Hey, guys, welcome to Not Another Anxiety Show.

I'm your host, Kelly Walker, and joining me today is guest, Phil Lane.

Hi, Phil.

Hi, Kelly.

How are you?

I am good. I'm so glad you could be here today. Oh, thank you. It's an honor to be here. I'm really excited to talk to you. Oh, you and me both.

You know, kind of selfishly is somebody, you know, that has had illness anxiety. I know we'll be

talking about that today. But before we do, do you mind if I share a little more about

you with our listeners? Sure, please do. Wonderful. Phil Lane is a licensed clinical social worker

and psychotherapist in private practice. He is also a proud anxiety and panic attack survivor.

He specializes in the treatment of anxiety, panic, impulsivity, depression, and mood disorders.

He is the author of the forthcoming book, Understanding and Coping with Illness, Anxiety, due to

be published this November. Phil has an undergraduate degree in English and has always used

writing as a coping mechanism. He also has a master's degree in social work and has experience working in both

group and individual therapy settings. You can find Phil on Instagram at Therapist underscore Phil.

So Phil, I'm going to dive right in here. Can you tell us a little bit about what health anxiety looks like? And I mean,

you can give us a definition if you'd like, but I feel like it might be more helpful to hear

like a few examples of how illness anxiety can present itself and what it looks like.

Sure, absolutely. In the simplest terms possible, it's a narrow and specific anxiety-based focus on physical health and well-being.

So generalized anxiety can take sort of a large form. It can sort of be a free-floating type of feeling.

I just feel anxious about many situations. Illness anxiety just narrows it down and brings it

down to our sense of physical safety. And I know you mentioned, you know, in your bio and you kind of

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