Most people can relate to the experience of believing they have a health condition, mental illness, or disease, whether medically diagnosed or not.
It might start with researching things like stomach aches on the internet (and obsessing over what you find!), or hearing about an illness that’s widespread among a group of friends or family and wondering if you have it. This is especially common with disorders that people don’t fully understand, like diagnosing yourself with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) simply because you like things neat, or assuming someone has ADHD simply because they have trouble concentrating in certain situations.
It’s normal to feel fear or anxiety about a suspected health problem or condition, but excessive or obsessive worrying, especially if no formal diagnosis has been made, “can really get in the way of your everyday joy and well-being,” says Neha Pathak, MD, WebMD’s chief physician editor and a former family physician for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
People who do this frequently are commonly referred to as hypochondriacs.
What is hypochondria?
A hypochondriac is someone who excessively worries about having an illness or condition “even though a medical evaluation shows otherwise,” says Dr. Jason Nagata, an adolescent medicine specialist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. He says the condition was previously officially called hypochondria, but in 2013 it was split into two recognized conditions, defined as “illness anxiety disorder” or “somatic symptom disorder,” with each diagnosis determined by its own factors. “Both disorders are characterized by high levels of health anxiety, but the key difference is that somatic symptom disorder is accompanied by significant physical symptoms, whereas illness anxiety disorder has no or mild physical symptoms,” he explains.
In either case, people with hypochondria can become so convinced that they have a serious medical condition that they have little to convince themselves of anything else. “They may even change doctors multiple times, seeking confirmation that they’re sick,” says Juanita Guerra, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New Rochelle, New York.
But these people often experience persistent and intrusive anxiety, and their obsession with that anxiety often “causes significant disruption to their daily lives,” Nagata said.
If left untreated, hypochondria can also have a negative impact on your physical health: “Research has shown that the chronic anxiety associated with hypochondria can increase your risk of heart disease and other serious mental and physical problems,” he adds.
To further complicate things, hypochondria and illness anxiety disorder Approximately 8% of the population“This not only impacts the individuals affected, but it also puts a huge strain on the healthcare system,” said Aron Tendler, a board-certified psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Brainsway.
What causes a person to become a hypochondriac?
Although the condition is common, “the exact causes of hypochondria aren’t known,” Pathak says, “but it may be related to a family history of serious illness, extreme stress or anxiety, personal health concerns, or trauma resulting from child abuse, neglect, rape, or other forms of emotional or physical abuse.”
Guerra added that the condition could be the result of excessive internet use linked to health-related searches, following fear-mongering social media accounts, or simply because someone frequently experiences intrusive thoughts or has personality traits such as worrying or overthinking.
Tendler said the condition is often “comorbid,” meaning those suffering from it are often diagnosed with other mental illnesses, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, personality disorders, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What’s the best way for hypochondriac patients to get help?
Whatever the cause of the symptoms, they are usually treatable as long as the patient is willing to seek help “by talking to a medical professional or a mental health professional,” Nagata said.
Guerra recommends consulting your primary care doctor first, so they can rule out other illnesses first: “If your doctor determines that you don’t actually have a physical illness, they can refer you to a specialist or mental health professional for treatment,” Guerra says.
Common treatments for illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder include talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, “which can help people change their thought patterns,” Pathak explains. Medications such as antidepressants can also help, he adds, and health professionals can provide a treatment plan tailored to each patient. “The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and improve daily life,” he says.
