Health anxiety is real.
It’s not just when you can’t stop thinking about health, but when it consumes you, when it becomes such an obsession that it affects not just your waking life, your sense of peace, contentment, tranquillity and mental clarity, but reaches far beyond that, to the quality of your relationships, and to your rest, recovery and the quality of your sleep.
When it’s on your mind 24/7, 365 days a year. When it’s always there, no matter what you’re doing, and consumes you so much that it takes over your life, or at least feels that way.
Two things stand out in my mind.
When Does Caring About Health Become an Obsession?
The first is this: when does a passion, or something we ought to pay attention to, like our health, become an obsession? Because at the end of the day, health is life; without it, we have nothing, and the vast majority of us would benefit from becoming more health-conscious, not less. Just look at the current state of the world, with the rise of chronic disease and overall ill health. But I digress. And not just any old obsession, because obsessions can be beneficial, healthy even, but one far beyond our control.
Where Is the Edge?
In simple terms, my question is this: where does the tipping point lie? Where is the edge?
And how can we press right up against it, right up against the edge, without it disrupting our peace, contentment, relationships, and rest and recovery?
Because I think it’s fair to say that when that happens, when it starts to affect and disrupt not just other areas of our waking lives but our sleep too, we’ve gone too far. It’s time to reset.
And not just occasionally, but over a prolonged period of time. We may become obsessed with a routine, concept or idea while integrating it, forming the habit, allowing it to become part of who we are.
When Healthy Habits Become Part of Your Identity
I think, to a large degree, that’s okay. Because, at least in my own experience, when health becomes an integrated part of how we do life, practically every health-affirming habit you’ve heard of, sunlight in the morning, meditation in the evening, whole foods at every meal, a walk around the block after dinner, becomes easier when it’s simply part of who you are, part of your identity, and how you do life.
This takes time, maybe even for us to become somewhat obsessed with doing the thing, whatever the thing is, to outdo our old habits and behaviours.
My question resides in where that tipping point is, where that edge is, and how we can get as close to the edge as possible without it spilling over into our peace, enjoyment, contentment, and possibly even other areas of our life. Which brings me to my second point.
Health Was Never Meant to Be Overthinking
Health, while at times challenging, isn’t meant to be about overthinking, over-obsessing and over-analysing it all of the time. I repeat: this isn’t what it’s meant to be about.
Health is a state of energy, clarity and vitality, of being able to do the things we love to do, with the people we want to do them with, free from pain and discomfort, stress and overwhelm.
Yet for the obsessed ones in the room, those of us who actually, deep down, love this stuff, that obsession can quickly turn into something a shade darker.
Is this inherently good or bad? Who knows.
Is it inherently bad to be obsessed with health all the time, the most important area of our life, the one that makes every other area at least marginally better in some way? Who knows.
And on the flip side, is it inherently good? Probably not. But who knows.
It points to one fundamental truth: that everything has a cost.
Everything Has a Cost
And to a question each of us ought to answer: what are the costs we’re willing to pay for the life we want to live?
Because for those of us who are obsessed with health, the health seekers amongst us, life just hasn’t become this way by accident. There was a moment, or in many cases, many moments, when we looked at the world and saw how ill, inflamed and dysfunctional it is.
Whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or all combined, we realised that normal, that average, just isn’t going to cut it. That being normal, being the average person, especially when it comes to our health and well-being, often means being significantly overweight, with two or three chronic diseases (and that’s only the ones that have been diagnosed), surviving rather than thriving. Let alone having only £1,000 in the bank, and therefore struggling financially, career-wise and relationally too. You get the point.
Health leads into all of this, because if we don’t have the energy, mental clarity and vitality we need to operate at a functional level, let alone thrive, our work is impacted, our relationships suffer, and the cascade of effects is long.
So yes, the health-obsessed, the health seekers amongst us, have become more conscious, more aware and more intentional than the average person to counteract this phenomenon, especially when we have an A-type personality and are strivers and perfectionists.
Our obsessive nature, the overthinking and all, is a cost we pay. Whether we like it or not.
The Hidden Price Health Seekers Pay
Many fail to see this. Many fail to see the price health seekers pay. They say, “Oh, you’re in such great shape,” only seeing what’s on the surface.
They don’t see or recognise what’s underneath: the overthinking, the over-assessing, the over-analysing, the constant cycle of viewing everything through the lens of health and well-being. It can take its toll physically, mentally, emotionally, in every way. This points to a fundamental principle within health itself: that health is deeply interconnected.
Health Is Deeply Interconnected
That one area affects another. That by continuing to obsess over our health, we don’t only affect ourselves mentally and cognitively; it impacts our mood, our emotions and our physical body. It impacts the people we’re around, the environments we’re in, and every aspect of our lives.
Both ends of the spectrum, whether we’d benefit from becoming more health-conscious or are already at the far end of the scale, often well beyond it, would be wise to take a look in the mirror and accept that, on one end, we ought to dial things up, and on the other, we could learn to let go a little.
Is it plausible? Again, who knows.
My take is that it could be. It requires energy, time, and conscious effort and attention from both directions. It requires the self-awareness to catch ourselves when we fall into old habit patterns and behaviours, revert to default thoughts, and work on them consciously, so we can at least strive for some cohesion and a little more harmony.
So, Where Does That Leave Us?
So, in summary: health anxiety is real.
There are those of us so obsessed with our health, reaching far beyond the end of the obsession scale, that it affects not just every aspect of our waking life, but our rest, recovery and sleep too.
The overthinking, over-analysing and over-obsessing weighs heavily and takes its toll. It’s our default behaviour, a set of default habits, thoughts and patterns that we’ve learned, cultivated even, for many reasons.
One of which is looking out into the world and seeing that average isn’t good. Being an average person in today’s world often means ill health. And deep down, none of us wants that.
When we sit on the lower end of the scale, we praise people obsessed with their health, who are doing all the things and are in great shape, because we only see their lives from the outside.
We don’t see the overthinking and ruminating, or the consequences these individuals face daily.
Whether we’re health seekers who face these costs daily, or those who find health more difficult, both can learn from each other. Health seekers can encourage those who find it more challenging than they do, and maybe the average individual can help the health-obsessed, like myself, learn to let go a little more.
Either way, at the end of the day, it’s up to us. No one can do the work for us, whether it’s directly within our health and wellness, or within our personal growth and self-discovery.
That’s all up to us, and the habits, behaviours, patterns and actions we take to shape the direction of our lives.
Whether you identify as a health seeker or not, taking a look in the mirror and seeing whether this resonates, whether you carry some kind of health anxiety or not, could help you identify the next step to take to improve not just your health, but your overall life and well-being. And surely that’s the most important thing.
Key Takeaways on Health Anxiety and Wellness Obsession
- Identifying the Tipping Point: Caring about your well-being turns into health anxiety when constant thinking disrupts your sleep, inner peace, and relationships over long periods.
- Integrating Habits Safely: Building health-affirming routines as part of your identity helps you stay well, but you need awareness so habits do not turn into rigid overthinking.
- True Health Definition: Real health gives you energy, clarity, and vitality to enjoy life, rather than forcing you into endless analysis and worry.
- Recognising the Hidden Cost: Choosing an active health-conscious lifestyle often carries an unseen mental toll, especially if you have perfectionist tendencies.
- Interconnected Well-being: Your physical, mental, and emotional health are linked, meaning mental stress from obsessing over wellness directly affects your body and personal life.
- Finding Balance: Achieving harmony requires learning when to stay conscious of your habits and when to let go of perfectionism. Self-awareness helps you strike this balance.
FAQs for Health Anxiety: When Wellness Becomes an Obsession
How do you know if your health habits have turned into an obsession?
You cross the line when wellness efforts start disrupting your sleep, peace of mind, and personal relationships. If health topics consume your thoughts continuously, your healthy focus has likely turned into anxiety.
Why do perfectionists often suffer from health anxiety?
Type-A personalities and perfectionists often seek control. When you look at widespread chronic ill health around you, you might set exceptionally high standards for your well-being, leading to constant overthinking and analysis.
Can health anxiety physically affect your body?
Yes. Your mind and body share a deep connection. Persistent over-analysing creates mental stress, which directly affects your physical body, mood, energy levels, and rest.
How can you step back from health-related overthinking?
You can build balance by developing self-awareness. Notice when default thoughts take over, accept that average health is not compulsory, and consciously grant yourself permission to ease your rigid expectations.
