What Is Hypochondriasis ? ( Hypochondria )

Hypochondriasis is when a person have a great fear of having a disease and after tests results come back negative the person continues visiting doctors to find out the cause.

Are You Suffering From Hypochondriasis?

Do you check your pulse many times a day?

Do you go to the doctor frequently for any dull pain you feel?

Are you preoccupied about your health in a way that interfere with your daily life?

If you have an intense fear of having a serious illness you must likely suffer from hypochondria.

A person with hypochondria is always thinking he or she is seriously ill. Despite medical reassurances from doctors that his/her health is fine.

A person affected with hypochondria usually think that normal bodily functions such as sweating, headaches, rapid heart beats and bowel movements are the symptoms of a serious illness. They will find any minor abnormality such a small sore, a runny nose or a casual migraine to be the symptoms of cancer or any other serious condition.

A person with hypochondria is usually complaining about pain or the way they look. It is very common for someone with hypochondria to focus on one particular organ, such as the heart or the brain or just one disease such as cancer or heart disease. They are usually upset when the lab tests come back negative and they find out there is nothing wrong with them. They will keep pursuing doctors to find the cause of their illness.

Doctors are not sure of how many people is afflicted with hypochondria. People who suffer from this condition usually see their primary care physician rather than a mental health professional. It is estimated that between 0.8% and 8.5% of the US adult population suffers from hypochondria. It affects men and woman equally.

Fear or Hypochondria?

Almost all of us worry at some time when we have minor physical symptoms and think maybe it is a sign of a serious illness. That is normal.

Hypochondriasis is when a person have a great fear of having a disease and after tests results come back negative the person continues visiting doctors to find out the cause. It is not uncommon for people with hypochondria to change doctors constantly once the doctors can not diagnose anything wrong with the person.

People with hypochondria also suffer from some psychiatric disorder such as obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression and panic disorder. If the person worries about an illness that is not present for 6 months or more it is more likely that person suffers from hypochondria.

How long does it last?

A person with hypochondria can suffer for months and even years.

A person with hypochondria can eventually improve significantly once it seek help from a mental health professional.

How does it start?

It is unclear how hypochondria starts. A person may start suffering from hypochondria after suffering a long illness or after a loved one dies from an illness.

When Does it Start?

It is also possible that an underlying medical condition may be a trigger from hypochondriasis. Some perfectionism think that being healthy means never ever feeling any pain or discomfort. Physiologists believe that most people who suffer from hypochondria tent to be self critical of themselves. A person afflicted by this condition may assume the worst whenever he/she experience any sensations related to illness.

What is the treatment?

There are many factors that contribute to hypochondriasis.

This can be major disease outbreaks and media coverage of disease.