The Imperfects Dr Emily - Am I Sick or Is It Anxiety?
9 snips
Nov 9, 2025 
Dr. Emily Musgrove, a clinical psychologist, dives into health anxiety and its complexities. She explains how worries about health can mimic physical illness and why that cycle of reassurance-seeking is hard to break. Dr. Emily discusses the intertwining fears of mortality and their impact on daily living. She offers practical strategies like mindfulness and urge surfing for managing anxiety. Additionally, she highlights the role of technology in amplifying health worries and emphasizes the importance of compassionate self-talk.
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Health Anxiety Is Rooted In Uncertainty
- Illness anxiety disorder describes excessive preoccupation with developing a serious illness and vigilant monitoring of bodily changes.
- Dr Emily emphasizes acceptance of uncertainty as central because health is inherently uncertain and we can still be okay.
Brian Brown's UTI Turned Anxiety Story
- Brian Brown described repeated urinary urgency that was initially a UTI but later triggered by anxiety, not infection.
- He only recognised anxiety after talking with his daughter and then sought a psychologist for help.
Overactive Threat Alarm Magnifies Symptoms
- Dr Emily likens internal threat sensitivity to a house alarm set too high, causing harmless signals to register as danger.
- High vigilance increases noticing of body changes which then misfires the fight-or-flight response and creates real symptoms.
