What do hypochondriacs worry about most?

Belief in a serious illness Some hypochondriacs worry about a specific condition that matches their symptoms, whereas others have more general anxiousness about becoming critically ill. These concerns make people with hypochondria consult with their doctors frequently.

What living with health anxiety is like?

Health anxiety 101 worrying about your health so much it affects your day-to-day life. checking your body for lumps and bumps. paying attention to odd sensations such as tingling and numbness. constantly seeking reassurance from those around you.

Do hypochondriacs feel distress?

Hypochondriacs do not consciously will their symptoms of distress to manifest in their body or in concerns about their body. Not only are the symptoms not under voluntary control, they typically interfere with the person’s life; the obsessive worry often prompts them to limit participation in many pleasurable experiences and activities.

Why do people with Hypochondriacs go from doctor to Doctor?

They may go from doctor to doctor (“doctor-hopping”) seeking diagnosis of the illness they fear is eating away at them. Many researchers who have studied the condition believe that people with hypochondria are looking more for care and concern than for cure. What are the signs of being a hypochondriac?

How common is hypochondriac disorder?

Somewhere between 5 to 10 percent of people are thought to have hypochondria, but doctors find their practices disproportionately burdened by such patients, who may repeatedly call with every complaint and concern. More females than males have the disorder, and it generally begins in middle adulthood.

Is hypochondria a diagnosis of last resort?

Created with Sketch. Traditionally, hypochondria has always been a diagnosis of last resort—a condition deemed present when a medical explanation is absent, that is, when doctors find no cause for a patient’s symptoms after much searching and testing. That perspective leads to diagnosis by default.