Cyberchondria is a growing concern among many healthcare practitioners as patients can now research any and all symptoms of a rare disease, illness or condition, and manifest a state of medical anxiety.
Munchausen's syndrome is a rare psychological and behavioural condition in which somebody fabricates or induces symptoms of illness in themselves. Munchausen's syndrome is named after a German aristocrat, Baron Munchausen, who became famous for telling wild, unbelievable tales about his exploits and past.
Psychologists call this “cyberchondria” for obsessing on investigating health symptoms on the Internet. Think of it as online hypochondria.
Illness anxiety disorder is a chronic mental illness previously known as hypochondria. People with this disorder have a persistent fear that they have a serious or life-threatening illness despite few or no symptoms. Medications and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can help.
While some people's obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) focuses on their health, health anxiety (sometimes called hypochondriasis) is not a form of OCD, and OCD can involve thoughts and anxieties that aren't related to illness.
In addition to paranoia, other personality features were found to be common among patients with hypochondriasis in this study: obsessive compulsive, avoidant, borderline, self-defeating and passive-aggressive.
Being preoccupied with having or getting a serious disease or health condition. Worrying that minor symptoms or body sensations mean you have a serious illness. Being easily alarmed about your health status. Finding little or no reassurance from doctor visits or negative test results.
People with Munchausen Syndrome may be skilled at deceiving medical professionals, while people with hypochondria may be resistant to reassurance and may continue to worry about their health despite medical reassurance.
Do hypochondriacs feel real symptoms? Yes. Hypochondria can trigger symptoms associated with anxiety including: stomachaches, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, muscle tension, fatigue, increased heart rate, sweating, shortness of breath, and a frequent urge to use the bathroom.
Remember that many symptoms of ADHD are also present in other mental health conditions. Hence, only a doctor can truly give you an appropriate medical diagnosis. Self-diagnosis can still point to a wrong condition, and this can only make things worse for you.
“Self-diagnosing is giving people more [of an] ability to advocate for themselves and say, 'No, I think I have this, and this is why,'” Fleming says. “It's giving people a voice within the professional world.” It's also helping to normalize mental health.
Although it's great to be aware of your mental health and actively seek answers, you should not attempt to self diagnose a mental illness. Reaching a diagnosis can be a complex process, especially when you exhibit symptoms associated with numerous mental illnesses.
Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things. “Someone can develop GAD due to their genes.
Teenagers and young adults are increasingly turning to TikTok and Instagram to self-diagnose autism and ADHD. That's according to the British Psychological Society. It's thought that frustration with waiting times for children and adolescent mental health services is making teenagers turn to social media.
Hypochondriasis may occur in an individual who had a childhood illness or had a sibling with a childhood illness. May be related to another psychiatric disorder, such as anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder. Hypochondriasis may develop from, or be a sign of, one of these other disorders.
Anosognosia is a neurological condition in which the patient is unaware of their neurological deficit or psychiatric condition. It is associated with mental illness, dementia, and structural brain lesion, as is seen in right hemisphere stroke patients.
Delusional disorder is a type of mental health condition in which a person can't tell what's real from what's imagined. There are many types, including persecutory, jealous and grandiose types. It's treatable with psychotherapy and medication.
An individual with hypochondriasis is known as a hypochondriac. Hypochondriacs become unduly alarmed about any physical or psychological symptoms they detect, no matter how minor the symptom may be, and are convinced that they have, or are about to be diagnosed with, a serious illness. Hypochondriasis.
Hypochondria is itself a form of mild psychosis. The hypochondriac has a deep and ungrounded worry about having or developing a serious mental illness. Paranoia and suspiciousness are classical traits of psychosis but they can be subtle.
Antidepressants are most commonly prescribed medications for illness anxiety disorder. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are typically the first-choice antidepressants. SSRIs include medications like: Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Virgos are very health conscious and are often called hypochondriacs. Whenever their health is disrupted, they make a big deal out of it. With so much nervous tension, Virgos often suffer from insomnia.
Often narcissistic personalities are vulnerable to hypochondria because they transform their psychological frailty into physical fragility. Narcissistic personalities may fear falling apart physically because they sometimes know that their sense of self can be abruptly shattered.
5 Signs of an Introverted Narcissist: Hypochondria
Hypochondria is when you have abnormal anxiety about your health, especially an irrational fear of suffering from a serious disease. An introverted narcissist often suffers from hypochondria. They use sickness and disease to garner attention.