The behavioral features characteristic of a hypochondriac are:
- preoccupation with disease- such a person is completely focused on the symptoms, consequences and treatment of the imaginary disease;
- special attitude to your body- patients spend a lot of time monitoring their temperature, pulse and other physiological parameters;
- selectivity- with this disorder, the patient filters the incoming information from the outside, choosing only the one that, in his opinion, is associated with his illness;
- avoidance- hypochondriacs try to avoid circumstances and situations that can cause an exacerbation of an existing or development of a new disease.
Hypochondria treatment
Hypochondriacal disorder is difficult to treat because sufferers disagree with the fact that their symptoms are due to mental illness. The hypochondriac is confident that the lost time spent on such treatment will lead to irreparable changes in his somatic state, which will cause a complication of the imaginary disease. In the treatment of hypochondria, the doctor sets himself the task of changing the behavior and thoughts of the patient. Changing stereotypes allows the patient to return to normal life even with the remaining symptoms.
The first period of treatment is the most critical, since it is very difficult to establish contact with hypochondriacs. Being confident that the doctor does not have the necessary level of competence, the patient makes attempts to find another specialist, whose position will be similar to his opinion.
In most cases, in the treatment of hypochondria, an integrated approach is used, the features of which depend on the form of the disease and the patient's response to therapy.
How can you help a person in this condition?
In the treatment of patients with hypochondria, proper behavior and support from the close environment play an important role. Often, the relatives of such patients provide them with excessive care or, conversely, do not pay attention to the person's problems, considering him a fake and a whiner. Both the one and the other model of behavior is erroneous. The exaggeration of concern gives the hypochondriac justification to be convinced of the reality of his fears. Lack of seriousness on the part of family members can provoke a feeling of loneliness, alienation and increased anxiety about their health in the patient.Measures to help a patient with hypochondria are:
- taking seriously the fact of the disease;
- compliance with a number of rules in communicating with the patient;
- involvement of a hypochondriac in household chores;
- assistance in treatment.
Awareness of hypochondriacal disorder
The close environment of a person who suffers from hypochondria has to face a number of problems. To provide effective support, relatives need to be aware of the fact that a family member is indeed sick and in distress. Taking this disorder seriously and understanding the role of the support provided to the patient can be helped by consulting a doctor. At the reception, a specialist will tell you about the peculiarities of the course and symptoms of hypochondria, provide advice on how to properly help a hypochondriac.
Many people attribute the manifestations of hypochondria to such character traits as pessimism, a tendency to whine, and boredom. It should be noted that this disorder has a number of characteristics. So, a healthy person most often complains about life, injustice, misunderstanding. Hypochondriacs focus exclusively on their illness and their anxiety is only related to the search for a cure. Also, people suffering from this disorder easily agree to be tested and tested, while pessimists and whiners shy away from such offers.
Rules of conduct when dealing with a hypochondriac
A patient with hypochondria should not be denied a desire to talk about problems that bother him. But a conversation about diseases should not last more than 30 minutes, and there is no need to support the patient in his fears and beliefs. Just listen to his complaints, asking them to describe in detail the symptoms that bother him. Ask clarifying questions if he has any assumptions about the diagnosis. By maintaining balance in dealing with such a person, you will provide him with the required attention, which will reduce the level of fear. At the end of the conversation, distract the patient by asking him to watch a movie or go outside.
There is no need to argue with a hypochondriac or try to convince him that he is healthy. A person with hypochondriacal disorder is well aware of their illness and is able to defend their point of view for a long time. An attempt to prove to such a patient the failure of his fears and beliefs can lead to conflict.
In everyday situations, relatives need to mention the symptoms that bother the patient, attributing them to themselves and emphasizing the absence of health risks. So, if the patient often complains of numbness of the extremities, you can casually say: “Something has numbed my leg, I sat in an uncomfortable position for a long time”. After that, do a few exercises in the presence of the patient and note that everything has passed and nothing else bothers you.
Household chores
Occupational therapy can help the hypochondriac patient to take a break from their anxiety. When inviting a hypochondriac to do household chores, you should not do it with evil irony. Do not use phrases such as "Stop pretending" or "Don't act sick." Ask him to help you, while emphasizing that you understand how difficult it is for him. If the patient has coped with the assignment, reward his behavior in the way that is most effective for him. Hypochondria is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased fatigue, chronic fatigue. Whenever possible, include in your to-do list the duties that require going to the street to complete. It will be useful to work in the garden or in the courtyard of a private house. Encourage the hypochondriac to perform collective tasks, as he needs communication.
Assistance in the acceptance of medical care
Hypochondria is one of the intractable diseases, because in most cases, patients refuse to visit a psychotherapist, being convinced of his incompetence. Therefore, if it is obvious to the relatives of the need to consult a specialist, they should make every effort to persuade the hypochondriac to go to the appointment. You should not be afraid to scare or injure a person by offering to see a doctor. So that your offer is not rejected, you need to choose the right moment, the best option is during a confidential conversation.
- Use arguments that are meaningful to the patient without trying to refute their beliefs. Offer to see a doctor, citing the fact that constant fears can put additional stress on the nervous system, which will worsen his well-being.
- Do not lie. You cannot offer to visit a therapist and, under this pretext, take the patient to a psychiatrist. Having revealed the deception, the hypochondriac will close in himself, will not agree to make contact with the doctor.
- In some cases, a preliminary consultation with a doctor is helpful, who can give advice on how to convince the patient to go for a consultation.
In severe forms of hypochondria, patients may refuse to eat, intensively take self-prescribed medications, or take other life-threatening actions. In such cases, the patient's relatives should be prepared for the need for hospitalization.
Psychological trainings
In medical practice, there are more than 400 methods of conducting psychotherapeutic trainings. The choice of treatment depends on the individual characteristics of the hypochondriacal disorder and the patient's response to the techniques used. In most cases, the treatment of this disease consists in the use of several methods, that is, an integrated approach is used.In the treatment of hypochondria, the following psychotherapy methods are most often used:
- individual;
- family;
- group;
- psychodynamic;
- cognitive-behavioral;
- rational;
- suggestive;
- existential.
The main therapeutic factor in individual therapy trainings is the trusting relationship between doctor and patient. Arousing self-confidence, the therapist encourages the patient to cooperate, helping him to discuss his fears without nervous tension. In the course of such treatment, the doctor teaches the individual a new model of behavior, using himself as an example. Also, the patient's behavior is corrected with the help of rewards or judgments of the physician.
Family psychotherapy
In this type of therapy, the patient is not an individual patient, but all members of his family. This type of treatment is aimed at correcting interpersonal relationships that lead to conflicts, which in some cases are the cause of hypochondria. So, the development of this disorder can be facilitated by the patients' awareness of their own uselessness due to emotional and behavioral disorders in the family.
Group psychotherapy
This form of treatment involves the creation of a group of patients whose members share common problems and goals. The role of the therapist is to ensure meaningful communication in the group. The purpose of such training is to resolve internal conflicts, fight fears, and correct pathological deviations in behavior. By listening to the stories of other group members, the patient gets the opportunity to better understand the motives of his behavior, realize the wrong beliefs and change his attitude towards the disease.
Psychodynamic therapy
According to the main position of this therapy, hypochondria, like other neurosis, is based on the patient's internal conflicts, which manifest themselves on a subconscious level. A common example is the presence of a strong resentment towards the environment, coupled with a desire to be a role model and to gain the approval of others. Another cause of the disorder may be a desire for independence combined with a desire to receive help and care from others. In psychodynamic therapy trainings, the doctor searches for sources of problems, analyzing the patient's personal life.
This type of therapy explains the occurrence of hypochondriacal disorder as a result of incorrect processing of information that enters the patient's brain. Making mistakes leads to wrong conclusions and pathological deviations in behavior. The goal of training is to identify and correct the destructive beliefs of the patient and teach him a more effective model of behavior. In the course of treatment, the doctor changes the patient's attitude towards himself and his problems. This allows the patient to stop feeling like a victim of a serious illness, and see himself as a reasonable person, who is characterized by errors that can be corrected.
Rational therapy
When conducting such trainings, the therapist acts on the patient's beliefs with the help of logical explanations. The doctor's statements are supported by arguments and are aimed at shaping the patient's correct perception of their symptoms. The doctor explains to the individual the characteristics of the disease and gives facts that can convince a person of the falsehood of his beliefs.
Suggestive therapy
During trainings on this technique, the doctor influences the psyche of the individual, instilling in him certain beliefs. This may be a desire to heal or other thoughts that the patient perceives without understanding their meaning. Unlike rational therapy, the suggestive technique is based on emotional, not logical influence. During training, the patient can be both awake and in a trance. Suggestion is carried out in an imperative tone, and the statements are specific and understandable to the patient.
A variation of this type of psychotherapy is self-hypnosis, in which the individual independently instills in himself the attitudes recommended by the doctor. Initially, the patient achieves complete muscle relaxation, after which he concentrates on the required thoughts. Hypno-suggestive therapy can also be performed, in which, before suggestion, the patient is put into a state of hypnotic sleep.
Existential therapy
This method is one of the newest trends in psychotherapy, which is rapidly gaining popularity. Existential therapy determines the cause of hypochondria as a result of the patient's rejection of such "given" of the life cycle as the inevitability of death, meaninglessness of existence, lack of meaning, loneliness. The goal of treatment is the patient's awareness of their uniqueness and the ability to change their lives. In the process of training, the doctor explains to the hypochondriac about the need to learn how to make decisions and take responsibility for them, make choices and take steps to implement them. The main task of existential therapy is to explain to the patient that it is in his power to make his existence complete and meaningful.
Stages of conducting psychotherapeutic trainings
Psychotherapeutic treatment, regardless of the tactics used by the doctor, consists of several stages, which are performed sequentially. In some cases, with especially severe forms of hypochondria, the sequence of the stages changes.
The stages of training are:
- establishing contact with the patient;
- elimination of symptoms and causes of the disorder;
- activation of the personality.
Hypochondriacs are generally reluctant to accept psychotherapy. Even if relatives against their will brought the patient to an appointment, it is difficult for him to make contact with the doctor and is difficult to get involved in the treatment process. Therefore, the first stage of treatment is to establish a relationship of trust with the patient. During this phase, the main feelings of the patient are determined, and work is carried out aimed at reducing nervous tension. With the help of special techniques that depend on the type of therapy, the doctor helps the patient to speak out about the fears and problems that bother him. An important task is to analyze the thoughts and feelings that a person experiences during attacks of hypochondria.
The techniques that are used at the first stage of psychotherapeutic trainings are:
- free associations;
- interview;
- analysis of dreams;
- confrontation;
- phone conversation.
When performing this technique, the therapist listens to the patient's assumptions about his diseases without asking any questions. Next, the doctor pronounces the words in a certain order and asks the patient to name the associations that arise in him. A person should express emerging thoughts regardless of their content and the presence of meaning in them. This technique helps the hypochondriac to talk.
To analyze the patient's condition, both answers and possible pauses made by him are used.
Dream analysis
Dream interpretation is an additional tool in psychotherapeutic treatment that helps the doctor understand the cause of the patient's problems. By analyzing the images that the patient describes, the therapist gets the opportunity to better understand him and find more effective ways to establish contact. Dreams are explained with the help of special knowledge about the symbols that appear in dreams and associative techniques.
Interview
Interviewing can be done directly or indirectly. The first method involves the patient's answers to questions prepared by the doctor or filling out a special questionnaire. In an indirect interview, the person talks about the fears that bother him. The therapist repeats or paraphrases the statements of the patient, while describing the emotions experienced by the patient. The patient must correct the doctor or confirm the fact that the doctor understands him correctly.
Confrontation
This technique consists in the entry of the doctor into confrontation with the patient. This method allows you to identify the patient's ambivalent behavior, which prevents him from realizing the cause of his disease and starting to fight it. Confrontation can be used to draw the patient's attention to contradictions in his behavior. An example of a contradiction is a common statement among hypochondriacs that they want to be cured, but at the same time refuse to take medications or follow the doctor's orders. Also, this method is used in order to indicate to the patient that he is avoiding discussing certain topics.
Confrontation is a complex technique and is used in cases where trust has been established between the therapist and the patient.
Phone conversation
Talking on the phone can reduce the barrier between doctor and patient and is indicated for patients with increased levels of anxiety. The lack of direct eye contact allows some patients to feel more relaxed and not perceive the therapist as a threat.
Elimination of symptoms and signs of hypochondria
All therapeutic methods used in the second stage are aimed at correcting the patient's erroneous behavior in relation to their alleged diseases.
The techniques on the basis of which the second phase of treatment is carried out are:
- relaxation;
- fixed role;
- imagination;
- effects;
- psychodrama.
The therapist teaches the patient a variety of exercises that the patient can do on their own in order to control the level of their fear. These techniques include progressive Jacobson relaxation, breathing exercises, meditation.
Fixed role
At the beginning of the training on this technique, the patient is invited to compose a description of himself from a third person. Next, he needs to describe the second image of his personality, but at the same time add some unusual character trait. After that, the therapist informs the patient that his real image is going on vacation, and during this time he needs to play the role of the second image. This is done so that the patient realizes that he can control his behavior, and it is in his power to eliminate the factors that provoke hypochondria.
Imagination
With the help of a doctor, the patient achieves muscle relaxation, after which he imagines pictures, the details of which the doctor tells him. The therapist asks the patient to imagine those situations or sensations due to which he has a fear of infection or the confidence that he is sick. At the beginning of the exercise, the hypochondriac presents scenes that he can easily handle. The session ends with a picture in which the patient has a strong anxiety. Being in a relaxed state, the individual learns to control and adequately respond to the thoughts that visit him when fear arises.
Effects
The principle of this method is for the patient to imagine all kinds of consequences if his suspicions about the presence of the disease are correct. The therapist asks to divide all the consequences into three groups - positive, negative and neutral. This method is valid for patients for whom hypochondria serves as a way to adjust to real life. Thinking about the consequences of his behavior, the individual comes to the conclusion that it is not correct.
Psychodrama
This technique uses role plays, theatrical performances, and other techniques that allow the patient or therapist to transform into a disease or symptom that is tormenting the patient. Psychodrama allows you to become better acquainted with the experienced fears and realize that hypochondria can be cured.
Personal activation
The task of the third stage is to return the patient to a full life.
The final phase of treatment psychotherapy techniques are:
- art therapy;
- indirect contact with the patient;
- simulation of situations.
Involving the patient in creative activity allows him to learn to express his thoughts and desires, which helps to improve communication skills and the patient's quick integration into society.
Indirect contact
This technique is performed with the participation of family members or people close to the patient. The therapist compiles various tasks that the patient implements independently in a familiar environment.
Modeling
In the process of training, various situations are played out in which the patient must demonstrate adequate behavior. The purpose of these exercises is to practice a healthy response to circumstances that previously caused the patient to be concerned.
Drug treatment
Medication for hypochondria is only used in extreme cases. This is due to the fact that medications can only strengthen the patient's conviction that he is terminally ill. Some patients may abuse medications, while others, on the contrary, will not accept their prescribed treatment.It is important to remember that drugs are only prescribed when hypochondria is a symptom of the underlying disease.
Thus, in the treatment of hypochondriac depression, antidepressants with anti-anxiety and anti-phobic effects are used. Similarly, drugs from the benzodiazepine group are used.
Drugs Used in the Treatment of Hypochondriacal Depression
| A drug | Mechanism of action | How to use |
| Paroxetine | Violates the metabolism of serotonin, providing an antidepressant effect. Eliminates the symptoms of hypochondria. | It is taken once a day, from 10 to 20 mg in the morning. Use with caution in patients with liver disease and kidney disease. |
| Fluoxetine | Eliminates the symptoms of deep depression. Normalizes mood, removes fear and anxiety. | It is taken once in the morning. The starting dose is 20 mg. In extreme cases, the dose is increased to 40-60 mg. |
| Sertraline | Reduces anxiety, agitation and depressive symptoms. | It is taken orally, once, regardless of the meal. The starting dose is 25-50 mg. |
If hypochondria is a manifestation of schizophrenia or manic psychosis, then antipsychotic drugs or normotimics are used ( Surge Protectors).
Prevention of hypochondria
What should be done to avoid hypochondria?
Experts believe that the development of hypochondria is influenced by factors such as certain character traits, behavior patterns, negative life experiences and genetic predisposition. The disorder is often diagnosed in people with various mental health problems.Measures to help avoid hypochondria are:
- work on trigger ( provoking the disease) character traits;
- limiting factors that can cause the disorder;
- the establishment of personal and social life;
- timely detection and treatment of mental illness.
The significance of negative events should not be exaggerated, since this does not allow paying attention to positive events. Another factor that does not contribute to optimism is the search for all sources of problems in oneself. Also, the reason for pessimism is the desire to divide all the events that take place into "black" and "white", good or bad. Such people always strive for the perfect result, otherwise they consider themselves to be losers. There is always an intermediate option, which must also be accepted as an acceptable result.
Limiting factors that can cause the disorder
Identify areas of your life that generate negative emotions. Focus on the opportunity to transform this area in a positive way. Start with those aspects that you can change. Improve your intelligence, develop relationships, streamline your workflow.
When problematic situations arise, you cannot focus on blaming others or thinking that life is not fair to you. One should not indulge in uncertainty, doubt, or self-flagellation. It is worth taking for granted that the problem has already occurred and focusing on solving it. To develop optimism in yourself, it is necessary, if possible, to surround yourself with people who have a positive outlook on life. You should also avoid watching TV shows and movies with violent stories. Give preference to comedies, classical music, humorous programs.
Building personal life and relationships with the outside world
Most patients with hypochondriacal disorder do not have close relationships and have difficulty creating one. It is easier for such people to explain their loneliness with somatic ( bodily) problems, what to do with the search for the true cause. The inability to find a common language with the people around is an obstacle to self-realization in society. A person experiencing such difficulties rarely takes part in collective activities ( sports, social activities) which leads to isolation from the outside world. Experts view hypochondria as a loss of connection with the outside world and the use of one's body as a partner. Some patients, lacking communication, unconsciously use this disease in order to get the care and attention of those around them.
The physical condition of the body affects the emotional background of a person. Lack of sleep or rest, an unbalanced diet, and a sedentary lifestyle all hinder the development of optimism. To get rid of pessimism, you need to go in for sports, eat healthy foods, and observe the recommended length of night sleep ( 7 - 8 hours).
It is also necessary to devote time to doing those activities that bring pleasure and help to distract from problems.
To avoid hypochondria, it is necessary to lead an active social life and develop the ability to find a common language with work colleagues, the opposite sex, acquaintances and family members. Today, there are a large number of opportunities that help improve communication skills.
The tools that will allow you to develop communication skills are:
- specialized literature;
- manuals in audio and video format;
- an appeal to a psychologist;
- attending trainings;
- independent performance of various exercises.
The development of hypochondria is facilitated by open access to medical information, so to avoid illness, you should limit yourself in reading and listening to it.
Sources of such information are:
- programs about diseases;
- advertising of medicines;
- articles about incurable diseases;
- medical information resources of dubious origin.
Taking care of your health is a natural desire, and today many people use the Internet for this purpose. Users turn to various guides and online tests to learn about the symptoms of a possible disease and how to treat it. It should be noted that in such cases it is always necessary to check the source of the specified information, the date of creation of the resource and other characteristics. So, on a serious resource there is always a mention that all data is provided for informational purposes only.
In many cases, hypochondriacal disorder develops in conjunction with other mental disorders. To avoid illness, you should see your doctor promptly if you have emotional health problems.
The pathologies that can cause hypochondria are:
- psychosis;
- neuroses;
- the presence of crazy ideas;
- depression;
- general anxiety;
- panic disorder.
What can trigger the onset of hypochondria?
Due to the fact that hypochondriacal disorder is characterized by a variety of its manifestations, there are no precise definitions in medicine that can serve as the causes of this disease. Experts identify a number of circumstances that can contribute to the development of the disease, among which there are both physiological and psychological factors.The physiological reasons for the development of hypochondria are:
- dysfunction of the cerebral cortex;
- incorrect perception by the brain of impulses that are transmitted by internal organs;
- disturbances in the work of the autonomic nervous system.
Such reasons may be:
- focus on your person;
- lack of empathy;
- "Thick skin";
- inability to express desires and emotions;
- a tendency to pessimism;
- suspiciousness;
- self-doubt;
- inability to find a common language with the environment.
Other external factors leading to the development of hypochondriacal disorder are:
- serious illnesses suffered in childhood;
- experienced violence ( physical or mental);
- presence in the environment of sick relatives or friends;
- similar behavior of parents.
How is hypochondria different from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
For obsessive-compulsive disorder ( OCD) hypochondria is characterized by constant concern about their physical health. Because of this excessive concern, the person is fully confident that he is already seriously ill. OCD, like hypochondria, is a neurotic spectrum disorder. This disorder is characterized by involuntary obsessive and frightening thoughts ( obsessions). To get rid of anxiety, the patient begins to periodically perform a series of obsessive actions ( compulsions).
Differences between hypochondria and OCD
| Hypochondria | Criterion | OCD |
| In women, the peak incidence occurs at the age after 30 years, in men - after 40. | Debut of the disease | The first symptoms of OCD most often appear between the ages of 10 and 30. The early age of onset of the disease is one of its main distinguishing features. In this case, the first visit to the doctor falls on the interval between 25 and 35 years. The appearance of the first symptoms of the disorder in 70 percent of cases is associated with stressful circumstances. |
| Hypochondria is equally manifested in both male and female patients. This disease is often found in adolescents and the elderly. | Who is more likely to show | OCD affects both men and women equally. In females, the first manifestations of the disease occur at a later age ( more than 20 years) than in men ( before puberty). |
| The main symptom of hypochondria is hypertrophied concern about one's health, which leads to fear. Depending on the form of hypochondria, the patient may be afraid of getting sick ( obsessive), start taking measures to improve health ( overvalued) and be firmly convinced that he suffers from an incurable disease ( delusional). Most often, patients express concern about the heart, digestive system, brain and reproductive system organs. The symptoms of hypochondria are:
| The main symptoms | Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are manifested in the form of spontaneously arising disturbing ideas and thoughts, followed by obsessive actions. Examples of thoughts are:
Obsessive actions include:
|
| Hypochondria is characterized by a tendency to a long course and resistance to therapy. Among the total mass of patients with this disease, 25 percent of the condition does not improve or changes for the worse. Half of the cases become chronic. In particularly sensitive individuals, hypochondriacal thoughts may persist throughout their lives. Treatment is more successful when the disorder develops at a young age, has an acute onset, and is simultaneously accompanied by anxiety and depression. Also, favorable factors for effective treatment are a higher socio-economic status of the patient and the absence of personality disorders. | The course of the disease | If the treatment of the disease was started within a year after the onset of the first symptoms, a stable improvement in the patient's condition is achieved in two thirds of cases. If you see a doctor later, there is a high probability that the disorder will become chronic. The disease proceeds in waves - periods of improvement, which can last for several years, are replaced by exacerbations. When obsessive-compulsive disorder is accompanied by one type of symptoms, in most cases it is possible to stabilize the general condition, alleviate symptoms and social adaptation of the patient. If there is a large number of stressful events in the patient's life or the disorder has pronounced manifestations against the background of psychasthenia, the disease progresses much more severe. Complex forms of the disease ( fear of pollution, pronounced ritual behavior, aggressive thoughts) may respond poorly to therapy. As a rule, the clinical picture in such cases is complicated by new symptoms. Among male patients, even with intensive treatment in 30 percent of cases, their condition does not change. |
How does hypochondria manifest in depression?
If hypochondria is manifested in conjunction with depressive symptoms, then this pathology is called hypochondriacal depression. Hypochondriacal depression symptoms
Hypochondriacal depression belongs to the category of complex depression. In the clinical picture of such depressions, affective disorders fade into the background, and hypochondriac symptoms come to the fore. The main symptom of this disease is a constant, exaggerated concern for their health against a background of low mood. Patients focus on their terminal illness and express worrying concerns about their lives. They complain of malaise, weakness, inability to do some work. At the same time, they have enough strength to constantly search for their disease. Also in the clinic for hypochondriacal depression, senestopathies are present. These are painful, excruciatingly painful sensations in the patient's body. At the same time, the patient cannot indicate a clear localization of his sensations or give them a clear description. But this does not prevent him from thinking that these sensations are a manifestation of a serious illness and may become the cause of death.The severity of the hypochondria can reach the degree of delirium. In this case, patients are confident that they are sick and will soon die. They claim that their insides are rotting or that they have got cancer, radiation sickness, syphilis. If, with pure hypochondria, the patient mainly complains of unpleasant ( sometimes even pretentious) sensations in different parts of the body, then with hypochondriac depression, he is in complete confidence that he is sick with a serious illness, and his complaints recede into the background. These delusional hypochondriacal thoughts occupy all the patient's imagination and all his leisure. No medical reports can dissuade him otherwise.
How does hypochondria manifest in children?
In children, hypochondria manifests itself in a somewhat atypical form than in adults. Typically, children do not talk about their health concerns. Instead, they surround themselves with some habits that they think will help them avoid getting sick. So, if a child suspects he has an infectious disease, then he will wash his hands at regular intervals or treat them with a disinfectant solution. He will also be selective about food, because the consumption of certain foods is associated with a health risk.
The difference between childhood hypochondria is a wide range of physiological symptoms.
The physiological manifestations of hypochondria in children are:
- excessive sweating;
- periodic tremor;
- dizziness;
- fainting and light-headedness;
- increased heartbeat.
Constant concern for their health forms a certain type of behavior in children. They avoid being surrounded by peers and other people. Society for them becomes a possible source of disease. Hypochondriac children do not tolerate hugging, kissing, shaking hands and other expressions of emotion. In educational institutions, they are relatively closed, but continue to remain capricious and dependent on parental care.
Children come up with various excuses and reasons not to attend various sections and circles. For a long time, they hide the true reasons for their fears.
How to test for hypochondria?
There are several options for taking a hypochondria test. When conducting testing, it should be borne in mind that the test results are not an absolute guide to treatment. Only a doctor can prescribe treatment after a comprehensive examination. Test number 1
To pass the test, you must answer the questions in the table by choosing one answer.| № | Question | Answer "Yes" | Answer "No" |
| 1 | Do you like to discuss your health with loved ones, work colleagues? | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Do you believe that all medicines are good for you? | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Do you consider autumn to be a time when all living things die? | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | Does sports involve injury? | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | Is a first aid kit a must-have item without which you do not leave your home? | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | If you are thirsty, will you drink water from the tap? | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Is not a large swelling on the skin a reason for your visit to the doctor? | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | When buying products on the market, do you taste them from the hands of the seller? | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Do you eat fruit without peeling it first? | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Are you able to go outside in winter without a hat? | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Do you wash your hands twice before eating ( before and after meals)? | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | Do you limit your coffee intake because this drink is unhealthy? | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | Do you have any concerns about the presence of a pet in the house? | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | Do you have unpleasant thoughts while thinking about a medical condition? | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | Do you have a feeling of disgust when you are on public beaches? | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | Do you think vitamins do not provide tangible benefits? | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | Do you use alcohol solely for disinfection purposes? | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | Do you like to be in the cold? | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | Is it easy to get infected with any disease in a public bath? | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | Is there a high likelihood of getting an infection while standing in line for a doctor? | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | Do you ignore the usually painful symptoms? ( headache, stomach cramps)? | 0 | 2 |
Calculate the total number of points and see their interpretation.
The test results are:
- 0 to 10 points- this result indicates the absence of a predisposition to hypochondriacal disorder. In some cases, it may mean that you should pay more attention to your physical health.
- 11 to 20 points- means a low susceptibility to disease. Such a test result may indicate that you understand the importance of medical examinations and take a responsible attitude towards your health.
- 21 to 30 points- such a number of points means a strong concern about possible diseases, which indicates a high predisposition to hypochondria.
- From 31 to 40 points- means a high probability of having one of the forms of hypochondriacal syndrome. To confirm or deny this fact, you need to contact a specialist.
Test number 2
This test will help determine if you are susceptible to hypochondriacal disorder. Answers to questions should be monosyllabic, like "yes" or "no".The test questions are:
- Do you have a fear of sudden death?
- Do you often feel very tired and helpless?
- Do you doubt the authority of the medical opinion?
- Do you think you have health problems?
- Do you have more than 2 times a month thoughts about the likelihood of contracting a fatal disease?
- Can we say that you do not feel discomfort when discussing any diseases?
- Are you interested in medical literature in print or electronic format without having a professional relationship with medicine?
What is the best method to fight hypochondria?
There are several methods of dealing with hypochondria, each of which has its own value. To defeat hypochondria, it is necessary to take a comprehensive approach to its treatment, that is, to use all methods. There are the following methods of dealing with hypochondria:
- supportive therapy;
- psychotherapy;
- drug therapy.
Supportive care
Mild forms of hypochondriacal disorder respond well to treatment with support from a physician. The patient, being in constant contact with a physician whom he trusts, ceases to experience strong fear and to spend time on frequent examinations. The hypochondriac focuses on tracking the symptoms that are most significant from the doctor's point of view, while ceasing to self-medicate. In some cases, doctors practice the treatment of such patients with placebo drugs ( drugs, the therapeutic effect of which is based on a person's belief in their effectiveness). The ultimate goal of this approach is to convince the hypochondriac that he does not have a real disease, and he needs a course of psychotherapeutic treatment.Psychotherapy in the treatment of hypochondria
At the initial stage of psychotherapy, the patient is not dissuaded from the presence of a somatic illness. This can increase the hypochondriac's reluctance to be treated. Most often, the therapist assures the patient that he has already met such cases in his practice. This approach helps to convince the patient of the competence of the doctor, since often people with this disorder are confident in the uniqueness of their imaginary disease. The physician proposes psychotherapy as an alternative treatment, relying on the fact that the methods previously used by the patient were ineffective. The relatives and friends of the hypochondriac are also involved in psychotherapeutic treatment, which makes the therapy more effective.Psychotherapeutic treatments for hypochondria are:
- rational therapy;
- cognitive behavioral therapy;
- hypnotherapy.
This method of treatment consists in the fact that the therapist, using arguments and logical arguments, explains to the hypochondriac the real reason for his fears. The task of the doctor is to explain to the patient the mechanism of the disorder and to form his adequate thinking. The doctor uses various techniques that allow the patient to independently come to the conclusion about the falsity of his ideas about the alleged disease. For example, a doctor may suggest to a patient who is confident that physical discomfort is always caused by a bodily illness, make a list of situations in which this belief is not true. Examples include stomach discomfort after heavy meals, back pain after hard physical labor, headache the day after drinking alcohol. This method is used for simple forms of the disorder with a low level of fear.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the idea that a person's behavioral model is explained by his ideas about himself and the outside world. Erroneous thoughts lead to pathological behavior. Therefore, the task of this technique is to identify the patient's true destructive thoughts and fight the consequences that they entail.
In cognitive psychotherapy trainings, the therapist, by analyzing the behavior and symptoms of the patient, identifies the pathological beliefs that are the cause of the disease. Behavioral therapy training is aimed at developing the hypochondriac's skills to control their thoughts.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy involves teaching the patient certain thoughts to help reduce the intensity of the symptoms of the disorder. For hypnosis, the patient is put into a trance, while the condition of the individual is monitored by a doctor. In some cases, the physician can teach the patient the techniques of self-hypnosis to combat attacks of fear.
Drug treatment
Taking medications is not a prerequisite for treating hypochondria. Medications are prescribed depending on the form of the disease and the nature of the symptoms that bother the patient. In the presence of severe anxiety or mental disorders, medications can be prescribed to reduce the level of anxiety and normalize the patient's emotional background.If the hypochondriacal syndrome is complicated by depression, treatment is carried out with tranquilizers ( drugs that eliminate fear) and antidepressants. Such drugs reduce the patient's nervous tension, improve mood, eliminate apathy and lethargy.
The most common medications for depression-based hypochondria are:
- amitriptyline;
- trazodone;
- sertraline;
- diazepam.
How to get rid of hypochondria on your own?
Independent work of the patient over his ailment is a prerequisite for successful treatment. To be effective, self-help should be done every day. At the same time, do not forget that the treatment of hypochondria, like any other disease, should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. Methods for self-management of hypochondria are:
- confronting social exclusion;
- work on yourself and your fears;
- psychotherapeutic methods at home;
- fighting fear.
Confronting social exclusion
Symptoms of hypochondria often provoke patients to limit their contact with the outside world. The fear of contracting some disease or being at the right moment without drugs gradually leads to complete or partial social isolation. To prevent this, it is necessary to find a strong incentive to contact the outside world as often as possible. It should be an activity that is enjoyable and allows you to fulfill your goals or desires. Excuses that can force you to leave your comfort zone are dancing or sports, learning a new type of activity ( e.g. driving a car), refresher courses. Engaging friends or family will increase motivation for attending your chosen activities.Working on yourself and your fears
Experts note that certain character traits are common factors that accompany hypochondria. Therefore, in order to increase the effectiveness of the treatment undergoing, it is necessary to pay attention to working on oneself. Suspiciousness is one personality trait that promotes and inhibits treatment for hypochondriacal disorder.Measures that will help you reduce the level of suspiciousness are:
- exclude the desire to speak badly about yourself or your body;
- develop your positive qualities and skills;
- keep a diary in which you write down the unpleasant situations that occurred due to suspiciousness, as well as the thoughts and feelings that accompanied you at the same time;
- write down the fears that visit you on a piece of paper and try to make fun of them;
- try to draw or describe in verse all your fears using funny words and images;
- Imagine a movie about your ideal life and watch it every day for 5 - 10 minutes.
Conducting independent trainings
There are a large number of different exercises that will have a positive impact on your therapy. One of the trainings involves a role-playing game in which you have to play different roles during the week. Make a list of 7 characters, using your imagination and imagination as much as possible. These can be animals, heroes of fairy tales, inanimate objects. Also indicate the circumstances that influence the behavior and feelings of the characters.If you find it difficult to write the list, use the examples provided.
Examples of training characters are:
- a famous director who is preparing to shoot a film;
- the wall of an old mansion that is being rebuilt;
- a tree in the forest, in the branches of which a bird made a nest;
- a man who saw his companion for the first time without makeup;
- a middle-aged woman who has been proposed;
- an expensive car in a car dealership that no one buys.
The completed training will allow you to escape from the usual image and gain new experience. By playing a new role every day, you can distance yourself from anxiety and cope with illness more easily.
Fighting fear
Anxiety is a feeling that accompanies and intensifies the symptoms of hypochondria. At the slightest physical discomfort, fear arises, which inhibits the ability to think rationally. This feeling can be controlled using special techniques that help achieve both muscle and emotional relaxation.Relaxation methods are:
- breathing exercises;
- physical exercises;
- yoga, meditation;
- Jacobson progressive relaxation.
What are the alternative treatments for hypochondria?
Treatment of hypochondriacal disorder with folk remedies is carried out in conjunction with other therapeutic methods that are prescribed by a doctor. Preparations made according to folk recipes have a soft ( tonic or, conversely, soothing) impact. Therefore, it is not effective to fight hypochondria only with the help of folk remedies. These medications can help reduce anxiety levels, but they cannot completely eliminate the fear and other symptoms of the disease. Herbal decoctions
For the preparation of decoctions, dry raw materials are used ( unless otherwise stated in the recipe), which should be grinded in a coffee grinder or otherwise. To prepare a standard portion of the broth, you need to take the amount of dry ingredients specified in the recipe and pour a glass of hot water. The broth should be infused for about half an hour, after which it is filtered and taken according to the scheme indicated in the recipe. After 3 weeks of treatment, the same break is required.Decoction recipes for combating hypochondria
| Name | Components and their norm (1 part equals 1 teaspoon) | Scheme reception | the effect | Contraindications |
| Herbal collection | Oregano; Eleutherococcus root; Hop cones; Oats; Plantain leaves. Mix all components in equal doses. Use 1 portion of the collection to prepare the daily portion. | Divide a standard serving into 2 parts and take before meals in the morning. | Stimulates the nervous system, helps with lethargy. | It should be borne in mind that the broth has a tonic, therefore, with increased nervous tension, it should not be taken. |
| Decoction of oat straw | Dry clean chopped oat straw - 3 parts. | It is necessary to consume 2 servings of the medicine per day, regardless of the time of day and meals. | Gently stimulates the nervous system, helps fight apathy, improves appetite. | Does not exist |
| Infusion of ginseng | For the broth, the roots or leaves of ginseng can be used - 1 part. | The standard dose should be reduced 30 times! Drink the broth should be half a teaspoon 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. | It is an effective remedy for nervous exhaustion and depression. | This decoction is not recommended for tachycardia, inflammatory diseases, thyroid diseases. |
| Chamomile aster decoction | Chamomile aster flowers - 1 part. | Divide half of the portion into 3-4 parts, which should be drunk before meals. | Has a tonic effect. Helps combat lethargy. | At least 2 hours should pass between the last intake of the decoction and going to bed. |
| Highlander herb decoction | Knotweed herb - 4 parts. | The daily dose is equal to the standard serving. Drink 15 - 20 minutes before meals. | Stimulates the nervous system. | The broth is contraindicated in kidney disease, thrombophlebitis, gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. |
| Angelica decoction | Angelica rhizomes - 1 part. | The volume that you need to drink per day is equal to 2 standard servings. The daily rate should be divided into 3 - 4 doses. | Useful for nervous exhaustion, apathy, lack of strength. | Long-term use may increase sensitivity to the sun. You should not take the broth at high temperatures, various bleeding, tachycardia. |
| Pulmonary gentian decoction | Herbs and roots of pulmonary gentian - 2 parts. | A standard serving should be divided into 3 to 4 portions and taken throughout the day. | Increases appetite, stimulates physical and mental activity. | Patients with ulcers and high blood pressure should stop using gentian decoction. |
| Mint decoction | Mint - 2 parts. | Divide a standard serving into several meals and drink throughout the day. | Has a sedative effect, normalizes sleep. | May cause complications with low blood pressure. Mint is not recommended for infertility. |
| Motherwort decoction | Motherwort herb - 2 parts. | Divide the standard serving into 3-4 parts and take before meals. | It is taken as a sedative and hypnotic. | Patients with bradycardia, ulcers, gastritis should not drink motherwort. |
Alcohol tinctures for hypochondria
You can make alcohol tinctures yourself or purchase them at the pharmacy. To make a tincture at home, pour the crushed vegetable raw materials with alcohol ( 70 degrees) in a ratio of one to ten. The mixture of herbs and alcohol must be placed in an opaque dish and put in a dark place for 7-10. Then take in accordance with the recipe. The course of treatment with tinctures should not exceed 1 month.Examples of alcoholic tinctures
| Name | Reception scheme | Action on the body | Contraindications |
| Valerian tincture | 20 - 30 drops each ( about half a teaspoon) three times a day. | Has a sedative effect, improves sleep. | Valerian tincture impairs the ability to concentrate, so you should not drive a car or perform other actions that require attention after taking the drug. |
| Lily of the valley tincture | The maximum volume that can be consumed per day should not exceed 90 drops, which should be divided into 3 - 4 doses. | It is used to calm anxiety and fear. Normalizes sleep. | Tincture is contraindicated for myocarditis, endocarditis, liver and kidney diseases. |
| Manchurian aralia tincture | A single dose, which should be taken three times a day, is 35 drops. With a tendency to high blood pressure, the dose should be reduced to 20 drops, which should be consumed 2 times a day. | Restores the patient's emotional background. Stimulates physical activity, increases appetite. | With increased nervous excitability or insomnia, the tincture is not recommended. You should not take the drug for hypertension. |
| Rhodiola rosea tincture | A one-time rate is 20 - 30 drops. Take 3 times a day. | The tincture helps with increased fatigue, apathy. | Refuse to take the drug should be patients with fever and high blood pressure. |
Hypochondriacal depression- atypical affective disorder, characterized by a combination of depressive symptoms and manifestations of hypochondria. The patient feels a lowered mood, excessively fears for the state of health. A person pessimistically interprets the state of internal organs, distortedly interprets natural sensations, perceives with fear any malfunctions in the functioning of the body, anticipates his own ill health, or is seized by an obsessive belief in the presence of an intractable somatic ailment.
The patient believes that doctors are inexperienced or deliberately hiding the truth from him, while he believes that he correctly diagnosed his own disease. Doubts of a hypochondriac do not disappear even after numerous medical examinations and tests. A person with hypochondria stubbornly refuses to agree with the objective arguments of doctors. He is convinced of the futility of medical manipulations, he is sure of an inevitably unfavorable outcome of the disease.
Hypochondriacal depression is often chronic with recurrent recurrences. Hypochondria is characteristic of emotional, suspicious, easily suggested individuals. Neurosis is common in elderly and senile people, among adolescents. Often, hypochondriac depression occurs in medical university students who “try on” the symptoms of the diseases under study. Most of the patients with hypochondria are female.
Most hypochondriacs are erudite, well-educated, well-read people. They like to raise the level of education on their own, using available sources - websites on medical topics, books by traditional healers, sensational TV programs.
Causes of hypochondriacal depression
The basis for the emergence of hypochondriac depression is a specific personality portrait, formed due to the peculiarities of the childhood period. The cause of future hypochondria is the overprotection of the child and the anxiety of the parents. Overly caring adults closely monitor the health of their offspring, run to the doctor because of the slightest scratch. They constantly frighten the child with the fact that you can catch a cold, get hurt, get infected. Protect the baby from all contact with a potentially dangerous environment. Illustrative examples are given of how a careless person fell ill with a fatal disease. Parents require a momentary message from the child in the event of any unusual beliefs.
Adults constantly criticize doctors for their ignorance and irresponsibility. They say that in our country medicine only cripples patients. From an early age, parents put a non-functional attitude into the head of their crumbs, the essence of which is: you need to fight for health yourself and you should sound the alarm at the slightest sign of illness. The child absorbs the parental way of thinking, becoming a suspicious and wary person.
The hypochondriac pays close attention to internal processes. He actively uses self-observation of the body, thus trying to oust interpersonal problems, conflicts in society, painful loneliness from the sphere of consciousness. Many patients with hypochondriacal depression have difficulties in social interaction, were often misunderstood and rejected in society. They have a very narrow social circle, they are burdened by the lack of personal and friendly relations.
Instead of making efforts to create and maintain full-fledged contacts, it is more convenient and easier for hypochondriacs to use "flight into illness", justifying inactivity with ill health. The only acceptable communication option for patients with hypochondriacal depression is to regularly alert others about painful symptoms.
- Many people with hypochondria are self-centered. They are fixated on themselves and indifferent to the problems of others. They are not accustomed to being interested in the well-being and experiences of loved ones. At the same time, they demand from people attention and respect for their own person. The spiritual life of selfish people is very poor and boring, often their only "interlocutor" is their own body.
- Hypochondriacs are characterized by suspicion, resentment, and vindictiveness. People with hypochondriacal depression are often convinced that others are plotting and plotting against them. They are trying their best to figure out ill-wishers and stay in anticipation of an attack from enemies. At the same time, incinerating feelings of anger and hostility destroy the hypochondriac's body from the inside, creating physiological symptoms of imaginary diseases.
- Hypochondriacal depression is common in people with low self-esteem. who are prone to self-accusation and self-flagellation. Patients with hypochondria subconsciously want to be punished. Searching for diseases in oneself is a way to achieve "justice" of being for people who consider themselves unworthy to live in this world.
- The reason for the manifestation of hypochondriac depression is often physiological changes in the body's work caused by the action of stress factors. Faced with extreme circumstances, a person, in addition to a psychological shock, is faced with unpleasant sensations from the autonomic nervous system. The naturally conditioned impossibility of changing the physiological state by efforts of will greatly frightens an anxious person. A person does not correctly interpret the manifestations of a crisis with VSD, which is why he has an erroneous understanding of his condition.
- Negative personal experience. Long-term illness, forced temporary isolation from society, staying in uncomfortable conditions in clinics, unpleasant manipulations, painful sensations form the fear of a recurrence of the disease in the future. A person strives with all his might to prevent such a traumatic experience, therefore, he observes the body in order to catch the first symptoms of ill health. The psyche has a unique ability: the more we listen to the signals of the body, the more persistently we think about ailments, the sooner the signs of illness will develop.
- Death or serious illness of a relative. For example, when a loved one, who considered himself healthy, is given a terrible diagnosis, and he soon dies, having spent the last days of his life in torment. Against this background, an anxious suspicious person has obsessive fears for his health.
Hypochondriacal depression symptoms
This atypical affective disorder is represented by two groups of symptoms: depressive and hypochondriacal syndrome.
Depressive signs are:
- the prevalence of a bad mood, regardless of the actual circumstances;
- inability to enjoy pleasurable activities;
- loss of interests, indifference to current events;
- decrease in efficiency and deterioration of labor results;
- the emergence of ideas about the meaninglessness of future life due to unrecoverable poor health.
Human motor activity in hypochondriacal depression is characterized by instability and unpredictability of changes in the "poles". A patient with hypochondria, seized by obsessive experiences, spends most of the time alone, locked within the confines of his apartment. He doesn't want to take any action. Subject feels weak and exhausted, incapable of even performing banal hygiene procedures. He refuses to communicate with friends, answers the questions of relatives in monosyllables, ceases to perform everyday functions and work duties.
Suddenly, a person with hypochondria may have a fit of rage. He begins to reproach loved ones for the fact that they do not pay enough attention to his condition. Accuses relatives of being inappropriately looked after, do not want to enter the position of a sick person. A patient with hypochondria blames the household for the fact that it was they who caused his illness. He says that he was forced to work hard to satisfy their benefits, and regular overloads undermined his health. Claims that, due to the need to provide for his spouse and children, he could not fully rest and deprived himself of many benefits, at the same time, he does not respond to the just arguments of his relatives, denies their well-grounded arguments. The statements of relatives that he exaggerates ill health, drives the hypochondriac into a state of rage. In a state of passion, the subject loses control over his actions and can cause serious harm to others.
Typically, after a fit of rage, a period of "painful inspiration" occurs. A patient with hypochondria is affirmed in the idea that only he himself must fight to save his life. Convinced of the presence of an incurable disease, a person makes an appointment with various doctors, insists on using all existing diagnostic methods.
The hypochondriac is never satisfied with the results of the examination, he is convinced that "the donated blood was confused with the analysis of another person", "the ultrasound machine was not working properly," "the doctor did not have the proper qualifications," "the doctor deliberately does not tell the truth."
In such a situation, hypochondriacal depression can reach the level of delusional disorder. Convinced of the negligence of doctors, a person with hypochondria begins to complain to all possible authorities. He tries to enlist the support of the public, tirelessly talking about "stupid doctors", actively disseminates false information on social networks and becomes a regular visitor to medical forums.
Not receiving the desired reinforcements from society, the hypochondriac begins to heal himself. Convinced of the presence of a certain somatic illness, he purchases pharmaceuticals and takes pills without observing the dosage. The patient tries on himself all existing folk remedies, visits healers, healers, magicians. After meaningless vigorous activity, the hypochondriac begins a period of loss of strength. He becomes passive and inhibited again.
Signs of hypochondria are:
- excessive concern for the state of health;
- confidence in the presence of a severe disease that is difficult to diagnose;
- fears that timely medical assistance will not be provided in case of a sudden deterioration in health;
- panic fear of the development of complications of an imaginary disease;
- anticipation of the upcoming painful treatment, painful medical manipulations;
- obsessive ruminations about the hardships and hardships associated with a hospital stay;
- the regular appearance of annoying "pictures" of one's own disability;
- irrational fear of premature death.
Symptoms of hypochondriac depression are the appearance of painful, exhausting, unpleasant sensations without clear localization in the body or emanating from internal organs, on the skin. Senestopathies arise in the absence of real physiological defects. The patient indicates that pain “migrates” through the body, he feels “heaviness”, “transfusion”, “pressure” on different parts of the body.
In severe hypochondriac depression, delusional inclusions are determined. The patient assures others that his internal organs "decomposed", "the body is rotting", "the intestines are filled with molten liquid", "a lead ball is inserted into the head."
- The main symptom of hypochondria is distorted interpretation of harmless and not dangerous physiological phenomena. At the same time, the patient ignores the possibility of a traditional explanation of unpleasant sensations. For example: with a headache, a person is convinced that he or she has a brain tumor. He is not satisfied with the explanation that cephalgia naturally occurs during mental stress. If a person has a cough in a dusty, dirty room, he claims to have tuberculosis. He interprets pain in the stomach as a manifestation of a peptic ulcer, not taking into account that the pain syndrome is provoked by his prolonged fasting.
- A typical sign of hypochondria- constant control over health indicators. The patient can measure blood pressure and body temperature every half hour. Once a week, he will have clinical blood and urine tests. Convinced of the pathology of some organ, the hypochondriac will do an ultrasound scan not on one, but on five machines. The hypochondriac monitors the condition of the oral cavity, hair and nails. Records the frequency of urination and bowel movements.
- Sleep disorders naturally occur with hypochondriacal depression. In the evening, the patient is burdened by the fact that he cannot sleep. At the same time, anxiety about the lack of sleep is more harmful than the actual fact of insomnia. A hypochondriac may experience a panic fear of sleep, because he is sure that it is at night that some kind of dangerous attack will occur. Immersed in sleep, he has nightmares, where he sees himself chained to a wheelchair or being on his deathbed.
- A symptom of hypochondriacal depression is a change in eating behavior. Most often, the patient loses appetite, eats little and loses much weight. At the same time, a person interprets a decrease in body weight as a sign of a fatal disease.
Treatments for hypochondriacal depression
Orthodox medicine and traditional psychotherapy do not yet have the resources to rid the patient of all manifestations of hypochondriacal depression. Treatment of atypical affective disorder is difficult because the disease is protracted, often chronic, with a high risk of relapse. Therapy of hypochondriacal depression is hampered by the fact that patients associate mental suffering with an imaginary somatic illness, they try to find arguments confirming the correctness of their assumptions. Drug treatment of patients with hypochondria is often contraindicated, and when it is carried out, it brings the opposite effect - a deterioration in the well-being of a person. This is due to the fact that the appointment of pharmacological agents to a hypochondriac patient strengthens his confidence in the existence of physiological pathology. Therefore, the leading role in the treatment of hypochondria is assigned to psychological support and psychotherapy.
The choice of individual methods of psychotherapy is justified by the fact that the hypochondriacal components of depression often serve as a way of hiding and displacing unresolved personal conflicts. A person who is unable to admit the existence of disharmony between the inner world and the environment uses fictitious malfunctions in the body as a defense mechanism to shift the vector of attention from the need to solve real problems to thinking about fictional diseases.
- How is hypochondria treated? The main conditions for overcoming hypochondriac depression and preventing the return of the disease is to recognize the existence of a problem in the psycho-emotional sphere and be ready to carry out a transformation of the inner world. It is this step that often becomes difficult and impossible for hypochondriacs. Psychotherapists are often faced with the fact that patients with a confirmed diagnosis give up the doctor's attempts to provide assistance and do not want to consider the painful condition from a psychological perspective. Many patients with hypochondriacal depression are obsessed with seeking out their illness and finding a doctor who can confirm the illness. Often, hints of a psychologist and psychiatrist about the need to use psychotherapeutic methods of treatment are regarded by patients as a doctor's inability to understand them and a deliberate unwillingness to prescribe "miraculous" pills. Therefore, the primary action of the doctor is to interest the patient in the state of his inner world, stimulate him to work on himself and motivate him to transform his worldview.
- How to get rid of hypochondriacal depression? It is necessary to investigate personal history and establish the circumstances of obtaining a traumatic experience. During psychotherapy sessions, the doctor helps the patient to objectively assess the conditions of his growing up by analyzing the system of rewards and punishments adopted in the family. The psychotherapist recommends that the hypochondriac think about whether the attitudes learned from the parents are beneficial to him. The doctor points out that the existing stereotypical way of perceiving internal and external processes interferes with a full life, underestimates a person's self-esteem, and impedes personal growth. The doctor motivates the patient to make adjustments to the value system formed in childhood, which ultimately frees thinking from obsessions about his own ill health.
- How to get rid of hypochondria on your own? To gain emotional and psychological stability, eliminate irrational beliefs, a person must live in harmony with himself and the world around him. It is necessary to learn to correctly, objectively, not distortedly perceive the events taking place in life. You should not focus on insignificant malfunctions of the body and tiny negative phenomena of everyday life. We need to stop “making an elephant out of a fly”, turning ordinary problems into a disaster.
- How to deal with hypochondria? A person needs to choose priority life goals and understand exactly how he wants to live. If for a subject acceptable conditions of existence are a disease, then he will never get rid of hypochondriacal experiences. When an individual chooses a goal for himself - good mental and physical health, then he acts to avoid causing harm to his body.
- How to deal with hypochondria? An important rule is that you need to stop living in the past and focus on the future. It is necessary to stop again and again to experience past failures, grievances, episodes of illness that have taken place, and even more so to transfer past adversities to the present. The hypochondriac must learn not to allow a particular problem of the past to spread to his present.
If psychotherapeutic treatment does not show the desired effect, the doctor's efforts are aimed at minimizing hypochondriacal fears and depressive symptoms. In severe persistent course of hypochondria, the patient is prescribed powerful pharmacological agents. The basis of drug treatment is tricyclic antidepressants with the active ingredient amitriptyline. For severe behavioral disorders, this drug is combined with antipsychotics. Amitriptyline can also be used in combination with dibenzopyrazinazepine derivatives such as mianserin.
It is advisable to treat hypochondriacal depression in a hospital setting. After being discharged from the hospital, the person should continue antidepressant treatment at home. You should not independently change the treatment regimen and the dosage of the medication. The hypochondriac is recommended to be examined by a psychiatrist at least once every three months. It must be remembered that recovery involves not only medical efforts and taking medications, it is, first of all, painstaking work on the person himself, the care and attention of the patient's relatives.
Hypochondria (hypochondriacal disorder, hypochondriacal syndrome) is a pathology characterized by exaggerated concern for one's health and a persistent belief in the presence of a serious disease, despite the objective absence of this pathology.
From 3 to 14% of all patients visiting doctors of various profiles suffer from hypochondriacal disorder.
In some cases, the patients themselves are so convinced that they have a disease that they are able to convince even doctors of this. This condition is called Munchausen syndrome.
Causes
Hypochondriasis can be either a separate disease allocated by the ICD-10 under the subheading hypochondriacal disorder, or it can be observed in the structure of a schizotypal disorder.
This syndrome can also occur within a depressive disorder (). Negative experiences, severe psycho-emotional state at the same time are reflected in the somatic state of a person.
The causes of hypochondria are not yet fully understood. Scientists offer the following explanations for the occurrence of hypochondria:
- there is some hereditary predisposition to the development of hypochondria;
- a certain role in the formation of this mental disorder is assigned to a violation of the perception of stimuli by the internal organs, as a result of which ordinary stimuli are interpreted as pathological;
- the direct factor that triggers the development of hypochondria are traumatic events or severe somatic illness;
- Another significant factor in the development of hypochondriacal disorder is imitation of the hypochondriacal model of behavior, which the child saw in adults and from personal experience was convinced of receiving increased attention, privileges or removal of duties due to the disease.
Most often, the onset and persistence of symptoms of the disease has a close relationship with difficulties, conflicts, unpleasant life situations, but the patient himself denies the psychological conditionality of his disease.
Portrait of a hypochondriac
People with hypochondria are distinguished by self-centeredness, weak interest in the needs of others, they consider themselves offended, unloved by others, abandoned.
A person suffering from hypochondria is convinced that he has a serious illness. To diagnose him, he visits a variety of doctors. Often, normal sensations are interpreted by a person as painful, he regards them as symptoms of a serious pathology.
After doctors conduct all sorts of examinations, but do not find any data confirming the diagnosis that the hypochondriac has already exposed to himself, he begins to give more and more arguments, talk about all sorts of "felt" symptoms.
A person can regularly visit doctors of various specialties, demand repeated consultations, ask for additional (absolutely unnecessary) examinations, write letters to various authorities, complain about doctors, and even threaten them if they refuse to follow his lead.
Symptoms of the disease
Hypochondriacal disorder is a disease that meets the relevant criteria of the International Classification of Diseases of the 10th revision (ICD-10) and is coded as F45.2.
The main signs of a hypochondriacal disorder are:
- a persistent belief that there are no more than 2 physical diseases, which persists for at least six months;
- persistent preoccupation with perceived deformity or deformity;
- baseless variable complaints from internal organs;
- ordinary sensations are interpreted by a person as evidence of a pathological process;
- independent formulation of the diagnosis - a person himself, on the basis of his imaginary symptoms, makes a diagnosis for himself, although it completely contradicts generally accepted criteria;
- stubborn denial of the assurances of doctors that there is no objective evidence of the presence of this disease; even if a person calms down, stops arguing with doctors, it will be only for a short time, after a while he will again begin to look for confirmation of his illness;
- depressed mood;
- it is possible to expose hypochondriacal disorder only after schizophrenia and mood disorders (including) have been excluded.
Additional symptoms of hypochondria can be various obsessions, when a person is overcome by doubts whether he has this or that pathology. Quite often, patients understand the absurdity of these thoughts, but they cannot get rid of them.
Obsessive thoughts about one ailment can be replaced by obsessive fears about the development of another disease.
The manifestations of the imaginary disease have a wide localization, often affecting the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems.
At the initial visit to the doctor, an emotionally inexpressive, monotonous presentation of complaints is characteristic, supported by extensive medical documentation that has accumulated during previous examinations. If you try to dissuade such a person, he is easily affected. And this leads to another common manifestation of hypochondria - hysterical behavior aimed at drawing attention to yourself and your illness.
Hypochondria health
There is another special condition that I want to touch upon - health hypochondria. It is essentially the opposite of hypochondria.
If a patient suffering from a hypochondriacal disorder is convinced that he has an incurable disease, and is struggling to find confirmation of this, then there may be another extreme. A person has symptoms of an incurable pathology that a doctor detects, and they are determined using objective research methods. And the patient himself considers himself to be absolutely healthy, and no arguments of the doctors about the presence of a serious illness are important to him.
Health hypochondria is very dangerous in cases where urgent treatment is needed, and a person is confident that he is healthy and refuses treatment, risking death.
Who is affected and what is the prognosis?
Most often, hypochondria is observed in children, adolescents, the elderly and suspicious individuals.
Elderly people are more sensitive to their health. A detailed description of the existing symptoms, comparing them with those that others have is one of the favorite pastimes of grandmothers.
Sometimes the disease occupies the consciousness of a person so much that he reaches, and he devotes all his strength to furiously seeking out new and new symptoms of the disease, at the same time complaining to all authorities about the low qualifications of the doctors who examined him.
The disease is most easily tolerated and best treatable in young people, without concomitant personality pathology.
Treatment
Treatment of hypochondria should be carried out by a psychiatrist only after a detailed examination of the patient.
So how to deal with hypochondria, which is effective?
Drug treatment
If it was possible to exclude other mental and somatic pathologies in a person, then the drugs of choice in the treatment of hypochondriacal disorder are antidepressants and tranquilizers:
- antidepressants not only help to improve mood, but also help to cope with obsessive thoughts, ideas;
- tranquilizers have anti-anxiety and sedative effects and are indicated for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders and hypochondria.
As I indicated above, attacks of hypochondria can be observed in the structure of depressive disorders. The choice of psychiatrists in such cases is the use of antidepressants, which affect both depressive symptoms and hypochondriacal syndrome.
In the presence of severe hypochondriacal symptoms approaching a delusional level, in cases where the hypochondriac syndrome is one of the or schizotypal disorder, one cannot do without the use of antipsychotics.
Psychotherapy
How to cure hypochondria without medication? You can resort to psychotherapy.
Along with drug treatment, psychotherapeutic techniques are actively used. Thanks to psychotherapy, it is possible not only to understand why hypochondria arose, to influence the etiology of the disorder, but also to influence the model of human behavior, his beliefs.
In the treatment of hypochondriacal disorder, suggestive psychotherapy, psychoanalysis are actively used, and group sessions of psychotherapy are shown to overcome obsessive hypochondria, which can provide not only social interaction, but also support.
How to get rid of yourself?
If the patient himself realizes that he has signs of hypochondria, this is commendable.
How to get rid of hypochondria and suspiciousness on your own, what needs to be done in order to overcome this ailment?
- First of all, you need to try to understand the causes of this disorder. Try to remember what traumatic situations preceded the onset of the disease, whose attention did you want to get or who were offended?
- Only after you understand the psychological causes of hypochondria, you can understand what really led to its occurrence, you need to try to let go of this situation. Whatever happens, you must behave like an adult: be able to forgive, be able to call problems by their proper names, let go of past grievances.
- The next step is to carefully review all the medical reports, which, I think, you already have a lot. If all these analyzes, examination results, doctors' conclusions do not contain evidence of a serious pathology in you, then you do not have it. Believe it!
- Remember that all thoughts are material, and therefore if you constantly think and prove that you are seriously ill, then you risk getting sick with some serious illness for real.
And to end my tips on how to deal with hypochondria, I highly recommend that you read the article. All of these available techniques for overcoming depression will be appropriate in relation to hypochondria.
Be healthy and appreciate what you have now!
Important! Be sure to read this material! If after reading you still have any questions, we strongly recommend that you consult with a specialist by phone:
The location of our clinic in the park has a beneficial effect on the state of mind and promotes recovery:
Hypochondria treatment. Symptoms
People who often complain of poor health and fear the presence of serious illnesses in others most often cause pity or some irritation. In reality, it often turns out that such a person suffers from mental somatomorphic disorder, hypochondria. Pathology worsens the quality of life. Its owner is often able to think only about his many diseases and his health. It can be very difficult to communicate with such constantly complaining people.
How to treat hypochondria
Most hypochondriacs do not trust specialists and prefer self-diagnosis. The disease causes pain in different parts of the body. The patient feels them fully, but is almost never able to communicate that he is in pain. At the same time, complaints may come to an ulcer, heart failure, pain in the liver and kidneys. At the initial stages of pathology, patients try to address their problems to doctors. Complaints are not confirmed, but the pain persists. As a result, the patient with hypochondria begins to engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication.
When referring to a psychiatrist, the patient receives support and adequate therapy. It is based on the conduct of psychotherapy. In most cases, specialists, along with hypochondria, identify anxiety panic disorders and depression. In the latter case, medication is prescribed. For example, antidepressants may be recommended.
There is a certain difficulty in treating hypochondria. Most of the hypochondriacs try, first of all, to deal with the therapy of self-diagnosed diagnoses, paying minimal attention to the somatic problem.
At the same time, the constant expectation of pain and a misunderstanding of what reasons may lie at their basis, becomes a reason for the development of anxiety. Sleep is disturbed. Impressive patients are able to help the development of a true disease through their assumptions.
Hypochondria treatment at home clinic
It is recommended to start a course of therapy in a home clinic. The leading role in therapy is given to classes with a psychotherapist. In their course, the psychologist is engaged in increasing the patient's self-esteem. In addition to the course of psycho-trainings, especially in the presence of additional psychiatric diseases, antidepressants, antipsychotics, tranquilizers, vegetative stabilizers are prescribed depending on the diagnosis.
During trainings, specialists use the following techniques:
- methods of expanding the range of interests;
- elimination of phobias and fears;
- affirmation, contributing to the consolidation of a positive attitude;
- formation of adequate self-esteem.
To remove the pathological condition, it is recommended to eliminate the additional ones present in everyday life. This will relieve depressive symptoms. In the presence of concomitant diseases, drugs are included in the course of therapy. Inpatient treatment in this situation is convenient for the hypochondriac himself and his family members by the prospect of constant contact with the attending physician. The specialist is ready to give answers to all questions about the health of a hypochondriac, explaining the groundlessness of assumptions about the presence of a complex and incurable diagnosis.
The use of drugs for the treatment of hypochondria is used to relieve increased anxiety, against which patients often develop additional somatic diseases. Depressive conditions of varying severity become frequent accompaniments of hypochondria.
In a hospital setting, the risk of the prospect of developing this pathology is also removed against the background of more complex psychiatric diagnoses, including schizophrenia, paranoia and bipolar disorder.
Hypochondria treatment at home
With an early start of treatment for hypochondria, the patient is able to cope with it on his own at home. This option is present in the case when the pathology is diagnosed in the early stages and is not accompanied by depression and other psychiatric problems.
A patient with hypochondria is advised to independently tune in to a positive development of events and accept the negative results of research results. Further, it is recommended to change interests. For example, get a pet or find an interesting hobby. You can do yoga and meditation practices. It is important that the hypochondriac himself accepts a psychiatric diagnosis, which can be completely eliminated in the early stages.
Symptoms and signs of hypochondria
The hypochondriac constantly reflects and talks about the state of his own health. The character of the patient is often distinguished by selfishness and fixation on his own problems. The reason to suspect the development of a complex diagnosis may be a minimal manifestation of pain. Further, the hypochondriac begins to study information about the alleged diagnosis, due to the natural characteristics of the character warehouse, "successfully" finding more and more confirmation of the presence of the diagnosis.
Such a patient in everyday life is difficult to communicate. He makes contact with others only when they are ready to listen to complaints about the alleged illness. As a result, the patient is isolated from society, his circle of communication is narrowed.
Patients are rarely ready to address their problems to a psychologist. A sign of pathology often becomes just the refusal to agree on the fictitiousness of diagnoses identified by the patient on his own.
At home, it is recommended that all family members and acquaintances take part in therapy. They are advised not to refuse to listen to complaints about the alleged diseases of the hypochondriac, but be sure to refute the assumption of the presence of a complex and life-threatening diagnosis. It can be reminded of conducting research in a hospital that did not confirm the presence of a real illness. At the same time, it is not recommended to argue with a hypochondriac.
How to get rid of hypochondria
Hypochondria is one of the types of diagnoses that most patients are able to cure on their own and further keep their health under control.
To eliminate the assumptions about the presence of complex health problems, the patient is recommended to undergo a full medical examination. This will rule out presumptive diagnoses. Further, it is important for a hypochondriac to accept the absence of complex diseases.
Most often, hypochondria is characteristic of people who need to draw attention to themselves. It is not surprising that the start of pathology often falls on adolescence or retirement. "Revealing" diagnoses is most often done by people with an increased level of anxiety and self-doubt. You can get rid of hypochondria on your own after accepting yourself and your shortcomings.
The private clinic "Salvation" has been providing effective treatment for various psychiatric diseases and disorders for 19 years. Psychiatry is a complex area of medicine that requires doctors to maximize their knowledge and skills. Therefore, all employees of our clinic are highly professional, qualified and experienced specialists.
When to get help?
Have you noticed that your relative (grandmother, grandfather, mom or dad) does not remember basic things, forgets dates, names of objects, or does not even recognize people? This clearly indicates some kind of mental disorder or mental illness. Self-medication in this case is not effective and even dangerous. Pills and medications taken on their own, without a doctor's prescription, will, at best, temporarily relieve the patient's condition and relieve symptoms. At worst, they will cause irreparable harm to human health and lead to irreversible consequences. Alternative treatment at home is also not able to bring the desired results, not a single folk remedy will help with mental illness. By resorting to them, you will only waste precious time, which is so important when a person has a mental disorder.
If your relative has a bad memory, complete memory loss, or other signs that clearly indicate a mental disorder or serious illness - do not hesitate, contact the private psychiatric clinic "Salvation".
Why choose us?
The Salvation clinic successfully treats fears, phobias, stress, memory disorders, and psychopathy. We provide assistance in oncology, care for patients after a stroke, inpatient treatment of the elderly, elderly patients, cancer treatment. We do not refuse the patient, even if he has the last stage of the disease.
Many government agencies are reluctant to take on patients over 50-60 years of age. We help everyone who applies and willingly carry out treatment after 50-60-70 years. For this we have everything you need:
- pension;
- nursing home;
- bedside hospice;
- professional nurses;
- sanatorium.
Old age is not a reason to let the disease take its course! Complex therapy and rehabilitation gives every chance of restoring basic physical and mental functions in the vast majority of patients and significantly increases life expectancy.
Our specialists use in their work modern methods of diagnosis and treatment, the most effective and safe drugs, hypnosis. If necessary, a home visit is carried out, where doctors:
- an initial examination is carried out;
- the causes of the mental disorder are being clarified;
- a preliminary diagnosis is made;
- an acute attack or a hangover syndrome is removed;
- in severe cases, it is possible to forcibly place the patient in a hospital - a closed-type rehabilitation center.
Treatment in our clinic is inexpensive. The first consultation is free of charge. Prices for all services are completely open, they include the cost of all procedures in advance.
Relatives of patients often ask questions: "Tell me what a mental disorder is?", "Advise how to help a person with a serious illness?" You will receive detailed advice in the private clinic "Salvation"!
We provide real help and successfully treat any mental illness!
Consult a specialist!
We will be glad to answer all your questions!
Definition of disease. Causes of the disease
Hypochondriacal disorder(F45.2) according to ICD 10 revision, is included in the structure of somatoform disorders (F45) and is currently a "headache" for both the doctor and his patient. After numerous examinations and examinations, the patient thinks that he has an incurable disease, that no one can help him, which, in turn, can lead to a deterioration in the patient's mental health or, in the worst case, an attempt to harm his health. The most important feature in hypochondria is the patient's persistent concern about the possibility of having a serious, progressive disease or several diseases. The patient presents persistent somatic complaints or shows persistent anxiety about their occurrence.
The problem of somatoform disorders (which includes hypochondriacal disorder) is currently very acute, and this problem affects not only psychiatrists, but also doctors of almost all specialties, from polyclinic doctors to narrow-profile specialists such as surgeons, gynecologists and etc.
Hypochondria has been known for a long time. At the time of Hippocrates, it was believed that this ailment is associated with diseases of the internal organs, which were below the ribs. And in the Middle Ages, hypochondria was considered to be hysteria among men. After a while, it was believed that hypochondria was a simulation of people who shied away from work.
At the moment, there is no substantiation of the causes of the occurrence of hypochondriacal syndrome. Many theories have been proposed for the formation of this disease. Some scientists consider this to be a sharpening of the personality in their condition. Such adequate reactions of our body, such as pain or discomfort, are perceived by the patient as something foreign and interpreted as abnormal phenomena occurring in the body. In turn, some psychologists believe that the problem of hypochondria originates in family relationships. Those parents who were overly worried and watched over the health of their child formed fear for their health in him. The patient began to observe himself and his condition more closely, which, possibly, leads to the formation of the hypochondriac syndrome. There is also a theory that hypochondria is a pathological sharpening of the instinct for self-preservation.
If you find similar symptoms, consult your doctor. Do not self-medicate - it is dangerous to your health!
Hypochondriacal disorder symptoms
It is not difficult for a psychiatrist to diagnose hypochondriacal disorder. Often such patients are very emotional when presenting their complaints, colorfully describe this or that symptom. Moreover, complaints can range from minor symptoms, such as pain in a certain place or a feeling of discomfort in one or more anatomical regions of the body, to the clinical picture of a specific disease. Complaints can concern almost all organs and systems. These are mainly the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Those adequate processes that occur in the body are interpreted as symptoms of the disease.
Patients with hypochondria complain of various paresthesias: crawling creeps, tingling or numbness. There may also be complaints of cardiac pain or various myalgias. It should be noted that patients are often convinced that they have some kind of infectious disease. These can be sexually transmitted infections (for example, HIV, hepatitis), an ordinary cough can suggest tuberculosis. People with hypochondriacal disorder often have increased oncological alertness. They begin to closely monitor their body and interpret the slightest changes as an oncological disease. Sometimes, when a patient presents complaints to a doctor, they may not fit into the clinical picture of a particular disease, thereby confusing the specialist. A long process of examining the patient begins, which can lead to overdiagnosis, without bringing any result. Then the patients may get the impression that the doctor who treats him is not able to help him, or he has a very rare disease that cannot be diagnosed and treated. The patient begins to withdraw into himself, may believe that no one cares about him, consider others insensitive to his condition. This further aggravates the patient's condition, which can lead to various complications of his mental state.
Pathogenesis of hypochondriacal disorder
The pathogenesis of hypochondriacal disorder is still not fully understood. There are many hypotheses and opinions on this issue. His hypothesis of pathogenesis was proposed by Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences. Department of Psychiatry FPK and teaching staff of the Novosibirsk State Medical Academy, Krasilnikov Gennady Timofeevich. In one of his works, he showed that there are two aspects at the heart of the hypochondriacal condition. These are neurophysiological factors (somatogenesis) and psychological and socio-psychological factors (psychogenesis). If the pathogenesis of hypochondriacal disorder is considered from the side of somatogenesis, then one can come to the conclusion about the pathology of the analysis of interoception. Krasilnikov suggests that the sensation of one's body in a person is due to an enormous flow of information from interoreceptors (receptors from internal organs), which closes below the threshold of consciousness, and thereby creates an integrative bodily well-being. Autonomic autonomic processes based on information from proprio- and viscero-receptors usually take place outside of conscious control. In particular, our consciousness is focused on signals from exteroreceptors that form the information base for external activity. Violation of interoceptive signaling can occur at various levels: receptor, hypothalamic, cortical. Therefore, various mechanisms are likely to cause the pathology of self-perception. Consequently, everything that increases the activity of interoception and lowers the threshold of its conscious perception creates a neurophysiological basis for hypochondriacal symptom formation, for example, overwork, somatogenic asthenia, vegetative-vascular dystonia, etc.
The psychogenesis of hypochondria can be understood from the fact that a person can feel sick not only from disorders of the gastrointestinal tract or other bodily disorders, but also from troubles at work, material losses, sexual failures, etc.
The involvement of the psychological factor can be ambiguous and multifaceted. In neurosology, hypochondriacal response is recognized as one of the mechanisms of secondary neurotic protection of the individual. The defensive implication is that seeking recognition of illness and treatment mitigates primary pointless fear and anxiety caused by unconscious (repressed) intrapsychic conflict. In addition, the hypochondriacal symptom complex brings relief by the fact that with the acceptance of the role of the patient, the person is, as it were, transferred to childhood, and this role relieves from many unpleasant daily duties and imposes obligations on others in providing attention and care.
Classification and stages of development of hypochondriacal disorder
Allocate three types of hypochondriacal disorder:
- obsessive hypochondria;
- overvalued hypochondria;
- delusional hypochondria.
Obsessive hypochondria is a mild form, it is not as malignant and, unlike other types, can be easily treated. The reasons for its occurrence can be different. This is some kind of stressful experience or strong impression. For example, after reading medical literature or a medical television program. Often it occurs in medical students and is called "third-year disease" - this is the name of the worries about their health among young students who are just beginning to get acquainted with clinical disciplines.
Overvalued hypochondria is much more difficult and difficult to treat. With her, the patient begins to make many efforts to maintain his health. These are unjustified medical examinations, constant visits to doctors of various specialties. Patients begin to self-medicate, which in turn can lead to disastrous consequences. Often, hypochondriacal individuals become victims of scammers who deceive them by offering drugs specifically for their disease. Overvalued hypochondria, unlike delusional hypochondria, is logically correct and occurs without other psychotic symptoms.
Delusional hypochondria is a very severe form of hypochondriacal disorder and requires immediate assistance to the patient in a psychiatric hospital. This form is based on a pathological inference, when the patient begins to express ridiculous, and sometimes fantastic explanations of his health. For example, patients may express delusional ideas about the deterioration of their health by the fact that a person looked at him “somehow wrong”, or believe that he contracted HIV infection from the touch of a stranger. Delusional hypochondriasis is practically not amenable to dissuasion and is often found in the structure of diseases of the schizophrenic spectrum. The danger of this form lies in the fact that the patient may attempt suicide or a heteroaggressive act because of his condition.
Complications of hypochondriacal disorder
Constant concern about your condition and the endless passage of various medical procedures can lead to a significant deterioration in both mental and somatic health. A patient against the background of his condition may develop depression, which, in turn, will only aggravate hypochondria. A depressive state can lead to the fact that the patient will believe that no one is able to help him, he will soon die. Fear and anxiety will follow him throughout his illness. This can lead to the formation of persistent personality disorder - avoidant or obsessive-compulsive.
Also, a complication can be considered a violation of social communication. Deterioration of relations with colleagues is possible. Very often, such patients have quarrels and deteriorate relationships with loved ones. Hypochondriacs actively ask for help from their relatives, they believe that no one understands them and does not want to help them. This can lead to the breakdown of the family, which will further aggravate the patient's condition. They can be irritable and angry with other people.
The risk of developing alcoholism and drug addiction increases. The hypochondriac begins to use alcohol and drugs to distract from his condition. Alcoholism and drug addiction will only aggravate the patient's situation. In severe cases, the patient can commit suicide, as he cannot cope with his condition.
Diagnosis of hypochondriacal disorder
The diagnosis is made on the basis of complaints and exclusion of somatic pathology. First, the patient undergoes many specialists, it may be a specialist of one specialty, if a person suffering from hypochondria complains about the pathology of only one system, or maybe a different profile of doctors of different specialties. Various diagnostic procedures and collection of analyzes are prescribed. Patients undergo a thorough examination, it can be ultrasound of various organs, MRI diagnostics of organs and systems. Patients who believe they have cancer undergo PET imaging, which is time consuming and expensive. After excluding somatic pathology, the patient is referred to a psychiatrist who conducts differential diagnostics, excluding depression and anxiety disorders, somatoform disorder, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
Hypochondria in modern psychiatry is considered not as a separate disease, but as a symptom complex. For a diagnosis of hypochondriacal disorder, there must be a combination of the following criteria:
It is rather difficult for non-psychiatric doctors, and for ordinary people, to communicate with patients with hypochondriacal disorder, so we must not forget that it is very difficult to try to dissuade a person suffering from hypochondria. The hypochondriac will try to convince his interlocutor of the opposite, giving many different arguments in defense of his illness. We must not forget that the hypochondriac himself always suffers from his illness, so it is worth listening to such a person, but no more than 20 minutes, since the patient can delve into his illness during a conversation, which will lead to a worsening of his condition. It is best to distract the hypochondriac in some acceptable way.
Hypochondriacal disorder treatment
Treatment of patients with hypochondriacal disorder is usually complex and involves psychotherapy and drug treatment. Treatment can be both outpatient and inpatient. With delusional hypochondria and attempted suicide, urgent treatment is required in a psychiatric hospital. Obsessive hypochondria usually involves outpatient and psychotherapeutic treatment. Thanks to psychotherapy, it is possible not only to find out the cause of the disorder, but also to influence the psychological attitudes of the patient. Individual psychotherapy is often ineffective, priority is given to group psychotherapy, as it helps the patient to receive social support. Methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypno-suggestive psychotherapy have also proven themselves well. These techniques were widely used in the 20th century by psychotherapists in the treatment of hypochondriacal disorder.
In addition, many doctors nowadays prefer medication. In a mild form of hypochondriacal disorder, drugs are prescribed to relieve anxiety and fear. Mostly, tranquilizers or antidepressants with anti-anxiety effects are prescribed. If hypochondria is complicated by depression, then antidepressants are immediately prescribed along with tranquilizers. Tranquilizers in this case play the role of a "benzodiazepine bridge", which helps to remove anxiety and fear until the moment antidepressants begin to work. In more complex cases, it is advisable to prescribe also small antipsychotics, for example, alimemazine or sulpiride, which do not give strong side effects, such as neuroleptic extrapyramidal disorders. With delusional hypochondria, which may be accompanied by hallucinations, a course of treatment with neuroleptics in a psychiatric hospital is indicated.
Forecast. Prophylaxis
Hypochondriacal disorder is not an incurable diagnosis, and with timely treatment, the disease can be cured. In rare cases, the disease leads to a severe deterioration in mental and somatic health - sometimes hypochondriacal conditions are characterized by a tendency to protracted course and therapeutic resistance. In especially insecure individuals, hypochondriacal states can continue throughout their lives. If a hypochondriacal person finds his place in some area of life and gains self-confidence, then hypochondriacal attitudes can be reduced. Predictors of a good prognosis are: acute onset, young age, the absence of organic pathology, the simultaneous presence of anxiety and depression in the structure of the syndrome, and the absence of personality disorder. At a later age, hypochondriacal disorders prevail in the symptomatology of neuroses and psychogenic reactions, often associated with depressive disorders and organic brain disorders. Currently, no effective prevention of hypochondriacal disorder has been invented in the world. Nevertheless, many experts say that a pleasant psychological environment in the family and at work, good relationships with loved ones and society can reduce the manifestation of symptoms of the disease and not aggravate the condition.
How to eat a one-year-old child: useful tips
The child's diet from one to three years: what and how many times to feed the child
What to cook for a child for dinner Prepare for a child for dinner 3
Turkey soup for a child - features and preparation procedure
Kindergarten cheese and carrot salad Carrot with apple for children