Table of Contents
What causes someone to become a hypochondriac?
Symptoms and Causes Childhood trauma, such as child abuse or neglect. Extreme stress. Health anxieties or other anxiety disorders in your family. Childhood illness or serious illness in your family during childhood.
What is the cause signs and symptoms of a hypochondriac?
Causes of hypochondria (illness anxiety disorder)
- Anxiety.
- Avoiding Activities, Places, and People Due to Fear of Illness.
- Compulsive Behaviors.
- Constantly Talking About Health or Illness.
- Distrust of Doctors.
- Exaggeration of Symptoms.
- Excessive Worry.
- Fear of Catching a Disease.
How do you calm a hypochondriac?
Professional treatments for hypochondria include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is very helpful for reducing patient fears.
- Behavioral stress management or exposure therapy may be helpful.
- Psychotropic medications, such as anti-depressants, are sometimes used to treat health anxiety disorder.
Does hypochondria go away?
Usually, this anxiety or fear wears off once we realize that our thoughts are exaggerated or after we check in with a doctor and learn that everything’s okay. But for some people with illness anxiety disorder (previously referred to as hypochondriasis), it doesn’t go away.
What is the best medication for hypochondria?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and the antidepressant drug fluoxetine (FLX) have both been shown to be effective treatments for hypochondriasis.
How do you calm down a hypochondriac?
Hypochondriac Treatment
- Learning stress management and relaxation techniques.
- Avoiding online searches for the possible meanings behind your symptoms.
- Focusing on outside activities such as a hobby you enjoy or volunteer work you feel passionate about.
- Avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs, which can increase anxiety.
Why do people become hypochondriacs?
Hypochondria causes people to become preoccupied with the belief that they are suffering from one or more physical diseases. This belief causes great psychological suffering on the part of the hypochondriac. Anxiety and depression often result. However, most cases of this disorder respond to treatment.
What are the causes of hypochondria?
Causes of hypochondriasis. Most hypochondriac researchers have agreed that it is a problem of perception or cognition with emotional contributions.
How to cope with hypochondria?
Hypochondria seems to be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and it might be caused by an imbalance of serotonin, a mood stabilizer, or other chemicals in the brain. There’s no cure, but cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressant medications, or a combination of the two help some people. Hypochondria can be just as hard on a partner.
Is hypochondriac a mental health issue?
In fact, it is widely recognized as a mental health problem known as somatic symptom disorder. Related Article: Types of Mental Health Treatment. The reason hypochondria has been classified as a medical disorder is that the symptoms experienced by individuals who suffer from it are not voluntary.