Improved
6112 HealthChanged
3786 LivesSaved
3568 Lives1 lives impacted in the last 24 hrs Learn More
Hypochondriasis is a chronic mental disorder in which one continuously fears of having an undiagnosed serious or life threatening disease. Hypochondriasis is considered to be a psychosomatic illness, meaning it is a mental illness but presents with physical symptoms. Individuals who have Hypochondriacs tend to believe that their body feelings or any vague symptom is a sign of underlying medical disease. For example one may have itching on the skin and immediately think that this is a skin cancer. Many people become so convinced that they have ominous symptoms that they continually seek doctor after doctor. Despite assurance, the same pattern of behavior beings with another symptom.
Features of individuals with Hypochondriasis:
- Excess anxiety about certain symptoms or disease;
- Worry that every symptom is a sign of a serious illness;
- Seek repeated medical tests and physician consults;
- Frequently doctor shop;
- Have distress that can be hysterical at times;
- Always checking out their body for signs and symptoms of a disease;
- Never reassured by the doctor; and
- Immediately after reading about an illness, they feel as if they have it.
The cause of Hypochondriasis is unknown but some experts feel that it may be a type of obsessive compulsive disorder. Factors that may increase risk of developing hypochondria may include:
-Having had a serious illness in childhood;
-Having a family member with a serious medical disorder;
-Having a diagnosis of anxiety or OCD;
-An inflexible conviction that good health means having no symptoms; and
-Having family members with Hypochondriasis.
Hypochondriasis tends to occur equally in both genders and can develop at any age. However, most people are identified in adulthood and it is believed that at least 5 to 12 percent of the population are Hypochondriasis.
Hypochondriasis is not life threatening but can lead to difficulty at work or school, having difficulty with interpersonal relationships, depression, anxiety, anger, frustration and financial problems due to increasing medical expenses.
Some individuals are besieged by the symptoms and become disabled. In many cases the hypochondrias may have a real illness but often this is disregarded as physicians just get perturbed or discharge them because of the constant visits.
The diagnosis of Hypochondriasis can be difficult and includes a physical exam, laboratory testing and X-rays.
Hypochondriasis is a chronic disorder and often lasts years because it is often difficult to treat people who have rigid beliefs about their health. Treatment is a combined effort between the patient, family and the health care provider. Psychotherapy is widely used to treat the disorder. At the same time, some individuals may require anti depressants to ease the anxiety, fear of disease and obsessions. However, all the medications have side effects which sometimes create the real physical problem. There are some home measures one can take to avoid worsening of Hypochondriasis. This means learning about your health, paying attention to certain signs and symptoms, being active, discontinuing smoking and eating healthy.
The best advice for patients with Hypochondriasis is bond with a doctor and develop trust and avoid reading too much on the internet. Omit magazines which center on diseases and take a break from constantly monitoring your body signs everyday.
The prognosis for most patients with severe Hypochondriasis can be poor. Most eventually end up getting unnecessary medical treatments or even surgeries- and then they finally get ill.
Add a CommentComments
There are no comments yet. Be the first one and get the conversation started!