hypochondriasis
Sign in to saveHypochondriasis or hypochondria is a condition in which a person is excessively and unduly worried about having a serious illness. Hypochondria is an old concept whose meaning has repeatedly changed over its lifespan. It has been claimed that this debilitating condition results from an inaccurate perception of the condition of body or mind despite the absence of an actual medical diagnosis. An individual with hypochondriasis is known as a hypochondriac. Hypochondriacs become unduly alarmed about any physical or psychological symptoms they detect, no matter how minor the symptom may be, and are
AI overview
Hypochondriasis is a condition in which people become excessively worried about having a serious illness, often interpreting minor physical or psychological symptoms as signs of disease despite lacking an actual medical diagnosis. It matters because this persistent, unfounded worry can be debilitating and significantly affect a person's quality of life.
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Key facts
- Medical condition.name
- Hypochondriasis
- Medical condition.synonyms
- Hypochondria, health anxiety (HA), illness anxiety disorder
- Medical condition.image
- Le Malade imaginaire.jpg
- Medical condition.caption
- Honoré Daumier, The Imaginary Illness ()
- Medical condition.symptoms
- Excessive and persistent fear of, or preoccupation with, having or developing a severe illness; excessive health care seeking
- Medical condition.onset
- Early childhood
- Medical condition.differential
- panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder
- Medical condition.treatment
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Medical condition.medication
- SSRI, antidepressants
- Medical condition.prognosis
- ~50% meet criteria after ~1–5 years
- Medical condition.frequency
Article
10 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Cause
- Diagnosis
- Classification
- Treatment
- Etymology
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Hypochondriasis or hypochondria is a condition in which a person is excessively and unduly worried about having a serious illness. Hypochondria is an old concept whose meaning has repeatedly changed over its lifespan. It has been claimed that this debilitating condition results from an inaccurate perception of the condition of body or mind despite the absence of an actual medical diagnosis. An individual with hypochondriasis is known as a hypochondriac. Hypochondriacs become unduly alarmed about any physical or psychological symptoms they detect, no matter how minor the symptom may be, and are convinced that they have, or are about to be diagnosed with, a serious illness.
Often, hypochondria persists even after a physician has evaluated a person and reassured them that their concerns about symptoms do not have an underlying medical basis or, if there is a medical illness, their concerns are far in excess of what is appropriate for the level of disease. Many hypochondriacs focus on a particular symptom as the catalyst of their worrying, such as gastro-intestinal problems, palpitations, or muscle fatigue. To qualify for the diagnosis of hypochondria the symptoms must have been experienced for at least six months.