Most people that I have worked with over the years do not initially set out to book an appointment with their GP to discuss health anxiety, but it is something that they eventually do and this page is to help you with that. From my experience, initially people attend their GP as they have real physical symptoms and eventually, when the GP rules out medical causes for their symptoms, they discuss that it might be health anxiety and might refer them for psychological therapy. When someone comes to therapy with myself, I check in the first session that they have already had medical conditions ruled out before beginning therapy.
Meeting with your GP can be difficult for various reasons and one reason that may not be obvious is the label that you call your symptoms or the label that you have been given; I’m talking about the impact of diagnostic labels. I discuss this in greater length in my main guide to health anxiety but for now, here’s the important bit. Health anxiety, hypochondria and illness anxiety disorder are all labels for the same thing, but try this quick experiment.
Imagine you are about to ring and make an appointment to see your GP, and go through 3 different calls in your head, and change only one variable; what you call your symptoms. For example, imagine saying I’d like to make an appointment as I think I am a hypochondriac, then try the same thing saying, I think I am experiencing illness anxiety disorder. It feels different. And the reason it feels different is how they have been portrayed over the years.
The point of that little experiment isn’t to find the “correct” label — it’s to notice what happens inside you when you use different words. You might feel the stigma, which makes people minimise, over-explain, or avoid the appointment altogether. So if one label makes you cringe or feel judged before you’ve even picked up the phone, don’t use it. Start with plain language: “I’ve been really worried about my health and I’m wondering if it is to do with health anxiety . I’d like to talk it through and see what options are open to me ”
The label can either open the conversation with your GP—or shut you down with shame—so choose language that helps you get care.
Don’t Be Embarrassed – GPs Know About Health Anxiety
I find it useful to think ‘what is the outcome that I want to achieve’, when I’m about to do something difficult. For example, if you are thinking about going to see your GP think, ‘what is the outcome you want to achieve and that would be to find out what’s happening for you and to get treatment.’ In my mind, it’s like any other diagnosis. Whether it ends up being called health anxiety or a broken leg or carpal tunnel syndrome, a diagnosis is needed to get treatment and to start the ball rolling you have to show up and explain what’s going on for you. This often that takes a few repeated visits to the GP whether you have anxiety or flu and in the eyes of your GP, it is just a series of assessments to come to the correct diagnosis.
If you’re worrying your GP will roll their eyes: I get it. But health anxiety is something GPs see all the time—even if it’s not always labelled that way.
A lot of people come in repeatedly with different symptoms, repeated reassurance needs, or a constant fear that something has been missed. That doesn’t make you annoying. If it makes you feel any better when I had panic disorder it took repeated visits to the GP with differing symptoms for them to even think about anxiety. Even, as a psychologist, I didn’t spot it at the start as my initial symptoms were numbness, tingling and pins and needles in my arms and legs. That’s what I originally went to the GP with, and was taken seriously. Through a period of repeated visits, we came up with a diagnosis that informed a treatment plan.
Also, “health anxiety” isn’t some niche internet term. It’s a real, recognised experience, and the HSE describes it plainly as worry that starts to take over your life.
Preparing for Your Appointment.
When you’re anxious, appointments can go one of two ways:
- you say everything all at once and leave feeling unheard, or
- you freeze, forget the important bits, and then replay it for days.
A little prep changes everything.
Keep a symptoms journal (but make it useful, not obsessive)
This is not about tracking every heartbeat. It’s about patterns. And I personally find it can stop you from minimising symptoms. When I get into the GP office, I say I’m grand, forget my symptoms and minimise the ones that I remember. That is not helpful.
For 1–2 weeks, jot down:
- What you noticed (symptom)
- When it happened
- Intensity (0–10)
- What was going on that day (stress, sleep, caffeine, exercise, alcohol, illness, cycle changes, work pressure)
- What you did next (Googled? checked? asked reassurance? avoided activity?)
- What happened afterwards
Write your “Top 3” on paper
Bring a note into the room. Use it. No shame.
Write:
- My main symptom(s) (1–2 lines)
- My biggest fear about it (“I’m afraid this is X”)
- What I’m hoping we can do today (rule-out + plan)
If you’re prone to going blank, you can even open with:
“I wrote this down because I get flustered talking about it.”
That helps your GP help you.
A simple one-page template you can copy/paste
If it helps, here’s a straightforward “GP one-pager”:
- Symptoms:
- How long it’s been happening:
- Anything that triggers/worsens it:
- Anything that helps:
- My fear (the story my brain tells):
- What I’m doing when I’m anxious (checking/Googling/reassurance):
- What I’d like from today: “Rule out anything urgent + agree a plan so I don’t spiral.”
What to Say and Ask
You don’t need the perfect words. You just need honest, direct, simple.
Start with the truth (pick one)
- “I’m here because these symptoms are frightening me, and I can’t switch the worry off.”
- “I’m not sure if this is anxiety or something physical — I just want to handle it properly.”
- “Even when I’m told things look fine, I feel reassured for a day and then the fear comes back.”
Say the fear out loud
This is the part people avoid, but it’s often the most helpful part of the consult.
Try:
- “When I feel this, I worry it means heart problems / cancer / a neurological issue.”
- “My mind goes to the worst-case scenario and I start checking.”
You’re not being dramatic. You’re giving your GP the full picture.
Ask the questions that actually help
These are excellent, practical questions:
- “What would you expect to see if this was something serious?”
- “Are there any red flags for me personally — and if I don’t have those, what’s the safest plan?”
- “Could anxiety be contributing to this?”
- “How do we decide when tests are medically needed versus when anxiety is driving the request?”
- “Can we make a plan for follow-up so I don’t keep coming in during panics?”
That last one is huge. Because health anxiety often isn’t about one appointment. It’s about the cycle.
What Your GP Might Do
It can help to know what’s likely to happen, because uncertainty fuels health anxiety.
Step 1: A proper medical assessment
Your GP may:
- take a history (how it started, how it changes, what makes it worse/better)
- examine you
- check vitals
- decide whether investigations are needed
This isn’t them “feeding reassurance.” It’s responsible medicine: rule out what needs ruling out.
Step 2: They may raise anxiety as part of the picture
If your GP suggests anxiety, it doesn’t mean:
- “You’re imagining it.”
- “You’re wasting my time.”
- “We’re done here.”
It usually means:
- “Your nervous system might be on high alert.”
- “The fear response could be amplifying sensations.”
- “We can treat this more effectively if we address both body and mind.”
Step 3: A plan (this is what you’re aiming for)
Depending on what’s going on, your GP might:
- reassure you based on exam findings
- arrange appropriate tests if indicated
- suggest monitoring over time rather than repeating urgent checks
- discuss treatment options for anxiety (talking therapy, medication, or both)
- refer you on, or signpost supports
In Ireland, CBT is one of the common evidence-based approaches for anxiety ( you can learn more about CBT for Health Anxiety in this article) , and the HSE notes it’s used for many mental health problems including anxiety (access is usually through referral pathways). The HSE also provides guided digital CBT options (SilverCloud) as part of mental health supports.
This article can help you find the right therapist for health anxiety in Ireland.
Following Up
This is where people with health anxiety either get stuck… or start getting free.
Because the real trap is “I need reassurance right now.” It creates a pattern:
symptom ? panic ? urgent appointment/checking ? short relief ? repeat.
A better approach is a planned, predictable follow-up system.
Consider regular check-ins instead of ad hoc emergency visits
You can say to your GP:
- “When I get scared, I book urgent appointments. It helps for a day and then it comes back. Could we agree a follow-up schedule instead?”
- “I’d like one GP I can stick with so we’re not starting from scratch every time.”
Regular reviews can reduce panic-booking because your brain learns: I’m not alone with this. There’s a plan.
Create your “what to do when I panic” plan (with your GP)
Ask your GP to help you define:
- Your personal red flags (what would mean “call us urgently”)
- What you can do first when fear spikes (e.g., wait 24–48 hours, reduce checking, use grounding, follow your therapy plan)
- When it’s appropriate to book routine review
This matters because health anxiety isn’t cured by one reassurance. It improves when you stop teaching the brain that panic = emergency.
Combining GP Care with Therapy
This is the sweet spot: your GP covers the medical safety piece, and therapy helps you break the cycle that keeps the fear going.
What therapy does (the part your GP can’t do in a 10-minute slot)
Therapy—often CBT-based—helps you work with:
- catastrophic interpretations (“this means something serious”)
- body scanning and hypervigilance
- reassurance-seeking and checking loops
- compulsive Googling
- intolerance of uncertainty
It’s not about “stop worrying.” It’s about learning to respond differently when the worry shows up.
What your GP can do alongside therapy
Your GP might:
- support continuity (so you’re not repeating your story)
- help you set a testing/follow-up plan that doesn’t reinforce panic
- discuss medication if anxiety is severe or persistent (for some people, SSRIs can reduce the baseline alarm level enough for therapy to work better)
- refer you, or point you toward supports
But just to recap, it is important that you meet with your GP as even if you are going to get therapy, medical conditions have to be ruled out by GP first and also your GP is generally your first point of contact before undertaking psychological therapy for health anxiety, so it is incredibly useful to meet with them first.