How To Differentiate Between Hypochondria And Health Concern?

Hypochondria is a psychological disorder characterized by excessive fear and concern about the possibility of suffering from any type of disease.

People who develop this disorder think constantly about the disease or diseases they believe they have contracted and present a constant state of hypervigilance over their own body and a permanent need for “self-diagnosis,” even knowing that only a properly qualified health professional can can diagnose diseases.

Distinguish what we call “hypochondria”, on the one hand, from a normal and natural concern for one’s own health. , It’s basic. Therefore, in this article we will see what the differences are between both phenomena.

The main main differences between hypochondria and normal health concern

Here you will find a summary of the main differences between what we call hypochondria and “healthy” concern for health.

1. The vicious circle of anxiety

One of the main characteristics of hypochondria is obsessive behavior towards any aspect of the real or imagined illness in addition to constantly seeking sources of information that allow us to feel calmer about the supposed pathology (or about the possibility of having developed it).

People who do not have this particular condition tend to worry about their state of health outside of a vicious circle of anxiety. That is, they only consider the possibility of having a disease when faced with very specific symptoms or when they have some type of discomfort of significant intensity and consistently over time, and instead of constantly searching for information, they go directly to the doctor and They let you advise.

Hypochondriac people, on the other hand, react in an exaggerated way to the slightest symptom of illness, regardless of its severity, and tend to constantly analyze themselves, giving much more importance to their own subjectivity (led in turn by anxiety) than to the point of view of true health experts.

In addition to that, it is a characteristic feature of hypochondriacs to think at all times and obsessively about the imminent danger of any type of disease and Sometimes they may abandon any daily activity to fully dedicate themselves to “treating” or alleviating their hypothetical illness.

2. Excessive fear

Another sign that differentiates hypochondria from the natural concern for health that any person may have is the exaggerated and permanent fear that hypochondriacs feel when faced with the disease.

People who do not suffer from hypochondria may feel fear about their possible medical condition, but this is limited to the disease they suffer or believe they suffer from and is a fear motivated by real and possible causes. And in any case, They assume that they should leave the process of diagnosis, supervision and possible treatment in the hands of doctors so they adopt a rather stoic mentality: “if I can’t do anything relevant apart from the health professional, there’s no use in obsessing.”

Instead, hypochondriacs feed their own fear , alarm and concern. This exacerbated fear can start from causes that would be minor in most people, such as a cut, a small wound, a cold or a mole on the skin.

3. Physical and mental exhaustion

Unlike people who do not have a tendency towards hypochondria, there are many emotional alterations that a hypochondriac experiences throughout his daily life and which, as is evident, can alter the normal and adaptive functioning of said individual with the people in his family. environment (and also affect different activities and obligations).

Some of these symptoms are usually permanent anxiety, stress, mood changes, palpitations, sweating, tremors, high blood pressure or headaches which sometimes intensify in the presence of doctors or health professionals and which in turn feed back into the person’s feeling of illness, which becomes a vicious circle.

Some of the behavioral symptoms of a hypochondriac person tend to also be constantly talking about their illnesses to their family circle or friends, a constant search for medical information through different channels that confirms their concerns, and going to the doctor repeatedly or completely avoiding going to the doctor. the doctor’s consultation: extreme and systematic reactions.

4. Duration

The concern for health that we could call adaptive or healthy is not usually accompanied by strong emotional fluctuations and is expressed rather as a series of habits carried out automatically, not necessarily focusing on the health repercussions that each action will have.

For this reason, true healthy worry comes at very specific moments, such as moments when back pain appears or when we feel very bloated because of what we have eaten.

Instead, hypochondria generates real concern much more frequently and constantly. For example, to be diagnosed with hypochondria associated with what is known as Somatic Symptom Disorder, its symptoms must remain persistent for at least 6 months in a person.

5. Persist after a negative diagnosis

People who worry about their health in a natural way and who have real reasons to do so stop worrying once they have received a reassuring diagnosis from a doctor and tend to heed their instructions when a professional tells them that their life is not going well. is at risk.

On the other hand, people with hypochondria tend to remain exaggeratedly worried and alarmed about their own health. even after a doctor assures them that their concerns have no basis in reality.

It also often happens that a person suffering from hypochondria repeatedly consults the opinion and evaluation of different doctors. looking for a diagnosis that matches your concerns and pessimistic view of your health although from his point of view he is only looking for a reassuring diagnosis, a paradoxical situation.

6. There are other disorders associated with hypochondria

In addition to presenting a series of more or less recognizable symptoms, People with hypochondria are also more likely to suffer from other disorders associated with this condition. and that those people who are simply temporarily concerned about their health in a natural way will not present.

Some of these disorders that are often associated with a case of hypochondria are usually anxiety disorders and phobias, or depression.

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