We all know the scenario: you get a headache, and you immediately think the worst. Brain tumor! Aneurysm! Early onset Alzheimer’s! While a headache can be indicative of those conditions, headaches can also just be your body’s way of processing stress. A headache can also be your body telling you that you’re dehydrated, or tired, or hungry…or a million other reasons. According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 96% of people experience a headache at some point in their lives. This is because headaches are incredibly common responses to all sorts of minor ailments and conditions that you may experience, every day, throughout your life.
If you are a hypochondriac, having a headache can be incredibly triggering. Not only are you left reeling from the pain of that headache, but you also now have all of these pesky thoughts floating through your head! So, here are the top 7 ways to overcome hypochondriac headache thoughts:
Identify your thoughts and feelings about your health.
If you’re struggling with hypochondriac headache thoughts, the first step is to identify your thoughts and feelings about your health. Are you constantly worried about your health, even when there’s no reason to be? Do you constantly think the worst of every little symptom, even if you have already been to the doctor?
It may be hard to remember, but this is not an isolated incident when it comes to your health. Maybe you had hypochondriac stomach pain thoughts yesterday, and hypochondriac back pain thoughts the week before that.
Another way to question your thoughts about your health is to ask yourself whether they’re helpful or not. For example, if you’re constantly worrying about whether or not your headache is indicative of a brain tumor. Is this actually helpful? Are these thoughts helping you stay healthy? Of course not – they’re probably making your headache worse and are making you more stressed and anxious!
For hypochondriacs, it is hard to accept that the way that you feel about your health may also be affecting your health. This is why developing a mindfulness or relaxation practice is extremely helpful for hypochondriacs.
Check out some of our meditation and relaxation practice articles for hypochondriacs here!
Acknowledge that your hypochondriac headache thoughts may not be accurate.
If you’re experiencing hypochondriac headache thoughts, the first step is to acknowledge that your thoughts may not be accurate. It’s important to remember that just because you’re thinking something, doesn’t mean it’s true. Just because you’re worried about a particular health issue, doesn’t mean you actually have that health issue. It’s important to separate your thoughts from reality. Remember that your thoughts are just thoughts – they’re not necessarily accurate.
If you’re worrying about a particular health issue, it can be helpful to talk to your doctor about your concerns. They can help you to understand whether or not there is any reason to be concerned. They can also provide reassurance and guidance as to whether or not your thoughts are accurate.
The more times that you acknowledge that your thoughts may not be accurate, the less power they will have to them overall. If you can learn to question your thoughts, you can start to overcome your hypochondria. Remember, your thoughts are not reality. Just because you’re thinking about something doesn’t mean it’s true.
Challenge your hypochondriac headache thoughts by asking yourself if there is evidence to support them.
If you’re someone who often experiences hypochondriac headache thoughts, there are some things you can do to challenge them. One way is to ask yourself if there is any evidence to support what you’re thinking. For example, if you’re thinking that you have a serious illness, ask yourself if there are any test results, scans, or bloodwork to support that thought.
These kinds of thoughts can be very difficult to deal with, but it’s important to remember that they’re just thoughts, and not reality. Just because you’re thinking about something doesn’t mean it’s true. If you can learn to question your thoughts and look at the evidence, you can start to overcome your hypochondriac headache thoughts. One way to to question your thoughts is to ask yourself whether there’s any evidence to support them. For example, if you’re worried that you have a brain tumor, think about whether there’s any evidence that this is actually true. Have your tests and scans and multiple trips to the doctor proven that you do not have a brain tumor? Great, you should probably believe that evidence.
If there are none, then it’s likely that your thoughts are just scare tactics that your mind is playing on you. Another way to challenge your thoughts is to think about how likely it is that what you’re thinking is actually true. For example, if you’re thinking that you have a brain tumor, how likely is it that you actually do? Based on evidence, if the answer is “not very likely,” then it’s time to start challenging your thoughts.
If none of these things work, you can always try “mentally punching” your thoughts in the face. Hey, it’s worth a shot, right?
Consider the possibility that your symptoms are not actually indicative of a serious health condition.
If you’re constantly worried that you may be suffering from a serious health condition, it’s important to consider the possibility that your symptoms are not actually indicative of a serious health condition. There are many potential causes of headache, and many of them are not indicative of a serious health condition.
For example, tension headaches are a common type of headache that is not indicative of a serious health condition. If you’re suffering from tension headaches, it’s important to focus on relaxation and stress-reduction techniques.
Dehydration is another common cause of headaches that is not indicative of a serious health condition. If you have a dehydration-based headache, it’s important to focus on rehydrating yourself with electrolytes and prioritizing drinking water more regularly.
It is important to consult with a healthcare professional to rule out any potential serious causes of your headaches, but believing them once you’re given the clean bill of health is a large issue for hypochondriacs.
Talk to a trusted friend or family member about your hypochondriac headache thoughts.
If you’re worried that you might be suffering from hypochondriac headache thoughts, one of the best things you can do is talk to a trusted friend or family member about your concerns. This can help you to get some perspective on your symptoms and to figure out if there’s anything you can do to ease your mind. Additionally, this friend or family member may have a good handle on your symptom history and may be able to provide some helpful context.
For example, a friend or family member may notice that your hypochondriac headache thoughts are elevated after a night where you didn’t get much sleep, didn’t drink much water, or didn’t eat a healthy meal. Sometimes, it really helps to have an outsider’s perspective to be able to come in and break up all of those unhelpful hypochondriac thoughts you have been having!
Seek professional help if your anxiety about your health is interfering with your quality of life.
If you’re experiencing anxiety about your health that’s interfering with your quality of life, it’s important to seek professional help. A therapist can help you understand your hypochondria on a deeper level and will work with you to develop coping mechanisms. One of these coping mechanisms is known as cognitive-behavioral therapy.
In cognitive-behavioral therapy, you will become aware of negative or untrue thinking so that you can respond to those thoughts in a more effective way. Your hypochondriac therapist will be able to help you develop tools of cognitive restructuring, guided discovery, and thought observations. As part of your cognitive-behavioral therapy, your therapist may have you undergo exposure therapy – which is intentionally exposing yourself to a situation or thoughts that make you anxious, and then sitting with those thoughts until the anxiety resolves.
While these exercises and treatments are hard, they may be necessary in order to help you improve your quality of life.
Practice relaxation techniques or engage in other activities that reduce stress.
If you’re prone to hypochondria, you may be more likely to experience headaches. To help prevent or reduce the frequency of headaches, it’s important to find ways to manage stress. One way to do this is to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. You may also find it helpful to engage in other activities that reduce stress, such as yoga, meditation, or Tai Chi. If you’re not sure how to get started, there are many resources available online or through your local library.
We recommend both Calm and Headspace as ways to get started for meditation. Hypochondriacs often have a problem with racing thoughts to the point where it’s hard for them to even think about calming their thoughts down. Both of these apps have guided meditation, which can help keep hypochondriacs focused on meditation.
Some other ways that can help reduce stress for hypochondriacs are journaling, reading, writing, coloring in an adult coloring book, going on walks, cooking…the ideas are endless!
Check out our article on how to reduce anxiety for hypochondriacs.
Disclaimer: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
If you are currently experiencing medical concerns, it’s important to talk to a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions. HypochondriacHQ does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen on this website.
