Health concerns and psychotherapy

Problems with our health can have a profound impact on our psychological state. Psychologists are increasingly involved in helping individuals manage health-related issues. These include:

• Health anxiety. It can be hard to know how much vigilance is too much. Normal watchfulness can become a phobia of illness and preoccupy much of life.

• Recent disability. When our body changes, our life changes. We need to develop new coping strategies and learn how to relate to the world in a new way.

• Chronic illness. The diagnosis of a chronic condition (such as diabetes, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, emphysema, and many others) can be a daunting and frightening prospect. We need new coping strategies that we may never have considered previously.

• Lifestyle management. Certain conditions require that we shift our routine - whether that means frequent glucose testing, increased exercise, shifts in diet, increased watchfulness for infection, or other changes.

• Chronic pain. Ongoing issues with pain can be a challenge to manage. Psychological strategies can help reduce the distress produced.

• Coping with treatment. Some conditions involve treatments that may activate core fears or produce significant discomfort. Frequent injections, for example, may be difficult for a person with a history of needle phobia.

There are psychological strategies available to help with all of these issues. In most cases the treatment is not designed to eliminate the physical concern, but can help with its management, reduce the distress component of the problem, and facilitate coping with health-related life change.