Do you think the worst with every pain or spot? And does every description of a disease seem to apply to you? Then there could be hypochondria in the game. How it arises and what to do about it, you can read below.
Hypochondria or Illness Anxiety Disorder?
Most people are familiar with the description hypochondriasis, but in psychiatry the condition is also described as an anxiety disorder or fear of illness. With this anxiety disorder, you are constantly afraid that something is wrong with you. This fear often remains even after an examination by a doctor and his reassurance that there is really nothing wrong.
Read also: What is sleep anxiety and how do you get rid of it?
Causes of hypochondria
In the Netherlands, about 6 out of 100 people are affected by it and it affects just as many men as women. The development of hypochondria can have various causes. Heredity can play a role. In some families it plays more than others. Fear of illness can also be related to upbringing. It may then be learned, because, for example, one of the parents is very afraid of catching something. But it may also be that you are extra sensitive to it. Some people are more likely to experience anxiety symptoms than others. For example, you may have to deal with a lot of sick people in your profession. For example in healthcare. While your colleagues will not be bothered by anything, you fear that a disease you have experienced will also apply to you. Other causes are a bad experience in the past or when you were seriously ill at a young age.
How does hypochondria manifest itself?
As described above, you are constantly afraid of a serious illness. Because you anxiously pay attention to all kinds of symptoms, you also feel everything. Even after reassurance from a doctor, you continue to worry. The fear can cause you to deal with all kinds of physical complaints. You may experience palpitations, difficulty breathing, nausea, dizziness, headaches or even fainting. In the end, it feels like you have lost control of yourself and that you are going crazy or dying. This then fuels the fear even more, sending you into a circle. One person makes an appointment with the doctor in every case, while the other avoids the doctor, for fear of what he will find. One also reads everything there is to know about serious diseases, while the other does not want to know anything about deadly diseases.
Read also: What is sleep anxiety and how do you get rid of it?
What can be done about hypochondria?
In mild cases, it can help to distract yourself and put the situation into perspective. You can keep a diary for this and describe whether there is really a reason for your fear. Think of a cause for your complaints that can do no harm. Remember that headaches, for example, can also have many innocent causes, such as lack of sleep.
By breathing calmly and seeking relaxation, the worst stress often decreases. For example, take a walk or call someone to discuss your concerns.
If this does not help, it is wise to call in the help of a professional. In the first instance, you can approach your general practitioner for this. If necessary, you will be referred to a psychologist. You can use that for example cognitive behavioral therapy learn to change thoughts about a fatal outcome into more harmless thoughts. Thanks to the help, the tensions and thus the physical complaints decrease. There is so much confidence that nothing is really wrong. The hypochondria may return over time. Then make another appointment with your GP or return to the psychologist who helped you before.
In any case, do not resort to alcohol, drugs or sedative medicines. It may help for a while, but it won’t solve the problem.
(Source: Thuisarts.nl, RTL Nieuws, umcg, psyned.nl. Photo: Shutterstock)
2023-07-31 04:02:45
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