“Researchers estimate that 3 to 14 percent of all medical (versus psychiatric) patients have hypochondriasis,” stated psychologist, Dr. Paul Moglia (Moglia 2). According to HopkinsDepression. com, “The condition . . . is a chronic anxiety disorder characterized by a preoccupation with being or becoming seriously ill despite evidence to the contrary (“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? ” 58). ” Hypochondriasis, a mental psychological disorder, consists of genetic, self-inflicted, and surrounding environmental causes along with several treatment options available for hypochondriacs in today’s world.
Hypochondriasis, the medical term, may be termed as hypochondria. The word hypochondria derives from hypochondrium, recalled from Hippocrates, the “father of western medicine. ” Hypochondrium refers to the top abdominal area. Incorrect about the main starting point of worry, the Greeks proved themselves correct about the connection between the physical and mental aspects of the mind. (Schweitzer 9) The disorder, often used as a defense mechanism, changes cynical and bitter emotions into indications of an illness.
Hypochondriasis can be referred to as somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder (Glendening 1). Other terms include heightened illness concern, health anxiety, somatization, medically unexplained symptoms, and complex somatic symptom disorder (Schweitzer 9). This disorder shows up in males and females (“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? ” 58), normally beginning within the ages of 20 and 30. Generally hereditary, hypochondriasis frequently appears in doctors’ offices approximately the ages of 40 and 50. Moglia 2)
Approximately four to nine percent of citizens diagnosed with this disorder live in the United States. (“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? ” 58). Moglia declared, “A diagnosis of hypochondriasis is made when the patient’s dread about a disease or diseases impairs normal activity and persists despite appropriate medical reassurances and evidence to the contrary (Moglia 2). ” However, afraid of getting diagnosed with a disease gives reason for one to steer away from visiting their physician’s office (Schweitzer 8).
As children, hypochondria is the result of displaying feelings through physical pain when they don’t have the ability to speak their emotions. Having experienced a severe disease, abuse, violence, parental issues, and other traumatic events during youth may also cause this disorder to develop later in life. (Schweitzer 25) Along with youth, the death of a loved one, biological happenings, (Wilson 2) and obtaining information about a disease from the media may also contribute as causes (“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? 58).
Psychological experts have a well-known belief that hypochondriacs experience conflict with a deeply-felt fury (Moglia 2). Several theories have been introduced as to why hypochondria occurs. One theory, known as the social learning theory, explains that hypochondriacs use the “sick role” as an excuse out of habit in order to prevent having to confront any dilemmas or responsibilities in life (Schweitzer 28). Hypochondria allows patients to not feel terrible for living or feel undeserving of satisfaction.
Hypersensitivity, or intensified bodily and/or mental feelings, causes one to stay alert for any symptoms. These two theories exist based on observational, scientific practices on patients whose disorder has improved with treatment. (Moglia 2-3) Typically other problems occur along with the disorder (Glendening 1). Hypochondriacs have other psychological disorders/illnesses various times because their own thoughts and worries cause extreme levels of anxiety and depression (Schweitzer 20).
About a third of hypochondriacs have a form that has striking similarities to obsessive compulsive disorder,” stated Brian Fallon, a psychiatrist (Wilson 2). According to another psychiatrist, Pernilla Schweitzer, “it is a combination of genetic vulnerabilities, environmental stressors, and psychological factors that contribute to the complex experience of hypochondriasis (Schweitzer 25). ” Most patients affected with this disorder visit their doctors with stomach and intestinal or heart and blood circulation issues, no matter the reason for why hypochondria has developed (Moglia 2).
When the disorder has come upon an individual, the hypochondriac eventually experiences a dual-step system. Their past consists of adversity and pain, such as feeling unwanted; therefore, they seek attention by displaying an illness. The patient’s anxiety, typically too strong for reassurance, causes people to stop offering their assistance. In addition, the self-image of the hypochondriac does not alter. (Moglia 2) When patients visit the doctor, they stress over whether or not their explanation of their symptoms correctly describe how and what they feel.
Consequently, they visit many other doctors (Wilson 2), and, known as doctor shopping, the individual searches for a physician who will listen and diagnose them with the correct illness and treatment. Hypochondriasis may result in the hypochondriac having issues at places because of absences, wellness problems from extraneous exams, dependence on medications to alleviate signs, and financial losses because of medical bills. Loved ones may distant themselves from the affected family member because of the member’s concentration on their own wellness.
“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? ” 58-59) Known as the practice effect, one who focuses abundantly on their body will become more sensitive and alarmed towards recognizing the smallest of differences. (Schweitzer 27) This allows individuals to take extra measures in ensuring their health physically and mentally. Multiple experiments with treatments have been performed to figure out which options end in success and which ones do not. According to Glendening, treatment options include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Psychoeducation, and medication (Glendening 1).
Other therapeutic therapies involve Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Behavioral Stress Management, and Exposure and Response Prevention for treatment (Schweitzer 39-41). “In a 2007 study from American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers randomly assigned 112 people with hypochondria to treatment with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, paroxetine (Paxil), or a placebo. After 16 weeks , 45% of people in the cognitive behavioral therapy group had improved, compared with 30% of the Paxil group and 14% fo the placebo group,” observed HopkinsDepression. com.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy teaches patients about their irrational diagnoses of signs and symptoms and the reasons for which they fear diseases. This therapy has the hypochondriac record their symptoms in a journal and visit a doctor regularly, no other times except under certain conditions. (“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? ” 59) The goal for this type of treatment involves transforming the ways of the abnormal thoughts, actions, and mental responses (Schweitzer 34). Examples of medications taken by hypochondriacs include anxiety medicine, antidepressant medicine, and SSRIs.
Anxiety and antidepressant elixirs aid in reducing symptoms. Giving medications in small doses in the beginning of treatment helps to avoid causing the patient extra stress about side effects of the medicine. (“Hypochondria: Is It All in Your Head? ” 59) SSRIs have shown “improvement in 70 to 75 percent of patients,” according to Fallon (Wilson 2). These type of inhibitors do not only lessen signs of hypochondriasis, but also decrease anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsiveness, and somatization (Schweitzer 43-44).
Behavioral Stress Management assists people in figuring out what causes their stress and teaches them ways to deal with and manage these sources of stress. This does not target hypochondria but can aid in lessening signs of diseases. Exposure and Response Prevention exposes one to their worries and attempts to lessen stress by preventing the typical response of displayed worries. (Schweitzer 41) No one cause triggers hypochondriasis in an individual; several factors lead to this condition. Many people know of hypochondriasis, but not the significant details about the condition.
Hypochondriacs seem to portray themselves as faking an illness, but their actions do not show their mental and emotional symptoms. As a sincere anxiety issue, knowing the causes and multiple treatments of this mental psychological disorder helps when addressing this state of mind. Even though this condition does not classify as a true medical disease, this diagnosis experiences serious difficulties, same as any other illness. More people need awareness of this condition and ways to assist other individuals who encounter it.
