How to know if you have hypochondria and deal with it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The problem is deeper than you think.

What is hypochondria

Hypochondriacal disorder is a mental illness in which a person is constantly afraid of finding themselves with a severe progressive illness.

Here is the true story of a hypochondriac, with almost all of the main symptoms present.

Hypochondria harms a person on all fronts. Constant analyzes hit the budget. Stress drains a person and ruins life greatly.

Why does hypochondria occur?

Hypochondria is more common in people with an excitable nervous system and increased anxiety and is often combined with other mental illnesses: obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, panic attacks.

The impetus for the development of the disorder can be a traumatic event, for example, a serious illness or the death of a loved one, but this is not necessary.

Alexey Karachinsky Psychotherapist, author of the Telegram channel "".

Fears and anxieties turn on the defense mechanism of the psyche. Instead of a real problem, a person switches to fear of death, looks for symptoms of diseases and devotes all his thoughts to this.

In addition, hypochondria can be an attempt to escape from something: responsibility, unpleasant affairs, or people. As Alexey Karachinsky says, the disease makes it possible to make excuses so as not to make any responsible adult decisions or do something. How can I go to work if I am sick all the time? This often happens unconsciously.

For example, the English poet and novelist Charlotte Brontë suffered from depression, headaches, indigestion and vision problems for many years. According to Brian Dillon, the author of a book about famous hypochondriacs, Bronte's diseases were her means of getting away from family and social obligations, to find time for herself.

How to recognize hypochondria

The symptoms of the disorder can vary greatly from person to person. You are most likely to have hypochondria if you:

1. Regularly look for various diseases.
2. Afraid that any bodily manifestation, such as a runny nose or gurgling in the stomach, is a symptom of a serious illness.
3. Go to the doctor often with minor symptoms or, conversely, avoid the doctor for fear that he will find a fatal disease.
4. You constantly talk about your health.
5. Concentrate on one disease, such as cancer, or a specific part of the body, organ, or organ system.
6. Constantly looking on the Internet for symptoms of diseases.
7. We are sure that good analyzes are a mistake. You worry that no one can diagnose the disease.
8. Avoid places and people that can trigger the disease.
9. You feel pain, dizziness, heaviness, which disappear as soon as you forget about them.

If you somehow searched the Internet for what a new mole may indicate, you were horrified and forgot - this is not hypochondria. But if you think about it all the time, you constantly look at the mole and do not calm down even after the doctor said that everything is fine, you should think about it.

Is it worth going to the doctor and which one to choose

If you find signs of the disease, first contact your therapist and get tested. If you were told that everything is all right with you, but the fear has not passed, carefully monitor your condition.

Dmitry Ferapontov Psychotherapist with over 17 years of experience.

Both psychiatrist and psychotherapist are doctors with higher education. But the first treats only with pills, and the second supplements or replaces them with psychotherapy.

Just do not choose psychologists for the initial consultation, even those who have completed courses of psychotherapists. They do not have a medical background, and therefore, they most likely will not be able to distinguish hypochondria from another mental illness and prescribe medications if necessary.

What the doctor will do to me

It all depends on the severity of the disorder.

Ekaterina Dombrovskaya Member of the Russian Society of Psychiatrists.

If medication is not needed, treatment will consist of psychotherapy sessions. For example, something like this:

1. Rational therapy - the psychotherapist refers to the patient's logic, convincingly convinces of the absence of diseases, indicates errors in thinking.
2. Cognitive-behavioral therapy - a psychotherapist teaches the patient to think and behave correctly, offers strategies to get rid of fear.
3. Biofeedback - with the help of technology, the patient is provided with information about his physiological processes in real time. By focusing on indicators, he learns to cope with his symptoms. For example, learning to relax muscles can help overcome anxiety.
4. Nondirective hypnosis is the introduction of a patient into a special state of consciousness. The person continues to perceive reality, but the focus shifts to inner experiences.
5. Self-training is an independent release of nervous and muscle tension due to self-hypnosis techniques.

According to Dmitry Ferapontov, this is not an exhaustive list. The therapist can use anything that will help the patient to cope with negative thoughts and problems in different areas of life.

Alexey Karachinsky Psychotherapist, author of the Psychotherapist Diary Telegram channel.

How to get rid of hypochondria yourself

If you can't see a therapist or psychiatrist, try to deal with the disorder yourself.

1. Learn to control your mind

Dmitry Ferapontov recommends meditation and yoga. These practices improve concentration and help control negative thoughts.

2. Add physical activity

Physical activity helps to get rid of unnecessary worries and stress, improves mood. Add 30 minutes of physical activity a day: brisk walking, climbing stairs.

If you want something a little more serious, buy a gym membership or try home workouts with your body weight.

3. Set your sleep and wake schedule

Lack of sleep has a negative effect on cognitive abilities and mood, and increases anxiety. Train yourself to fall asleep and wake up at the same time, and try other ways to improve sleep.

Sleepy people find it easier to deal with negative thoughts and fears.

4. Be in the sun more often

Dmitry Ferapontov says that hypochondria often overlaps with seasonal affective disorder. Such diseases appear in autumn and winter, when daylight hours are reduced. Sunbathing can help relieve symptoms of the disorder and improve your mood.

5. Look for the cause of hypochondria

Alexey Karachinsky advises to ask a simple question: "What has bothered me the most lately?"

It doesn't have to be a flashy, traumatic event. Perhaps the problem has existed for a long time, but the defensive reaction of the psyche does not allow you to admit it.

For example, you hate your job or are stuck in a depressing relationship. Look at your life from different angles and try to find the cause of the stress.

6. Stop looking for symptoms on the Internet

The constant search for symptoms on the Internet is so common that there is even a separate word for it in English - cyberchondria.

There is a lot of unverified information published on the Internet, but even the most reliable sources can be alarming. If you find a disease with vague symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, or strange physical sensations, everyone can admit they are sick.

Overcome the urge to self-diagnose and stop yourself from looking for symptoms on the Internet. If you think the symptom is serious, make an appointment with a doctor, if not, forget about it.