Hypochondria: Causes, Symptoms And Possible Treatments
A headache is seen as an obvious sign of the presence of a brain tumor. Conjunctivitis is probably indicating the incubation of a hemorrhagic fever. The appearance of a bruise clearly indicates that there are internal injuries due to an illness. Discomfort in the arm means that we are surely suffering from a heart attack.
Although in some cases the association between the symptoms and diseases that I have named is correct, a large part of the population is not alarmed when a specific symptom occurs: almost people have had a headache at some point, have had bloodshot eyes, bruises or discomfort and in general it is not due to suffering from the previous diseases.
However, there are people who experience a high level of anxiety when noticing alterations that are generally considered minor and are convinced that they are suffering from a serious illness. These are people who suffer from hypochondria.
Hypochondria is understood as currently called illness anxiety disorder in the DSM-5that disorder characterized by the presence of a high level of fear, worry and anxiety due to the belief or conviction that one is suffering from a serious medical illness, or by the possibility of contracting it.
This belief comes from the perception of small alterations or sensations that are interpreted as unequivocal signs of serious disorders. Sometimes it appears after the person themselves or someone around them has suffered a long, painful illness or one that has ended with the death of the patient.
What happens in the mind of the hypochondriac
In cases where there is a conviction of illness, in general people with this disorder seek medical help in order to locate and diagnose the supposed problem, and it is common that in the presence of tests that show their good state of health, the explanations they do not satisfy them or they do so only temporarily and they demand that new tests be carried out or they look for other professionals to confirm their fears. However, there are some people with this disorder who They choose to avoid going to the doctor due to fear of being diagnoseddespite suffering from very high anxiety and being convinced that they are sick.
The high level of anxiety regarding their health that these people suffer means that they are continually focused on the existence of possible symptoms, as well as that they carry out or stop carrying out behaviors in order to check their state of health.
The diagnosis of hypochondria assumes that These symptoms occur for at least six monthsalthough the disease you think you have may vary. This concern should not be confused nor should it be due to the existence of another mental disorder such as OCD or somatic disorders (although in some cases high anxiety can cause a psychosomatic disorder). It is a disorder that can be very disabling and cause a high level of dysfunction in different vital domains (both at a personal, work or academic level).
Causes of the disorder
Illness anxiety disorder or hypochondria has been known since ancient times, with information about it being found even in classical Greece. Throughout history, attempts have been made to establish different explanations regarding its etiology. At a psychological level we can find that various schools and schools of thought have been formulating their own explanations.
From the psychodynamic model, hypochondria has often been linked as an expression of internal conflicts originating in distrust of one’s own body born in childhood, with a transformation of hostility towards others that is redirected towards oneself or the need for dependence or as an attempt by the psyche to respond and defend itself from guilt or low self-esteem. However, this explanation is not scientifically validated.
From a psychosocial approach It is seen as a learned behavior pattern that is acquired due to the observation that it can cause benefits. It is proposed that the hypochondriac may be an insecure person who uses the idea of being sick as an unconscious mechanism to attract the attention of those around him. It is important to highlight the fact that it is unconscious and involuntary.
However, one of the explanatory models that has received the most consideration is the one proposed by Warwick and Salkovskiswho considered that the etiology of hypochondria can first be found in previous harmful experiences with respect to health and illness (such as the death of a loved one due to an illness) that cause the belief that the symptom involves always something very negative,
These beliefs are activated after a triggering event and cause automatic negative thoughts to appear, which in turn generate anxiety. This anxiety will be enhanced by carrying out specific behaviors and increasing activation at various levels.
Treatment of hypochondria
The treatment of hypochondria can be somewhat complicated because, as a general rule, the subject tends to maintain the belief that something physical is happening to them. In order to treat hypochondria, first it is necessary to rule out that there is no real pathology and once it is ruled out, it is necessary to establish a good rapport between therapist and patient.
Initially, anxiety-type symptoms are usually treated first and then move on to those deeper aspects that originate and/or maintain the worry.
1. Psychotherapeutic intervention
Psychotherapy is used in the treatment with techniques generally of a cognitive-behavioral type. The treatment in question is based first of all on helping the subject to detect beliefs regarding their state of health and how these affect their life, to later propose the alternative that it may be a problem related to anxiety and teach them an explanatory model of the phenomenon (generally that of Warwick and Salkovskis).
After that, work begins on the different activities that the subject carries out as a check on his or her state, and it is proposed to jointly carry out different experiments that contradict the individual’s beliefs. A commitment is established with the patient so that he agrees not to carry out certain evidentiary activities, and subsequently tells him to make a small record in which when anxiety arises Write down data for and against your suspicions so that you can question them..
Subsequently, they are helped to make a statement in imagination or even a flood regarding the idea of getting sick or suffering from the disease in question. Self-focusing should also be worked on, showing the importance it has in exacerbating their discomfort and proposing activities that allow the focus of attention to vary.
Cognitive restructuring is also very useful to combat dysfunctional beliefs. It is important to incorporate elements that take relapse prevention into account in any program applied against hypochondria. It is also useful to train the environment so that they do not enhance the symptoms.
2. Pharmacological treatment
There is no specific pharmacological treatment for this type of problem, although sometimes anxiolytics and antidepressants are used to alleviate the subject’s discomfort.
