Hypochondria
Hypochondria Causes
A person suffering from hypochondria is preoccupied with physical health and has an unrealistic fear of serious disease well out of proportion to the actual risk. There is no specific cause of hypochondria, and it occurs to men and women with equal frequency.
Hypochondria Definition
Hypochondria sometimes referred to as health phobia) refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. Usually, hypochondria persists even after a physician has evaluated a person and reassured him/her that his/her concerns about symptoms do not have an underlying medical basis or, if there is a medical illness, the concerns are far in excess of what is appropriate for the level of disease
Hypochondria Diagnosis
Generally, the disorder is chronic (lasts for a long time) unless the psychological factors or any related underlying mood disorder are addressed.
Hypochondria Symptoms and Signs
Common symptoms include headaches, abdominal, back, joint, rectal, or urinary pain, nausea, itching, diarrhea, dizziness, or balance problems. Various people with hypochondria accompanied by medically unexplained symptoms feel they are not understood by their physicians, and are frustrated by their doctors' repeated failure to provide symptom relief.
Hypochondria Treatment
To treat hypochondria, one must acknowledge the interplay of body and mind. If a person is sick with a medical disease such as diabetes or arthritis, there will be often psychological consequences, such as depression. A person with psychological issues such as depression or anxiety will sometimes experience physical manifestations of these affective fluctuations, often in the form of medically unexplained symptoms.