WORDS KATHRYN BLUNDELL
It’s pretty sensible to take note of and care about our health, but sufferers of health anxiety (the new name for hypochondriasis) can shoot it to another level. ‘A person with this condition can misinterpret everyday niggles, such as a headache, as a sign of something serious like cancer,’ says psychologist and psychotherapist, Kasia Szymanska (kszymanska.com). ‘The key point here is the misinterpretation or worry that leads to stress and anxiety.’