I spent a year convinced I was dying. Here is what my GP finally told me

September 10, 2026 — 5:00amEach week, Good Weekend’s how-to column shares expert advice on how to navigate some of modern life’s big – and small – challenges. This week: how to stop worrying about your health. Photo: Illustration by Drew AitkenLast year, I had pancreatic cancer, mesothelioma, a myocardial infarction and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. I also had plantar fasciitis. In the end, my long-suffering GP assured me that I actually had none of the above (with the exception of plantar fasciitis), but that I do have the worst case of Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD) he’s seen.IAD used to be called hypochondriasis; the name was changed in 2013 as it was thought folks like me might be stigmatised by the term “hypochondriac”. We aren’t: we’re much too busy worrying about Ebola and end-stage kidney disease. Our days are spent examining our bodily functions, symptom-checking on Harvard Health, getting scans and then refusing to believe the results. And it seems I’m in good company. Andy Warhol, apparently, lived with hypochondria and Jennifer Lawrence and Jimmy Kimmel both joke about being obsessed with their health.“The root cause of health anxiety is often a fear of death,” says clinical psychologist and leading anxiety specialist Dr Rachel Menzies. “Death anxiety can sit beneath many fears that, on the surface, seem quite different. A fear of flying may ultimately be about the possibility of dying in a plane crash; a fear of heights about falling to your death; and health anxiety about the possibility that an unexplained symptom could signal a life-threatening illness.”Just sitting with our anxiety about illness or death can work for some people. Over a period of time, the anxiety peaks and then gradually reduces. “Sitting with anxiety also means not Googling symptoms,” Menzies says. “Constant checking or repeatedly visiting our doctor might reassure us for a short period of time, but then the anxious feelings come back stronger than ever.”Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is, she believes, one of the most effective treatments to help people break the cycle of dread and gradually face their fears. “For some, this means confronting their fear of death directly and learning that they can lead a meaningful life without the need for absolute certainty that they’re healthy,” she said.For other sufferers of IAD, a combination of psychological therapy and medication is necessary. Antidepressants such as sertraline and escitalopram are often prescribed for short-term use.Exercise is also useful. When I’m spiralling into a sweaty panic about my worsening viral meningitis, I take Dexter, the pugalier, for a walk around the neighbourhood. I find I’m slowly learning to accept my phantom maladies. And I remind myself: none of us is getting out of this alive.Stephen Lacey – Zealous cyclist, keen student of design and style, and purveyor of fine drinking experiences. Once stepped into the ring with a man of the cloth and copped a cracked rib for his trouble - all in the name of getting the story, of course.Connect via X or email.From our partners