It’s natural to want to prevent getting sick or getting hurt every now and then. Most people avoid those things by washing their hands, taking vitamins, or not being in the company of sick people. Even when they are in good health, they struggle to manage their daily lives and worry about getting sick. They feel anxious because they have a serious condition that can interfere with their life. This disorder is a psychological reaction where the person believes they are sicker than they actually are, regardless of whether the disease is present or not. They may visit the doctor frequently or become convinced that they have serious undiagnosed illnesses. This is known as Hypochondria, and it is also known as health anxiety or illness anxiety disorder. Those who suffer from this are preoccupied with their current or future health to the point where their daily life suffers.
What are some of the Signs and Symptoms of Hypochondria?
- Considering having a serious illness a lot.
- Repeatedly visiting a doctor but rejecting assurances.
- requesting numerous medical tests
- Talking about health a lot with friends and family, having trouble sleeping, and finding it difficult to manage their family, work, and social lives due to health concerns.
- Surfing the internet on a regular basis to look up potential illnesses and the causes of symptoms.
What Causes Hypochondria?
Many people suffer from severe hypochondria, but it is not entirely clear why. Some potential causes of hypochondria include the following:
- Physical and/or sexual abuse in the past: A child’s sense of physical vulnerability may be heightened if they witness or experience physical and sexual abuse. When no serious health issues exist, this may lead someone to suspect them. A person with a history of abuse may experience a sense of insecurity when interacting with others, which prompts them to engage in compensatory caring behaviours.
- Having Trouble Expressing Your Feelings: Due to traumatic experiences in the past that caused them to emotionally distance themselves from others, some people find it difficult to express their emotions. They believe that the only way to emotionally connect with others is to make others worry about their conceivable health issues.
- Deaths or Serious Illnesses of Family Members or Friends: Friends or family members who are seriously ill can create an environment where the child is the focus of love and attention, which is directly related to the illness. In light of this, a child may believe that they must become ill in order to be loved and paid attention, and they may continue to believe this even as adults. When a close family member or friend passes away, the grief that comes with it makes a person worry about their own health.
- Google’s Influence: Using search engines to find unusual feelings or experiences can increase the risk of developing hypochondria. Following this, they learn that they are sick or start to suspect that they have a terrible disease.
Precautions
Although there is little medical knowledge about how to stop hypochondria, the following precautions can be taken:
- Someone you suspect may be experiencing the disorder should receive your support and understanding. Providing understanding can lessen the severity of the disorder and give the patient a way to cope with it.
- Help someone you know who is experiencing severe anxiety to consult a doctor so that their symptoms don’t get worse and interfere with their quality of life.
