What is hypochondria?
Hypochondria is a chronic mental disorder in which a person constantly worries about his health - a person with this diagnosis thinks that he has a serious and life-threatening illness.
This type of anxiety disorder can be managed with medication and psychotherapy.
For fear of contracting the disease, the patient avoids contact with people and places of public gathering, constantly searches for information about various pathologies or symptoms, perceives even a simple cough as a sign of lung cancer, etc.
As a result of a mental disorder, a person has an unrealistic fear that he will get sick with a serious pathology, he thinks he is in the risk group. Even when the doctor confirms that he is healthy based on a number of laboratory and instrumental tests, he finds it difficult to believe and continues to worry.
This situation in itself slows down the rhythm of his life, negatively affects both personal relationships and career. Yes, a person can really have some physical disease, but because of hypochondria, he perceives it much more acutely and the diagnosis seems more serious.
It is expressed in two forms:
- Either you spend a lot of time in clinics, constantly trying to conduct various medical examinations;
- Or you mistrust doctors and it seems to you that they do not take your complaint seriously.
The exact cause of the development of the disease is unknown, but the contributing factors are:
- Childhood trauma;
- Strong stress;
- Family anamnesis of anxiety disorder;
- You were sick as a child or a family member was treated for a serious illness and you witnessed it;
- History of depression or anxiety;
- Physical trauma.
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