Maybe you have thought at some point that you had a serious illness, but others around you tell you that you have hypochondria. How can you tell the difference between natural anxiety about staying healthy and hypochondria??
Dr. Julia
Anxiety disorder or common sense?
Illness anxiety disorder, also referred to as hypochondria, is a debilitating illness that prevents you from enjoying the positive aspects of everyday life. If you have specific complaints about an issue you are having, it is perfectly normal to worry about your health. In a pandemic, anxiety and even panic can cause a common runny nose. However, if thoughts of physical well-being become all-consuming and you worry for no reason, it is a clear sign of hypochondria.
Generally, anxiety disorder is not accompanied by real physical symptoms of illness. However, sometimes a person gets so wound up that the symptoms appear and are somatic — in other words, they have nothing to do with the real state of the body.
The hypochondriac test
So, should you go t...
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