Hypochondriasis: A somatoform disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as symptoms of a disease or serious illness.

Associated Features: Thoughts: Think that normal bodily functions are an issue of serious medical illnesses. Feelings: Suffer from anxiety or depression ex: Stomach aches Headaches Itching Behaviors: Tend to spend money on unnecessary medications. Are not satisfied in reassurances of medical personnel Become obsessed with seeking more and more medical attention

DSM-IV-TR Criteria: A. Preoccupation with fears of having, or the idea that one has, a serious disease based on the person's misinterpretation of bodily symptoms. B. The preoccupation persists despite appropriate medical evaluation and reassurance. C. The belief in Criterion A is not of delusional intensity (as in Delusional Disorder, Somatic Type) and is not restricted to a circumscribed concern about appearance (as in Body Dysmorphic Disorder). D. The preoccupation causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. E. The duration of the disturbance is at least 6 months. F. The preoccupation is not better accounted for by Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, a Major Depressive Episode, Separation Anxiety, or another Somatoform Disorder.

Etiology: Traumatic life events in one’s childhood such as physical or sexual abuse may set the stage for early stages of hypochondriasis later in adulthood. Those who tend to excessively worry about medical complaints for a long period of time. Unconscious aggressive impulses are transferred to physical complaints.

Prevalence: Approximately 1 to 5 percent of the general population are diagnosed with Hypochondriasis.

Treatment: There is a difficulty in assessing therapy to these individuals due to their belief that the symptoms are not psychological. Physicians tend to restructure therapy into a “stress- reduction training” can assist in the acceptance of help.

Prognosis: Outcome: The course of Hypochondriasis is typically chronic with periods of higher functioning.

Discussion Questions: If people with hypochondriasis are too worried about their own health, how might this affect their relationship with family, friends, and/or partners? To what extent do you think people diagnosed with hypochondriasis will finally give in to medical evaluations and realize that they have no sort of serious illness?

References: Halgin, P.R. & Whitbourne, S.K. (2005). Abnormal psychology: clinical perspectives on psychological disorders. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Myers, D.G. (2011). Myers’ psychology for ap. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Zieman, G. (2011, December). Hypochondriasis Disorder. Retrieved from Health Source-Consumer Edition database AllPsych & Heffner Media Group, Inc. (n.d.). Psychiatric disorders: hypochondriasis. Retrieved from General hospital psychiatry. (1998, May). DSM-IV hypochondriasis in primary care,20, 3.