Nosophobia (fear of getting sick): symptoms, causes and treatment.

We explain the characteristics of this specific phobia and its differences with hypochondria.

Although concern for one's own health and the fact of not wishing to become ill is a normal and rational reaction due to the need to avoid pain and for one's own survival, when this concern becomes an excessive and irrational fear we can be in front of a case of nosophobia..

Throughout this article we will speak of this exaggerated fear to contract some disease; as well as of the symptoms that it presents, the causes and the possible treatments to which the patient can be submitted.

• Article related: "Types of phobias: exploring the disorders of the fear".

What is nosophobia?

Nosophobia is categorized as a specific anxiety disorder and is characterized by an exacerbated, irrational and uncontrollable fear of suffering from or developing a life-threatening illness.

Although it does not always have to be this way, nosophobia occurs more commonly in people whose work or context is closely related to the world of disease or health, as well as in science students.as well as in students of health sciences. It is hypothesized that the reason for this higher incidence may be related to the imprint or impression that some pathologies may cause in the person's mind.

One of the characteristics of people suffering from nosophobia is that, despite the fact that for them any symptom can be a sign of a fatal disease, they avoid going to the doctor at all costs, they avoid going to the doctor's office at all costs.. The reason lies in the exacerbated fear of discovering that they have a dangerous or lethal condition, so they prefer to live without finding out.

In addition, these patients have a total aversion to the passage of time and the fact of getting older. The older they get, the more likely they are to develop a fatal disease and the closer death is to them.

How to differentiate it from a normative fear?

Experiencing a certain fear of contracting or developing any type of disease, especially if it is fatal or poses a serious health risk, is completely normal, since it is an evolutionary reaction and follows a survival instinct. This is why it is so important to specify the characteristics that distinguish a phobic fear from a habitual or normative fear.

The first difference is that phobic fear is completely irrational, the person is unable to find a reasoning or logical basis for the fear. The second distinction of this type of disorder is that the fear experienced is completely disproportionate to the real threat that exists.

The second distinction inherent to this type of disorder is that the fear experienced is completely disproportionate to the actual threat that exists. Although in actuality there is always the possibility of developing a fatal disease, the level of fear experienced by these individuals is excessive and exaggerated.

Finally, in phobic fears the person is absolutely unable to control the fear experienced. This means that the person cannot avoid the appearance of the sensations and feelings of anxiety, as well as the intrusion of the fear.and the intrusion of intrusive thoughts and beliefs that enhance this anxiety.

Nosophobia and hypochondriasis: differences

Although it is true that both psychological disorders are related and that a hypochondriac can develop nosophobia, there are certain features that differentiate each disorder.

The first of these, and most distinctive, is that unlike a hypochondriac, a person with nosophobia does not believe that he or she has developed the disease, only that he or she experiences a deep fear of the disease.They only experience a deep fear of doing so.

In addition, as mentioned above, a person with hypochondria makes constant visits to the health center in order to ratify his suspicions, while in nosophobia he avoids going to the doctor by all means.

This is an avoidance mechanism with which the person can avoid any risk of discovering a fatal disease. Likewise, people with nosophobia avoid contact with sick people, talking, reading or watching movies or documentaries that may be related to diseases.

Contrary to hypochondriacs, who dedicate themselves to investigate or look for all possible information about any disease, nosophobes prefer to ignore any of these topics for fear of being recognized.

What are the symptoms of this anxiety disorder?

Some of the characteristic symptoms of nosophobia have already been mentioned throughout the article. However, it is necessary to specify that, since it is a specific anxiety disorder, there are many other symptoms related to nosophobia, there are many other symptoms related to this type of phobias.

As in all other phobias, the clinical picture of nosophobia is divided into three sets: physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms and behavioral symptoms. However, although most people experience the same symptoms, this phobia presents a great variability among individuals.

In the physical symptoms the person experiences an increase in the activity of the nervous systemThis results in symptoms such as increased Blood pressure, tachycardia, muscle tension or stomach pains, among many others.

As for the cognitive symptomatology, this is distinguished by the presence of is distinguished by the presence of a series of irrational ideas and beliefs regarding the the possibility of developing a life-threatening disease.

Finally, as mentioned in the previous point, the person also experiences a series of behavioral symptoms. In the specific case of nosophobia, the person tends to perform avoidance behaviors such as not going to the doctor, avoiding medical check-ups and trying to stay away from any information or exposure related in any way to lethal diseases.

What are the causes?

Although it is very difficult to ascertain the specific cause of a phobia, it is hypothesized that a genetic predisposition, coupled with the experience of highly traumatic experiences, may lead to the development of phobias. can lead to the development of phobias.

In the specific case of nosophobia, the experience of the death of a loved one or a close relative due to a fatal disease may be sufficient to develop such a phobia. In addition, being constantly exposed to environments where death due to illness is a common occurrence (hospitals, nursing homes, health centers) or being a student of any branch of health care are also risk factors when it comes to acquiring this type of anxiety disorder.

Is there a treatment?

Fortunately, there are different psychological therapies that can help reduce the intensity of the symptoms of nosophobia to the point of disappearing. Intervention through cognitive restructuring can favor the elimination of irrational thoughts and beliefs, which form the basis of this disorder,

Treatment by means of systematic desensitization, in which the patient is gradually and mentally exposed to the feared thoughts or situations, accompanied by training in relaxation techniques, is highly effective in enabling the person to re-establish his or her normal rhythm of life.