What is hypochondria?
The relationship between mind and body is very close, in hypochondriac disorders we can clearly see this connection. The body and the mind affect each other producing pain and worry that can have major negative repercussions in everyday life.
Definition and history
Hypochondria is a psychological disorder that manifests itself in the fear or belief that you are sick . Concern for one’s health can be such that sufferers face major impediments in daily life. For example, long home rituals to ward off pain or avoiding numerous situations outside the home due to excessive worries related to one’s health.
The word Hypochondria is of Latin derivation (hypo-chondrios – under the cartilage), referring, in hippocatric medicine, to a region of the body located under the abdomen and on the sides of the diaphragm. According to the ancients, this was also the seat of melancholy.
Today, according to the DSM-V, hypochondriacal symptoms are attributable to two main diagnostic categories: somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder . According to the authors of the DSM-V, 75% of those who in the past received a diagnosis of hypochondria, according to the new nosography currently fall into the category of somatic disorder, the remaining 25% in disease anxiety disorder.
The substantial difference between the two is that in the second there are no painful physical symptoms, but thoughts and concerns about diseases.
Hypochondria Symptoms
In somatic symptom disorder , the importance that this symptom assumes in the life of those who suffer from it is central, becoming the central protagonist . It can be linked to a previous medical condition, but without a real medical consideration. For example, following a bad car accident, a person may not walk again, but due to psychological causes rather than real damage to the body or brain.
This is the main difference between somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder. Other symptoms such as excessive preoccupation with illness , anxiety, and the need to implement health behaviors are shared by the two categories .
These disorders shift the focus of anxiety and worry from mental to physical, through this step it is possible to find a concrete object for one’s worries, something that is easier to explain and that can receive attention even from those around. .
This is what can be considered the positive benefit of the disease. However, there is also a negative one, focusing on an effect rather than on the cause of the disorder, its treatment will always be superficial. There will be a passage from one area to another, from one organ to another without being able to understand it.
Causes of hypochondria
The main causes of these disorders reside in stressful events of various kinds . Stressful events, past illnesses, but not only can be considered. Major changes in life, bereavement, depression or other mental illnesses can contribute to the onset of hypochondriacal disorders.
This is why the correct diagnosis of the disorder and the identification of the underlying causes are very important. It being understood that it is always necessary to be able to exclude the medical cause, in fact, the diagnosis of these disorders must always be considered with the referring doctor.
Possible solutions
Starting a psychotherapy course aimed at identifying and treating the psychological causes of these symptoms is an excellent treatment of the disorder, which guarantees long-term effects.
