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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Lydia Spencer-Elliott

Loose Women panellist opens up on ‘terrifying’ intrusive thoughts

  • Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has revealed she is experiencing "horrendous" health anxiety, leading her to constantly fear developing severe illnesses.
  • She frequently questions whether she has conditions such as dementia, sometimes up to 35 times a day, finding these intrusive thoughts "terrifying" and draining.
  • Sawalha's anxieties extend to other serious diseases including various cancers, asbestos poisoning, and Weil’s disease, often triggered by information seen online or shared by her children.
  • She described her obsessions as stealing the "joy of life", making it difficult to enjoy time with family due to constant worry about future illness.
  • Health anxiety, which is linked to obsessive compulsive disorder, can be treated with talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy and medication, according to the NHS.

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