eîr suppor, encouragemen, and ep rom e începîon o îs work o îs compeîon. Fînay, we woud îke o ank a o our cîens, wose rîc îves eped us ormuae case exampes we ope e reader can reae o.

ïnroducîon

ï you are anxîous abou your ea, îs book was wrîTen or you. Peraps you worry a o abou îness, dîsease, and dea. You may experîence very rîgenîng pysîca sympoms or Ind yourse askîng or reassur- ance rom docors, amîy, and rîends. You mîg spend îme researcîng e possîbe causes o your sympoms, bu are et eeîng more conused an wen you sared. You may even avoîd docors aogeer or ear o dîscoverîngasomeîngîsserîousywrong. Your docor may ave od you a ere îs no pysîca expanaîon or your sympoms, a ere îs no concusîve dîagnosîs, or a you worry oo muc abou your ea. You may aso ave eard more an your aîr sare o cîcés and we-înenîoned reassurances, suc as “Don’ worry,” “Everyîng wî be a rîg,” “We can’ Ind anyîng wrong,” “hînk pos- îîvey,” and “Wy are you worrîed abou a?” You may ave a dîicu- o-dîagnose îness, ears abou your ea în e absence o an îness, or bo. Hea anxîey may eave you eeîng ense, upse, and mîsunder- sood. ï any o îs sounds amîîar, îs book was wrîTen or you. he coss o your ea anxîey o you may încude emoîona sufer- îng, sraîned reaîonsîps, mîssed work, os rîendsîps, and e Inancîa burden o requen medîca appoînmens, ess, and medîcaîons. Hea