A great book for those who suffer from health anxiety. I wouldn't consider myself to be someone with health anxiety, but this book made me realise that maybe I do more than I think. The CBT techniques will be useful for me. I will also share the book with my youngest who definitely has health anxiety.

As a medical doctor, I find Chesworth's work systematically captures the reality of health anxiety.
"I'm dying" captures how normal sensations spiral into catastrophe through cognitive distortions. We don't react to what happens - we react to our interpretations. A racing heart becomes "I'm having a heart attack," triggering genuine panic. Core beliefs like "my body is fragile" and "any symptom could be serious" fuel this misinterpretation, with each episode reinforcing the pattern.
The desperate "Help!" embodies the safety-seeking behaviors that trap patients in the cycle: Body checking (constant pulse monitoring, self-examination), Reassurance seeking (repeated doctor visits, asking others), Compulsive Googling and avoidance etc. These behaviors feel protective but paradoxically maintain anxiety. They prevent learning that symptoms resolve naturally, while the temporary relief they provide reinforces the false belief that vigilance equals safety..
The weary "again" conveys something only lived experience can capture - the exhaustion of simultaneously knowing you've survived this before while remaining utterly convinced that this time is different..
CBT remains first-line treatment because it systematically dismantles maintaining factor: Thought awareness and cognitive restructuring, Identifying and eliminating safety behaviors, Behavioral experiments to test catastrophic predictions, Core belief modification: from "I'm fragile" to "I'm resilient"*. “Importantly, CBT isn't about positive thinking - it's about logical, evidence-based thinking.**
What sets this book apart for healthcare providers, patients, and their supporters is Chesworth's rare dual perspective. Her clinical knowledge provides the framework, but her personal journey through health anxiety breathes life into the science. She doesn't just describe the condition - she knows how it feels, making this far more engaging than typical medical texts.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sheldon Press for a free e-ARC of 'Help, I'm Dying Again: Overcoming Health Anxiety with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)' by Brittney Chesworth.

This is a really informative and useful book for people who suffer from health anxiety.

I'd like to preface this review by stating that I don't believe I have the condition of 'health anxiety and some parts of this book were not applicable to me - so please do take my review with a pinch of salt as some parts of the book may be more applicable or useful for you! However, I have general anxiety alongside many long-term health conditions, as well as negative experiences of the medical system that have definitely resulted in me feeling anxiety around my health and believing/trusting medical providers. This is what drew me to the book, as well as being intrigued by the application of CBT to this area.

It felt very reassuring that 'Help, I'm Dying Again!' is written by an author who is not only a mental health professional, but who also has health anxiety herself. This provided a holistic viewpoint to the book, as well as comfort that she was writing from her own lived experience.

As someone with long-term health conditions, I appreciated that this was noted throughout the book to be a cause of complexity for those with health anxiety, especially in relation to balancing experiencing very real symptoms and needing to advocate for yourself whilst also struggling with anxious thoughts about your health that may not be 'real'.

'If you suffer from health anxiety while living with a medical condition, symptoms can be particularly distressing. It can be easy to develop a habit of assuming that all bodily sensations and symptoms indicate your medical condition is worsening'

Although there were many times where Chesworth notes the difficulties this can cause in terms of managing health anxiety, it felt like some statements and exercises in the book were made difficult for me in relation to this. For example, it is very hard not to over-generalise about 'all doctors'' competency and effectiveness based on one situation' when most of your experiences are negative and you very regularly have to advocate for yourself in order to be heard for the most basic of diagnostic tests etc. I also found it a bit challenging in terms of emphasising 'diseases are a lot more rare than you are thinking and so it is much less likely than you think to get X Y Z disease' - when I have multiple 'rare' health conditions already!

However, I appreciate that this book is for health anxiety generally and that not every aspect of the book can be inclusive of both issues. There is a chapter later in the book focusing on this difficulty in more detail, which I really appreciated. There was also many useful explorations of anxiety around how you might cope with your illness deteriorating which I found really valuable as this is a large concern of mine. The idea of reframing the anxiety related to your loved ones was particularly impactful:

'My family, friends and husband may get tired of dealing with the 'sick' person. If the symptoms and challenges of the disease worsen, they could reject me. REFRAME: People that truly love us don't abandon us because we go through something hard. It may be tiring or difficult at times to support me with ongoing challenges and that is okay. It doesn't mean they will abandon me. I can also remind myself that if the tables were turned, I would support any of my loved ones (and have)... even if it is hard sometimes'

Towards the beginning of the book, Chesworth outlines that the most important thing to focus on, in terms of making changes to your health anxiety, is how you are maintaining it. She explores the various beliefs or coping practices that may contribute to your health anxiety and that although they may help you feel like you are coping, they often can only worsen it in the long-term.

There are lots of valuable exercises throughout the book which were accessible and would be useful to come back to whenever you want. I especially liked the exposure exercises, as well as trying to think past the end of a bad scenario - e.g. yes, you might develop a lung condition but that doesn't mean you are automatically going to die. Even if you struggle with managing your condition, try to imagine the support you might have during this.

I also really appreciated the exploration of death anxiety and how it can go hand-in-hand with health anxiety. There is lots of valuable discussion and advice around death anxiety which was very useful.

'A key Socratic question used in CBT is, "what is the worst that can happen?" Now, when used to challenge other types of anxious thoughts, this question can be a slam dunk in terms of reducing anxiety. It highlights the irrationality of the fear, particularly when the worst thing that can happen is you stutter during a speech or someone thinks your idea is stupid. With health anxiety, however, the answer to this question isn't so comforting. Because what is the worst that can happen when your health goes south? Uh, you die. And if death is your biggest fear, this only further reinforces your perceived need to ensure that you are healthy as possible....'

Some of the suggestions around tackling the fear of you simply ceasing to exist wasn't quite as helpful for me - Chesworth emphasises that you weren't anxious or aware about not existing before you were born so you wouldn't be aware of this after you die if that is what happens. I appreciate this may be a useful perspective for some people but that just makes me more nervous haha! However, I understand that there is only so much that the book can focus on death anxiety when the main focus is health anxiety.

Finally, unfortunately, some of the tables and diagrams don't show well on an e-reader at this stage, but I appreciate this will likely be resolved on publication.

As a person who suffers from health anxiety I wanted to read this book for any insights and tips it might offer to manage it.

Health anxiety can feel quite isolating because I do not personally know of anyone who suffers from it quite like I do. Therefore this book made me feel understood.

The book is easily readable and I found that I related to many of the situations portrayed.
Now I must do the exercises as recommended and give myself time throughout the week to complete the exercises in each chapter.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I cannot understate how important this topic is and how much this effects the lives of people that suffer from it. I am so happy to read a book on this topic by someone knowledgeable. I felt comforted seeing my own thoughts and worries on the page, knowing others share this mindset. Hoping I can use some of the techniques I read in this

This book came at a time I needed it most. I have PTSD from military as well as a sickness that nearly killed me. For the past year I have struggled with the thought I am dying. This book helped me understand what was going on beneath me, gaining control of the anxiety I was struggling with and helped me find the way out of the dark thoughts and fears I battled. I still have these thoughts at times, but have more tools to help me deal with this irrational fear. Truth is we will all die one day. But the fear around d death should not keep us from living.

It’s rare to find a book that speaks directly to panic disorder and health anxiety, and I found this book incredibly helpful. The author really connects with the reader and shares personal experience so openly that I felt she truly understood what few people understand about my own struggle with panic. She also offered insights and strategies beyond what I’ve learned from my therapist which I really appreciated!

This was definitely one the most comprehensive and encouraging books on health anxiety that I've read! Dr. Chesworth's writing style was open and friendly, and she freely shared her own personal experiences navigating her own anxiety related to her health. It was clear she was very knowledgeable about her topic and her research was very well presented. Sharing some of her patient's experiences was also extremely helpful. So many times, through the course of the book I was like "Oh that exactly how I perceive and struggle with a wide variety of bodily symptoms and many potential medical situations that I'm afraid of". Each chapter contained very thorough explanations for each dimension of health anxiety. It also includes detailed information on how CBT techniques can help with the often flawed thinking that HA creates, and many exercises to put healthier thought processes into practice. It's definitely not a book you can rush through if you want to receive the full benefits of CBT. Nor would it replace one on one visits with a qualified therapist if your anxiety is severe. But I can see that working through the exercises would definitely be an excellent start to rewiring our often 'stuck' brains. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to going back to the beginning and working through all of the concepts and exercises at a slower pace! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This is a great, practical guide to understanding and managing health anxiety. The author does an excellent job of breaking down the cycle of anxious thoughts and providing actionable strategies to regain control. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with health anxiety—it’s genuinely helpful and a book i'm glad to have in my toolbox!

As a person with GAD and various anxiety disorders including health anxiety, this book caught my attention. Health anxiety, especially after the pandemics, has proved a tough challenge to live with day after day. I'm familiar with CBT because I already try use these techniques to help myself, in the impossibility to go to a specialist at the moment.

I liked how this book was divided. It starts from what health anxiety is to get to the biggest fear someone with health anxiety has, which is actually being diagnosed with illness and the possibility of dying.

Each chapter provides a similar organization. The author illustrates the topic in an informal way that is accessible to anyone. It felt like I was in her study and she was talking directly to me, giving real examples of clients she had and illustrating different ways to tackle a thinking error and the reshaping of our core beliefs.

I already do some of those exercises to reframe my thoughts about other stuff, and they are useful but like the author said, healing isn't linear, so you have to persevere and be consistent to see changes and have it bother you less.

There is more than one exercise in every chapter. I think that it would be ever more effective if who reads this book dedicated one week or more on each topic and did the exercise proposed every day. This way, you could see how your thoughts may have changed when you try to reframe your mind.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, John Murray Press and Sheldon Press, for letting me read an ARC copy of this book.

"In this book, you will learn a variety of CBT strategies to help you feel less anxious about your health and improve your overall quality of life."

Off the top, Dr Britney's credentials speak for her and the authenticity of this resource.

Dr Chesworth simplifies the concepts and tools explained and makes them easy to capture and understand.
She gives the necessary background without overwhelming the reader.

The wording is down to earth and encouraging for the reader. It challenges them and pushes them to reconsider their thought patterns by pulling from the experiences of other people who lived through similar fears and anxieties and they overcame them steadily and healthily.

I appreciate Dr Chesworth's vulnerability in the book and sharing things were definitely hard to write for the entire world to read.

I recommended this book to my partner who suffers from Health Anxiety, and by only reading a couple of sentences from the intro and chapter 1, he was sold on the book telling me "I should definitely read this book".

The book gives tools but also encites the reader who is practicing these tools on themself to be accountable for their own healing process.

The book is comprehensive and a great tool for anyone who wants to understand Health anxiety, understand its treatment, and/or start on the healing journey, and/or maintain the healing journey.
It is not an alternative to proper therapy and follow up with medical professionals especially in advanced cases.

I received a free copy of, Help! I'm Dying Again, by Britney Chesworth, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book helps you to deal with your health anxiety. This book has tools and resources for people to cope with their health anxiety.

An Insightful and Practical Guide.

This book offers a fascinating and well-structured approach to understanding and managing health anxiety. The book provides clear, CBT-based techniques to help readers break free from the cycle of excessive worry and compulsive symptom-checking.

What I really appreciated was Chesworth’s engaging writing style; she makes a complex topic feel approachable and easy to digest. The real-life anecdotes add a personal touch, making the advice feel practical rather than clinical.

A worthwhile read, whether you struggle with health anxiety yourself or simply want to better understand it!

Thank you to Britney Chesworth and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This book did not turn out to be about what I had anticipated. From an academic and therapeutic standpoint the information given is very helpful. It just did not apply to my situation. I definitely encourage readers to look into this books details before purchasing. The way this information is laid out is very user friendly and the author did a great job.

I found this book was really well laid out and easy to read. It had great and simple tips to help through health anxiety. I think this is a great book for anyone going through this struggle.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for granting me access to this book.

First. Wow. I needed this book. And that could not be any further from hyperbole. The first chapter alone (which recommends you work through the rest of the book slowl) is eye opening. I think for people who pick up this book because of the title, you’ll get a shock when chapter one describes your whole life. The title “Im dying again” is what caught MY eye to request this book because that’s exactly how health anxiety feels. Wow I feel sick today I think Im dying.

Chesworth first introduces health anxiety (the aforementioned introduction) and offers a list of benefits and causes of the anxiety. The one that got me was “it makes it difficult to enjoy anything.” Bingo. Then she proceeds to offer methods throughout

If you dont know what cognitive behavioral therapy is, it’s an effort to acknowledge thoughts and the behaviors they cause. The author focuses each chapter on an aspect of CBT: reducing errors, recognizing your own abilities to cope with diseases, how to live more comfortably, stop avoidance and so on. All very very useful information and doesn’t feel like something you’re going to drag your feet to get through because self help is sometimes a chore. This is a guide for exploring your health and the mindsets affecting it, and I think it is executed beautifully.

This is how I would like more self-guides and CBT books to be. The problems are defined, the solutions are encouraged, self-initiated and the ‘reframe’ framework of CBT is clearly described.
I will gift this to my loved ones who have health anxiety.