Client Case
Presenting Issues
Client reported persistent worry about having or developing serious illnesses, especially after seeing health-related stories online or in the news. This led to frequent symptom-checking, doctor visits, and difficulty concentrating on daily life.
Background Information
The client is a 32-year-old teacher with no significant medical history. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they became increasingly consumed by health news and began interpreting minor bodily sensations as signs of severe illness. Though medical tests consistently showed no issues, the anxiety persisted and intensified with each new health scare in the media.
Assesment
Client showed patterns of compulsive health-checking (Googling symptoms, checking pulse, examining body), reassurance-seeking from doctors, and avoidance of certain environments (e.g., hospitals, crowded places). Anxiety would spike following news stories about illness or death. Cognitive distortions included catastrophising and selective attention to bodily sensations.
Treatment Plan
Goals
- Reduce reliance on reassurance-seeking behaviours and symptom-checking
- Challenge catastrophic interpretations of normal bodily sensations
- Regain confidence in the body’s natural responses
- Manage exposure to triggering health-related media
Intervention Strategies
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to reframe unhelpful thinking patterns
- Hypnotherapy for calming the nervous system and developing body trust
- Psychoeducation on health anxiety and the role of the media
- Behavioural experiments to test and challenge irrational beliefs
- Mindfulness and grounding practices to reconnect with the present
Frequency and Duration
6 sessions over 8 weeks with media use journaling between sessions
Results
Marked decrease in symptom-checking and health-related internet searches
Client able to consume media more selectively without immediate anxiety
Reduced frequency of GP visits for reassurance
Improved focus, sleep, and emotional regulation
"I feel calmer, more rational, and I’ve stopped jumping to worst-case scenarios every time I get a headache."
Case Details
Symptoms Encountered
Excessive Googling of symptoms, frequent body-checking (e.g., pulse, temperature), fear of having a serious illness despite medical reassurance, difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping due to worry, avoidance of news or health-related programs (or compulsively consuming them), panic after hearing about illnesses, physical sensations like tight chest or nausea triggered by anxiety, frequent GP visits or seeking second opinions, irritability when reassured, scanning the body for signs of disease, interpreting normal sensations as serious symptoms, emotional exhaustion, and low mood due to constant worry.