Medical Problems & Anxiety: Understanding Why Health Issues Can Increase Anxiety
- Heather Davidson
- Nov 30
- 3 min read
At some point in life, most people will face a medical crisis or learn to live with a chronic illness. For many, this experience brings not only physical challenges but also an increase in anxiety. In my practice, it’s very common for individuals to notice heightened worry, physical tension, or fear after a medical diagnosis or health event. Below are several reasons why medical issues and anxiety often go hand-in-hand—and how therapy can help.
1. Anxiety About Health Concerns Is Common
Feeling worried or overwhelmed when facing a medical issue is normal. Health uncertainty naturally activates the body’s stress response.
But when anxiety becomes persistent or intense, it can make coping with your condition more difficult. Elevated stress can impact sleep, increase inflammation, and make it harder to stay regulated physically and emotionally. Therapy can help you manage health-related worry so anxiety supports—not disrupts—your healing process.
2. Monitoring Symptoms Can Accidentally Increase Anxiety
After a diagnosis, many people begin monitoring their symptoms more closely. For some conditions, this vigilance is appropriate and even necessary.
But constant monitoring can also create:
hyper-awareness of physical sensations
fear of symptoms getting worse
a sense of “waiting for something bad to happen”
a feeling that you must always be on alert
This ongoing vigilance often raises anxiety levels and can keep your nervous system in a state of tension.
3. Anxiety Symptoms Can Look Like Medical Symptoms
One of the most confusing parts of managing both anxiety and a health condition is how similar their symptoms can feel.
Anxiety can cause:
racing heart
dizziness
stomach issues
sweating or feeling overheated
nausea
tingling in hands or feet
chest tightness
headaches
shortness of breath
These sensations can overlap with symptoms of many medical conditions, leading to uncertainty and worry about what’s causing what.
This can quickly create a cycle:
symptoms → anxiety → more symptoms → more anxiety
Therapy can help you identify patterns, reduce fear around bodily sensations, and respond more calmly when symptoms show up.
4. Anxiety Can Affect Overall Health
Chronic anxiety doesn’t just feel distressing—it can also impact your physical well-being.
Long-term stress may lead to:
difficulty sleeping
immune system changes
increased inflammation
muscle tension and pain
fatigue and burnout
If you’re already managing a health condition, these effects can make daily life even more challenging. Learning to regulate anxiety is an important part of protecting your emotional and physical health.
How Therapy Helps With Anxiety Related to Medical Conditions
Therapy provides a supportive, structured space to:
understand the connection between health issues and anxiety
distinguish physical symptoms from anxiety symptoms
learn grounding and regulation skills
reduce fear of bodily sensations
manage uncertainty
feel more in control of your emotional responses
You don’t have to navigate health-related anxiety alone. therapy can help you feel calmer, clearer, and more capable of managing both your emotional and physical health needs.
Anxiety Therapy in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Other Licensed States
If you’re struggling with anxiety related to a medical diagnosis, chronic condition, or health uncertainty, support is available. Better Being Group offers individual therapy for anxiety securely online across CT, PA, NJ, and additional states where we are licensed, as well as in-person care in Bryn Mawr, PA.
Together, we can help you reduce anxiety, understand your symptoms, and create a path toward better emotional and physical well-being.
