Hypochondria (Health Anxiety) – Symptoms and Treatment
Hypochondria, also called Hypochondriasis or “Health Anxiety” or “Illness Anxiety”, is best described as the obsessive, irrational fear of having a serious medical condition. Hypochondria / Health Anxiety is based on an individual’s misinterpretation of symptoms, and exists despite medical reassurance that the individual does not have a disease or illness. Hypochondria / Health Anxiety goes beyond normal concerns with health, and can seriously impact academic and professional functioning, as well as interpersonal relationships.
Symptoms of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety
Symptoms of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety vary widely from person to person. Some examples of common obsessions seen in Hypochondria / Health Anxiety are:
- thinking that a headache is indicative of a brain tumor
- believing that a cough must be sign of lung cancer
- assuming that a minor chest pain is a heart attack
- thinking that a minor sore is a sign of AIDS
Some common examples of compulsions seen in Hypochondria / Health Anxiety include:
- multiple doctor visits, sometimes “doctor-hopping” on the same day
- multiple medical tests, often for the same alleged condition
- repetitive checking of the body for symptoms of an alleged medical condition
- repeatedly avoiding contact with objects or situations for fear of exposure to diseases
- habitual internet searching for information about illnesses and their symptoms (“Cyberchondria“)
It is estimated that 4-6% of the population has clinically significant hypochondria. Furthermore, recent research suggests that up to 10% of all visits to primary care physicians may be due to hypochondriacal fears. As demonstrated above, Hypochondria has numerous obsessive-compulsive features that are quite similar to those of OCD. One essential difference between the two conditions is that those with OCD often fear getting a disease, while those with hypochondria fear already having a disease. Perhaps the most significant similarity linking OCD and Hypochondria is the cyclical process by which the symptoms of both increase. To learn more about this process, click here.
One of the most effective CBT developments for the treatment of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. The primary goal of