Why are hypochondriacs so worried about their health?
Why are hypochondriacs so worried about their health?
In their minds, a headache becomes a brain tumor. A cough must be lung cancer. A little indigestion means heart disease. Often dismissed as neurotic time-wasters, hypochondriacs’ constant fixation and anxiety about their health can be as disabling as a real physical illness. “Hypochondriacs become their symptoms.
Is the Internet a paradise for a hypochondriac?
The Internet is nirvana for a hypochondriac, with medical research, disease blogs and self-diagnosis only a few mouse clicks away. The phenomenon is so common it has a name: cyberchondria.
Can a doctor be too quick to dismiss a hypochondriac?
Some doctors may be too quick to dismiss the worries of hypochondriacs, and hypochondriacs are likely to ruin relationships with good physicians by second-guessing them from the start. Hypochondriacs may “get suspicious when their doctor doesn’t give them a referral or a test they ask for,” says Fallon.
Are there any legitimate sources for hypochondriacs?
To many sufferers, Gray’s Anatomy, a half-remembered TV movie, and a harrowing health story about your hairdresser’s friend’s grandmother are all equally legitimate sources. This can lead to serious trouble for hypochondriacs using the vast and unregulated web.
When did I know I was a hypochondriac?
I didn’t experience hypochondria until I was 22. Before this point, I was a catastrophic thinker, picturing myself dying any time I was on a roller coaster or airplane, but I didn’t think a young person could die of a disease. So, I would’ve been a hypochondriac if I wasn’t so naïve. Then at 22, I got a canker sore on my tongue.
Is it easy to become a hypochondriac thanks to the Internet?
Thanks to the Internet, becoming a hypochondriac is much easier than it used to be. The easy availability of health information on the web has certainly helped countless people make educated decisions about their health and medical treatment, but it can be disastrous for people who are likely to worry.
What causes a person to be a hypochondriac?
You may be wondering what triggers hypochondria. Although there really isn’t an exact cause, we do know that people with illness anxiety are more likely to have a family member who is also a hypochondriac. The person with health anxiety may have gone through a serious illness and fear that their bad experience may be repeated.
What happens if hypochondria is left unchecked?
Instead, people presenting with “hypochondria” may be diagnosed as having either illness anxiety disorder or somatic symptom disorder. If left unchecked, hypochondria can be very damaging to your quality of life. With proper planning and care, you can prevent that from happening.
When does a hypochondriac start to show symptoms?
Hypochondriac Symptoms. Hypochondria is a mental health disorder. It usually starts in early adulthood and may show up after the person or someone they know has gone through an illness or after they’ve lost someone to a serious medical condition. About two-thirds of hypochondriacs have a co-existing psychiatric disorder, such as panic disorder,…
Who is the best psychologist for hypochondriacs?
They have such an inappropriate preoccupation with the smallest physical problem that it gets in the way of normal living, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,” says George Pratt, clinical psychologist and vice chairman of psychology at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.
In their minds, a headache becomes a brain tumor. A cough must be lung cancer. A little indigestion means heart disease. Often dismissed as neurotic time-wasters, hypochondriacs’ constant fixation and anxiety about their health can be as disabling as a real physical illness. “Hypochondriacs become their symptoms.
Hypochondriac Symptoms. Hypochondria is a mental health disorder. It usually starts in early adulthood and may show up after the person or someone they know has gone through an illness or after they’ve lost someone to a serious medical condition. About two-thirds of hypochondriacs have a co-existing psychiatric disorder, such as panic disorder,…
How long does hypochondriasis last in a person?
The medical condition called hypochondriasis is defined as worry over an imagined illness with exaggeration of symptoms, no matter how insignificant, that lasts for at least six months and causes significant distress.
Who is the worst case hypochondriac in the world?
The worst-case hypochondriacs can delve into the deepest depths of depression —lengthy, unwieldy funks evoked by self-diagnosis and fear of the unknown. Consequently, somewhere in Tulsa, a man is worried that the cut on his foot is a flesh-eating virus. He frets and frets and frets for a week, then gradually forgets about it.