The main signs of hypochondria and its impact on life principles, relationships. Causes of occurrence and criteria for making a diagnosis. Treatment of hypochondriacal disorder. Hypochondria is a mental disorder that manifests itself as an irrational, inexplicable fear of getting sick. It is characterized by a special type of interpretation of one's own feelings and symptoms, the inability to change one's opinion about the disease, even after the results of laboratory and instrumental research methods.
Description and mechanism of development of hypochondria
Hypochondria disease can be observed as a separate nosology, and as part of the symptomatology in the structure of another disease. The belief in the presence of an incurable serious illness does not lend itself to correction or criticism.
Most often, hypochondriacs complain about the presence of malignant tumors, severe incurable ailments of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and various infections. They find symptoms of HIV infection, syphilis and other serious sexually transmitted ailments.
Statistics indicate a significant prevalence of hypochondria as a mental disorder. According to various studies, the frequency indicator ranges from 3 to 14%. A third of all visits to a doctor are an exaggeration of the severity of symptoms, and the disease is not confirmed by modern research methods.
The mechanism of development of hypochondriacal experiences, like all neuroses, begins with personal inclinations. Usually, this disease is observed in suspicious and anxious people. They stand out for their indecision, tendency to form obsessions. So, gradually developing, the symptom can turn into a disease.
Hypochondria can proceed in two directions:
- Sensohypochondria … It starts with an unpleasant, unusual sensation or pain. Such people are diligently looking for a way to recover, experience all existing methods of therapy and periodically consult a doctor. They keep talking about their symptoms and are desperate for help.
- Ideohypochondria … It usually starts with the thought that there is a huge possibility of illness. A person with this idea is convinced that he needs to go through all possible studies, constantly turns to diagnostic centers for help, uses all methods, even the most expensive ones. The guess that he has a disease, but cannot be found, becomes dominant and overshadows any other experiences.
The main causes of hypochondria
Hypochondria is a multifactorial disease, that is, there are several causes that together can cause a hypochondriacal condition. As a syndrome, it can develop in many mental illnesses, but as a separate disorder it is much less common.
The opinion about an exclusively neurotic root cause of hypochondria is considered erroneous. Similar symptoms are often psychoactive or organic in origin. At the same time, such experiences become a priority, leaving no room for alternative solutions and opinions.
Often hypochondria is observed in psychosis of various origins, brain diseases. Even melancholy can manifest itself with such symptoms and expressed fears of getting sick with something incurable. For schizophrenia, hypochondriacal ideas are much more extensive, sometimes bordering on absurdity.
The triggering factor for this syndrome is often a traumatic situation. Stress can vary in intensity, because everyone has their own threshold for responding to such events. Sometimes the cause of hypochondria is a serious illness of friends or relatives. Such an event is shocking and almost completely takes over the thoughts, which is why so often after the illness of other people, you can feel similar symptoms in yourself.
If a person in childhood or adolescence suffered a serious somatic illness, which was accompanied by fears of parents and loved ones about a successful recovery, and even a lethal outcome was possible, in the future this can affect the development of hypochondria. There is a fear that the old disease has not passed, but is left to return with renewed vigor.
Symptoms of hypochondria in humans
Signs of this disorder can manifest itself as an increased caring and caring attitude towards your body and physical condition. People usually constantly observe themselves, control their diet and sensations after each meal. They know exactly when they had unpleasant or even painful symptoms, they can name exactly what they were doing at that moment.
Symptoms of hypochondria that may indicate this disorder:
- Obsessions … Some psychiatrists identify a whole form of obsessive hypochondria, which is characterized by general concern and anxiety. A person expects the manifestation of some terrible disease, but at the same time does not feel the symptoms. He begins to take the necessary measures that are aimed at minimizing the chances of getting sick: does not go outside, avoids other people, controls blood pressure, pulse, remembers or records data about his health. Such people can keep diaries of their condition, and then clearly demonstrate them to doctors.
- Overvalued ideas … They are very similar to the previous ones, but differ in the specificity and direction of human actions. Such ideas are concentrated around a single disease or infection, the signs of which the patient studies inside and out. Any discomfort or unusual sensation is regarded as evidence in favor of his beliefs. The overvalue is manifested in the fact that, according to the hypochondriac, there is no more important and relevant occupation than worrying about this disease. The same answer is required from the attending physician.
- Crazy ideas … In this case, the "imaginary disease" develops from the conclusions of the patient, who explains it in the most illogical ways. This symptom characterizes the most severe hypochondria, it often indicates belonging to the schizophrenic spectrum. The most common idea is that there is a "chip" in the head that can cause brain cancer. There is often talk of exposure to radioactive rays from a government or other secret organization that is developing a terrible disease.
The unpleasant sensations that occur with hypochondria are called senestopathies (squelching, clattering, twisting, burning, swelling, hesitation, squeezing). They do not have any physiological aspects and develop exclusively as a mental symptom. Such signs do not have a specific localization or periodicity, but complicate a person's life, cause significant discomfort, and he does not know how to cope with hypochondria.
Some people take to heart the possibility of dying even in the absence of indicative symptoms and try in every possible way to prove it to doctors or other health workers. Such people are demanding about their condition and constantly try to get maximum attention from the outside.
Among the entire list of diagnostic procedures, they carefully consider each item in order to reliably determine the disease, or rather to convey to others that they were right. For any, even functional changes in the results of laboratory studies or instrumental diagnostic methods, they cling to it as if this is direct evidence of their correctness and the presence of a serious illness.
Hypochondriacs often change doctors, because they do not agree with their decision and refusal to treat a disease that does not actually exist. They beat the doorsteps of specialized and general specialists, even turn to non-traditional methods of treatment. But, unfortunately, for such a patient, any help will be insufficient and biased.
Often they themselves take the drugs available in the pharmacy, choosing the strongest and most effective. When used, such pharmacological agents can cause a number of side effects. They can be regarded as the first manifestations of the "imaginary disease" that a person invented for himself.
Moreover, constant emotional experiences are able to cause disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and really lead to any diseases. The vicious circle is narrowing more and more, and with an imaginary illness turns into a real one.
Advertising or other popularization methods can have a particular impact. Having seen at least once on TV a detailed description of the disease, a suspicious person will immediately begin to feel similar symptoms in himself, notice changes in his body and gradually convince himself of the presence of such a disease.
The Internet is of great importance in the modern technological world, where you can find suitable symptoms online and combine them into one disease. Here you can even find people with similar signs, communicate with them and, possibly, find something similar in yourself. This is how hypochondriacs work.
Features of the treatment of hypochondria
Hypochondriacal manifestations may indicate the presence of severe mental illnesses, therefore, their timely diagnosis allows you to immediately begin treatment and achieve better results than in neglected options.
Support for family and friends
Difficulties in the treatment of this syndrome or disorder are mainly related to the fact that the corresponding somatic pathology should be turned off before the diagnosis is made. Many hypochondriacs belong to the category of those who are ill for a long time, they have been taking drugs that they absolutely do not need for years, because they do not know how to deal with hypochondria. Against this background, it is quite possible to detect manifestations of side effects.
It is very difficult to convince such a person that he does not have an "imaginary disease", and to assure that this is a mental disorder that can be corrected is even more difficult. Attempts to prove him wrong can often provoke conflicts and scandals.
The very first factor in helping people with hypochondria is the comprehensive support of family and friends. It is important to maintain a balance in this, so as not to turn empathy into overprotectiveness. In some cases, experiences that relate to the presence of the disease can develop as a result of an extremely reverent attitude towards the child in childhood.
If small symptoms of a cold in a baby caused anxiety and sympathy of all relatives, then in adulthood such a person, feeling all the signs of his "imaginary illness", needs even more sympathy and help from the outside.
And vice versa, if the child's needs and the presence of symptoms of the disease were treated rather indifferently, they did not take these signs seriously, it is quite possible that, having already become an adult, he will want to draw attention to himself and finally get the necessary share of sympathy.
Psychologist's advice
An important aspect of helping a person with hypochondria is the correct attitude towards him and his illness from relatives and friends. Support and socialization will help relieve the severity of manifestations, adapt it to a normal way of life without fear.
To provide support for such people, you should know the basic principles of interaction, as well as have an idea of how to treat hypochondria:
- Awareness … It is important to understand that non-existent symptoms and illness are not a fantasy of a sick person, but quite real sensations for him that complicate his life, interfere with work and satisfy his needs.
- Talk … Hypochondriacs come to the doctor not so much for treatment as for the opportunity to speak out, to tell someone that they feel bad. Such people should always be listened to, but not necessarily agree with their opinions. There is no need to argue, since opponents have a bunch of solid evidence, they study their illness carefully and accurately.
- Work … Household chores are a significant distraction for a hypochondriac, especially when working outdoors. It is useful to work collectively, where there is an opportunity to communicate.
- Rebuttal … It is impossible to deny the symptoms that the hypochondriac presents. You should take them and suggest visiting a psychologist or psychotherapist so that they can help relieve the constant tension and other symptoms that cause this disease.
- Promoting … Relatives and friends need to persuade a patient with hypochondria to consult a psychiatrist. It is important to understand that the presence of this mental disorder requires qualified medical attention.
Psychotherapy
Treatment of hypochondria can be limited to specific psychotherapeutic training, and they can also be an addition to the main methods. Each type of psychotherapy is selected individually, taking into account the characterological characteristics of each person.
Several methods are used to correct hypochondria:
- Individual psychotherapy … It is built on mutual trust between the doctor and the patient and is suitable for those who can talk about their experiences only to a narrow circle of people. A new model of behavior and response to the symptoms of the disease is created, which the patient will adhere to.
- Family psychotherapy … In this case, the whole family is considered a specialist patient. The technique is aimed at correcting interpersonal interactions, in-depth analysis of family relationships that could provoke hypochondriacal symptoms.
- Group psychotherapy … Sometimes it is easier for patients to communicate with those who are experiencing similar changes with themselves. Having the opportunity to share makes it easier for a person, and listening to the stories of others, you can look at yourself from the outside.
- Suggestive therapy … This technique is based on the targeted impact of the psychotherapist on the human psyche, which can change the current attitudes and behavior patterns. A variation of this method is hypnosis.
Pharmacotherapy
Drug treatment is prescribed in cases where other methods are not effective enough or the manifestations are so serious that they create difficulties in the patient's real life. Hypochondria, which is a symptom of a broader mental illness, is corrected with drugs.
It is important to remember that prescribing medications can affect a person's condition as the very fact of recognizing any disease in him. Some patients may abuse medications, thereby putting themselves in danger. Others will refuse to take drugs, since they consider the disease incurable, and therefore there is no point in being treated. Therefore, it is important to monitor the timely intake of medicines and the dynamics of the patient's mental state.
For the pharmacological correction of hypochondria, several groups of psychotropic drugs are used. The choice of a specific remedy should be made by a psychiatrist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the personality and manifestations of the disorder. Let's consider them in more detail:
- Antidepressants … This category of drugs is used to eliminate the symptoms of fear of death, serious illness. Some drugs in this group are able to reduce anxiety and can bring long-awaited peace of mind to a person who constantly fears fatal consequences.
- Antipsychotics (antipsychotics) … These medicines are used to change productive symptoms in the form of delusions or senestopathies. Used as a correction for hypochondriacal manifestations of the schizophrenic spectrum.
- Normotimics … This group of drugs is called mood correctors. They are able to align the constantly fluctuating emotional reactions of a person who is convinced of his illness, improve well-being and return a positive perception.
Important! The selection of the dosage of pharmacological agents should be dealt with exclusively by a psychiatrist. Self-medication can have negative consequences. How to treat hypochondria - watch the video:
If the above symptoms appear, you should consult a psychologist or psychiatrist who knows how to get rid of hypochondria.
