Hypochondriasis is a psychiatric disorder defined as the fear and excessive mental preoccupation that a person has or will have a serious illness, based on an unrealistic or erroneous/distorted interpretation of his or her physical symptoms. It is also called Hypochondria.
Anxiety continues despite all medical evaluations and assurances given by doctors. Dysfunction occurs in personal, social and professional areas.
Hypochondria is a psychiatric disorder, but individuals with this disease primarily go to departments that concern the symptoms they think they are experiencing. In other words, they come last to get psychological support or they do not come at all. Because they cannot accept that they do not have a serious illness. When their tests are negative, they experience relief for a short time, but then they go back to the relevant departments and have the tests done again. If they think that the doctors do not understand and cannot examine them correctly, they go to another doctor and repeat the procedures.
The person is affected by bodily functions (such as palpitations, sweating); He perceives and interprets these symptoms, which are related to unimportant physical problems (minor wounds, occasional cough) or variable body perceptions (such as heart fatigue), as signs of the disease he suspects. Illness anxiety may be about a single organ or disease, or it may be about different organs and diseases at the same time and at different times (such as cancer and heart disease).
In hypochondriac patients, erroneous and distorted thoughts about health and disease are at the forefront.
These false beliefs are as follows;
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“Physical symptoms are always a sign of a disease.”
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“You can be sure that you are well, but you cannot be sure that you are not sick.”
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“Doctors often make mistakes in diagnosis.”
Patients have selective perception and they choose statements from their environment, news, social media and doctors that support their beliefs, thus strengthening their beliefs. Anxiety levels gradually increase.
Excessive attention to the unrealistic illness and its physical symptoms. Frequent hospital visits can significantly negatively affect daily life, family, work and social life.
The frequency of hypochondriasis in the general population is stated to be 4% to 6%. The incidence is equal in men and women. A person can begin to have the disease at any age, but symptoms most often appear in adulthood. The disease can last for months or even years, fluctuating with periods of exacerbation and remission, with complete recovery in between.
Other disorders accompanying the disease are depression and anxiety disorders.
These patients do not have a serious illness and They have a hard time accepting that their thoughts are unreal. They resist psychological support. The trust she establishes with her doctors who evaluate her symptoms and her belief in her doctor will make it easier for her to receive psychological support.
The number of patients who can be treated today has increased compared to the past. Cognitive treatment method is the most recommended method along with drug treatment.
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