Hypochondria is one of many neurotic disorders. A hypochondriac is a person who is convinced that a disease is developing in their body. What exactly is hypochondria? It is a very interesting issue, so it is worth exploring it in more detail. Keep reading!
WHO IS A HYPOCHONDRIAC?
A hypochondriac is a person who searches for diseases within themselves and seeks frequent contact with doctors. It also happens that hypochondriacs do not believe doctors or even the results of tests they receive. They are convinced that they are sick and that the whole world around them is mistaken.
Such a person focuses very much on their health. They spend entire days on the internet or with books, studying the diseases that bother them. Acquiring knowledge in this way can not only convince such a person that they have a certain disease, but also that they have discovered additional diseases with which a person is marked. A hypochondriac is constantly focused on their health and is constantly convinced that something is wrong and that they need immediate help.
SYMPTOMS OF HYPOCHONDRIA
A hypochondriac is a person who cares about their health. Even minor and quite ordinary ailments are considered as symptoms of a very serious and rapidly progressing illness. A hypochondriac should not be considered a malingerer.
A malingerer is a person who pretends to have specific illnesses because they hope to gain benefits – care from other people, less work, or avoiding responsibilities. In contrast, a hypochondriac does not calculate coolly. They are absolutely convinced that they are right and that a disease is developing in their body, but no one can diagnose it correctly. Hypochondria is based on anxiety. Common symptoms of hypochondria include:
Frequent contacts with doctors Tendency to change doctors frequently Exaggerating their suffering and other feelings Loud complaints about their health without being able to identify the problem precisely Considering completely normal situations as symptoms of a disease – blushing, sweating, or rapid breathing after exercise. In all respects, a hypochondriac is capable of perceiving a symptom of a very serious illness For hypochondriacs, it is very common to be the subject of jokes and ridicule. A hypochondriac is perceived as pitiable. However, a person with an anxiety disorder deserves understanding, compassion, help, and appropriate treatment.
HYPOCHONDRIA: TREATMENT AND THERAPY
Hypochondria is a disorder that not only annoys those around the affected individual, but also greatly impairs the quality of their life. However, treating hypochondria is not at all simple. Hypochondriacs assume that their mind is healthy and that the illnesses or physical ailments that bother them are real.
In the case of hypochondria, medication therapy is sometimes used. It is designed to calm anxiety and reduce the intensity of symptoms. This helps convince the hypochondriac that treatment is effective and necessary. Reducing anxiety will also help you take further steps in your treatment.
The cause of hypochondria is often completely unknown and may be rooted in early childhood. Cognitive-behavioral therapy produces the best results in treating hypochondria. It is through this therapy that the disturbed individual can identify the root of the problem, understand it, and work through it. They can also rid themselves of a strong and constant sense of fear, and at the same time replace inappropriate patterns with healthier and socially acceptable ones.
Therapy is the best way to free yourself from a strong sense of anxiety. The patient must work on themselves – a willingness to change and hard work are very important, but the therapist will accompany you on this journey and help you persevere in your decisions.