How to differentiate between hypochondria and health concern?

At what point does normal concern about the state of our body become hypochondria?

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

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

Distinguishing what we call "hypochondria", on the one hand, from a normal and natural concern for one's own health, on the other, is basic.is basic. Therefore, in this article we will see what are the differences between the two phenomena.

The main main differences between hypochondria and normal health concern.

Here you will find a summary about the main differences between what we call hypochondria and "healthy" health concern.

1. The vicious circle of anxiety

One of the main characteristics of hypochondriasis is obsessive behavior towards any aspect of the real or imagined disease, in addition to constantly seeking sources of information about the disease.The main characteristic of hypochondria is the obsessive behavior towards any aspect of the real or imagined disease, as well as the constant search for sources of information that allow us to feel more reassured about the supposed pathology (or about the possibility of having developed it).

People who do not present this particular condition usually worry about their state of health outside a vicious circle of anxiety. That is to say, they only consider the possibility of having an illness 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 looking for information, they go directly to the doctor and allow themselves to be advised.

Hypochondriacs, on the other hand, overreact to the slightest symptom of illness, regardless of its severity, and tend to constantly self-analyze themselves, giving much more importance to their own subjectivity (which in turn is driven by anxiety) than to the point of view of the real 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 kind of illness and sometimes they may abandon any daily activity to devote themselves fully to "treat" or alleviate their hypothetical disease..

2. Excessive fear

Another of the signs that differentiate hypochondria from the natural concern for health that any person may have is the exaggerated and permanent fear that hypochondriacs feel in the face of illness.

People who do not suffer from hypochondria may feel fear about their possible medical condition, but this is limited to the disease they have or believe they have and is a fear motivated by real and possible causes. And in any case, they assume that they should leave the process of diagnosis, monitoring and possible treatment in the hands of physicians, so that they adopt a mentality of "what if" and "what if".So they adopt a rather stoic mentality: "if I can't do anything relevant apart from the health professional, there is no point in obsessing about it".

Hypochondriacs, on the other hand, feed their own fear, alarm and worry.alarm and worry. This exacerbated fear can be initiated by causes that in most people would be of minor importance, 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 to hypochondria, there are many emotional alterations that a hypochondriac experiences throughout his daily life and that, as it is evident, can alter the normal and adaptive functioning of the individual with the people around him (and also affect the different activities and obligations).

Some of these symptoms are usually permanent anxiety, stress, mood swings, palpitations, sweating, tremors, elevated Blood Pressure or headaches.These symptoms are sometimes intensified in the presence of doctors or health professionals and in turn feed back into the person's sense of illness, which becomes a vicious circle.

Some of the behavioral symptoms of a hypochondriac are also usually constant talk about their illnesses to their circle of family or friends, a constant search for medical information through different channels to confirm their concerns, and repeated visits to the doctor or avoid going to the doctor's office altogether: extreme and systematic reactions.

4. Duration

The concern for health, which we could call adaptive or healthy, is not usually accompanied by strong emotional fluctuations.It is rather expressed as a series of habits carried out automatically, not necessarily paying attention to the health repercussions of each action.

That is why the real healthy concern comes at very specific moments, such as when a backache appears or when we feel very bloated because of what we have eaten.

Hypochondria, on the other hand hypochondria generates real concern in a much more frequent and constant way.. For example, to be diagnosed with hypochondriasis associated with what is known as Somatic Symptom Disorder, its symptoms must persist for at least 6 months in a person.

5. Persisting 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 usually follow the doctor's advice when a professional tells them that their life is not at risk.

In contrast, people with hypochondria tend to continue to be exaggeratedly worried and alarmed about their own health even after a physician assures them that their concerns have no basis in fact..

It is also often the case that a person suffering from hypochondria will repeatedly consult the opinion and assessment of different physicians in search of a diagnosis that coincides with their concerns and pessimistic view of their health, even though from their point of view it is so pessimistic that they may not be able to make a diagnosis.However, from their point of view, they are only looking for a reassuring diagnosis, a paradoxical situation.

6. There are other disorders associated with hypochondria

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

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

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