Illness anxiety disorder is a mental condition where the patient worries excessively about becoming seriously ill, despite the fact that their symptoms do not warrant such a conclusion. This disorder is also known as hypochondria. However, the diagnostic manual published by the American Psychiatric Association no longer lists hypochondria as a diagnosis.
Instead of hypochondria, people are now diagnosed with illness anxiety disorder. In illness anxiety disorder, the patient is concerned about uncomfortable or unusual physical feelings being a sign of some serious medical problem.
The main problem that people with illness anxiety disorder suffer from is the anxiety and stress itself. The distress reaches a point in which normal day to day functioning is compromised. This can be either because the distressing thoughts preoccupy the person or the person avoids normal life activities because of their fear of getting ill.
Illness anxiety disorder is a long-term condition that can vary in severity. It can get worse with age or with life stress. However, psychological therapy and possibly medication can treat the disorder.
There is a related disorder called somatic symptom disorder. In this disorder, the patient becomes preoccupied with the physical symptom itself. They might have pain or dizziness. However, the patient does not worry about the possibility that the symptoms underlying a more serious condition.
The precise cause of illness anxiety disorder isn’t well understood. However, the following factors might be involved:
- Beliefs – The person might have an issue with experiencing uncertainty over uncomfortable or unusual bodily feelings. This may result in you thinking that all body sensations are serious.
- Family – You might end up with the disorder if your parents had similar fears about their health or your health.
- Past experience – If you have had a serious illness as a child, then unusual sensations may frighten you into believing that they are more serious than they actually are.
The Symptoms of Hypochondria
1. Preoccupied with Getting a Disease
Probably the most common symptom of hypochondria is the preoccupation with getting a serious disease. It should be remarked that everyone has the fear of getting a serious illness at some time or another. The difference here is that this fear becomes something that occupies the thoughts of the person in a way that interferes with their normal functioning. The thought is recurring and severe.
Also, we are not talking about a case where the person is suffering from very severe symptoms. In such a case, it may be rational to fear that you may have a serious illness.
Despite the fact that the fear that we are dealing with is irrational, the patient should go in for a medical evaluation to their physician to ensure that they do not have a serious illness. Sometimes, the intuition that a patient has is a good indication that something is seriously wrong with them. Their physician can tell by their behavior during the examination whether or not their suspicion of having a serious illness is justified. If the doctor feels that the patient is being irrational, they can refer them to a qualified mental health professional.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]2. Worrying that Minor Symptoms Mean a Serious Illness
The patient with hypochondria will tend to exaggerate their symptoms and think that a minor symptom is a big deal. As was said before, a patient who is normal can be trusted to have real intuitions as to whether they are truly sick or not. However, the doctor can tell if the patient is exaggerating their symptoms and is behaving irrationally. If a patient comes in with a sore throat and automatically suspects throat cancer, then we know that something is wrong mentally. Also, if a patient comes in complaining of very unspecific problems, yet feels that these problems are very serious, then we may have some cause for suspicion that they are being irrational.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]3. Being Easily Alarmed by Your Health Status
This symptom is very similar to the previous one. Ordinarily, a person is concerned about the little things that are abnormal in their health profile. It is actually healthy to have a little fear about abnormal health status. This fear can propel the patient to do something about their health status. For example, if a person has some sort of illness like diabetes, then their fear can propel them to maintain a more sound diet.
The problem comes when the person loses all sense of proportion. If they feel that they are going to die because of an abnormal cholesterol reading, then we can be suspicious that their problem is actually mental in nature.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]4. Finding Little or no Reassurance from Negative Test Results
This is an obvious red flag that the person may be suffering from hypochondria. If a physician runs a whole battery of tests, and they all come out negative, then the average person will feel more at ease with the situation. The hypochondriac might even feel more nervous about negative test results because they don’t confirm their suspicions.
A physician should be the one to notice this problem. This is because the physician interacts with the patient with regard to their test results. However, an astute family member can also notice that the person’s reaction is abnormal to the test results.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]5. Worrying about Developing a Disease that Runs in the Family
If a person is preoccupied with the feeling that they are going to get illnesses that run in their family, then this is a red flag that they may be suffering from hypochondria. As has been said before, a little fear is rational to get the person to take care of their health better or to do preventative measures. If breast cancer is extremely common in your family, then it may be rational to get a preventative mastectomy to resolve the problem. However, if a person wants the procedure without any history of the illness in their family, then we should be suspicious.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]6. Inability to Function Due to Stress
This is an important symptom in that it must be present for there to be real hypochondria. The sign of the hypochondriac is the inability to function normally in life due to the paralyzing fear of getting a serious illness. This means that the person has the recurring and painful thought that they will be getting a serious illness. Normal life activities include those of work and leisure. The hypochondriac may not be able to work due to getting recurring thoughts that they are dying of some sort of illness.
One way this symptom is manifest is if the person sets aside time during every day to think about the possibility that they have an illness. Ordinarily, a normal person won’t do this.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]7. Making Medical Appointments for Reassurance
In every doctor’s office, they know a person who is constantly calling the doctor for attention to imagined issues. This is a sure sign that the person is a hypochondriac. The proper way of relating to the doctor is to let the doctor determine how often you need to see them. If a person is constantly calling the doctor of their own accord, then you know that something is wrong mentally. It is a wise idea for the doctor to call in the patient to advise them to go to a mental health professional if this pattern emerges.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]8. Avoiding People, Places, or Things for Possible Health Risk
This symptom is another lack of functioning normally in everyday life. If a person is more than just a little bit of a “germ freak,” then we can be suspicious that they have a mental problem. As with many of the above cases, it is rational to wash your hands after being in a public place like the hospital. However, if a person finds that they are becoming obsessed with germs, then it is maybe time to see a mental health professional.
If a person finds that they are avoiding certain situations solely because of germs, then this is a red flag that the person might be a hypochondriac.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]9. Constantly Talking about Your Health
We all have friends who are health nuts. To be a health nut is not irrational. However, if a person finds that they are constantly talking about their health in a negative way, then there might be a problem of hypochondria.
With health nuts, we don’t find that they have a compulsion to constantly talk about their health. They just spend a little more energy dealing with their health than the ordinary person. The hypochondriac feels compelled to talk about their health with other people. They simply cannot stop themselves.
The hypochondriac may find that they need to talk about their health with other people to help them confirm their suspicions about their health. They may even find a certain sense of satisfaction at determining that they are right about their self-diagnosis.
[nextpage title=“Next” ]10. Frequently Searching the Internet for New Symptoms
The hypochondriac may spend inordinate amounts of time on the internet searching for new information that will confirm their self-diagnosis. The internet can be a powerful tool if used rationally to discover things about your health. However, if it turns into an obsession, then we have reason to believe that the person may be a hypochondriac.
One thing that we might be suspicious about is if a person relies on their own research to confirm their own diagnosis. Ordinarily, the rational thing to do is to let your doctor confirm your diagnosis. If a person is relying on their own research, then we have a right to be suspicious about their motives.
