Hypochondria - a neurological pathology or a psychological disorder? Hypochondria.

It is common for every person to care about their health. The most important thing is healthy physical body which allows a person to function fully. However extreme concern about one's own health is hypochondria. It has clear symptoms and clear causes. Treatment sometimes becomes mandatory.

Hypochondria is classified as a neurotic disorder in which a person is overly concerned about his health. This can often be seen in older people who take care of their health every now and then. It’s one thing when a person is really sick and undergoes treatment real illness. Another thing is when a person is worried that he might get sick, he is already sick, but the symptoms do not appear, he constantly visits various doctors and demands that they treat him.

A hypochondriac is overly concerned about his own health, the functioning of some organ or mental abilities. His constant companions are anxiety and... To identify hypochondria, you need to be diagnosed by a psychologist. You may also need to consult a therapist to rule out the presence of real illnesses, and a psychiatrist to identify or rule out mental disorders.

Hypochondria is becoming common among many modern people, since the cult of health, youth and beauty is thriving today. Information comes from everywhere about epidemics, various diseases, factors that make a person sick. Doctors are getting involved in all this, who, wanting to make money, make false or ridiculous diagnoses for patients so that they can be treated.

A person must take care of his health. However, when it reaches the point of absurdity and obsession, then it significantly interferes with life. If you need preliminary consultation or assistance, you can contact specialists on the website psychological assistance website.

What is hypochondria?

Hypochondria has two main concepts:

A sad and dreary attitude towards life.
An obsessive idea that a person has a serious or incurable disease. In this case, the person is not actually sick, but suffers from mental disorders.

Quite often a hypochondriac is suspicious person. The disorder in question is classified as a disease that requires treatment. In a state of hypochondriacal disorder, a person perceives his own sensations as abnormal and painful. He perceives everything in the body as a sign of the presence of some kind of disease. Moreover, a hypochondriac can accurately name which disease he is suffering from. He is so convinced of the correctness of his assumptions that no evidence can refute it.

People prone to hypochondria are those who exhibit:

Suspiciousness.
Depression.
Anxiety.

A person believes so much that he is sick that soon he actually begins to develop various diseases. Doctors note that hypochondria can be cured, that is, if you want to eliminate the mental disorder, you can get the desired result.

In relation to what systems do hypochondriacs often think that they are ill?

Brain.
Genital organs. This is especially true for HIV disease.
Heart.

Hypochondria significantly affects a person's life. From the moment the disease appears, a person stops thinking about anything except how to confirm his illness and get cured. Personal, professional and educational areas suffer. Health may even suffer due to the fact that a person begins to self-medicate various medications that will harm him.

Hypochondria is called the fear of getting sick. A person is so fixated on his own feelings that any of them seems to be a harbinger of illness. All diagnostic refutations given by doctors are ignored by the patient. He continues to look for those doctors who will treat him.

Causes of hypochondria

It is impossible to give clear answers for what reasons hypochondria develops. First of all, there is damage to the cerebral cortex, which incorrectly perceives sensations that arise in the human body. According to his feelings, the individual actually experiences pain, burning and other symptoms that are inherent in various diseases.

An important reason for the development of hypochondria is the influence of drugs mass media. Suspicious and suggestible people often succumb to various propaganda, as well as alarming news. During an epidemic that may be talked about in the news, a person will focus on his own feelings. Any sneeze or mild nasal congestion will be perceived as a harbinger of developing flu or bronchitis.

Hypochondriacs are known to all doctors of clinics and hospitals near which they live. The person is constantly undergoing examinations. This disorder affects medical students, adolescents and the elderly:

Constantly studying various diseases, a student may notice certain symptoms. This soon turns into obsessive thoughts.
Elderly people care about nothing more than their own health. They treat what they really have, as well as what they think they have. Any sensations are perceived as painful signs, indicating various diseases.
Teenagers are more suggestible. They can care not only about their health, but also about the beauty of their body.

Hypochondriacs are often well-read people. The main literature and programs they watch are on medical topics. How do researchers explain the development of hypochondria?

Some associate it with feelings of anger, irritation, addiction, depression and low self-esteem.
Others attribute this to increased pain sensitivity, which provokes thoughts about the presence of illness.
Still others point to the desire of hypochondriacs to receive social support.

Phobias, depression and stress also affect a person’s condition. Hypochondria can be the result of a serious illness, when a person was really on the verge of death. After this he feels constant feeling fear of getting sick again.

Parental education also affects the development of the disease. If the parents were constantly concerned about the child’s health, then he learns to constantly monitor his own feelings and attribute them to various diseases.

How does hypochondria manifest?

Hypochondria has clear symptoms by which it manifests itself in a person. Sometimes everyone begins to think that he is seriously ill, which causes anxiety. However, real hypochondriacs are constantly concerned about their health. They can be identified by the following signs:

Feelings of fear and concern.
It is impossible to convince a person by providing evidence of his health.
Somatic symptoms in the form heavy sweating, palpitations, holding your breath.

Hypochondria manifests itself in 3 forms:

An obsessive form that manifests itself in:

Suspiciousness.
Health concerns.
Anxiety.
Constant monitoring and analysis of all processes that occur in the body.
Coming up with a terrible diagnosis for yourself.
Panic if the disease does not show any symptoms, because the thought of worst case scenario developments of events.
The occurrence of hypochondria after viewing an advertisement or ambiguity in the doctor’s words.

The overvalued form manifests itself in:

Acute reaction to discomfort or physical defects.
Exaggerating the significance of any symptom or disease.
Resorting to diets, hardening, dietary supplements, medications, vitamins.
Constantly arguing with doctors who, it seems to them, are treating them incorrectly.
Possible development of psychopathy or schizophrenia.

, which manifests itself in:

Belief that you have a serious illness.
Ignoring the arguments of doctors who say that the person is healthy.
Possible suicide, depression.

Hypochondriacs are often confused with whiners, who are also mild form show melancholy, melancholy, sadness and empty suffering. How to distinguish a whiner from a hypochondriac?

A whiner doesn't have to feel bad to want attention. As soon as he is assigned diagnostic procedures, he immediately recovers. However, after some time he falls ill again. The hypochondriac actually experiences suffering, fear of death, and helplessness. He longs to be treated.

How to diagnose hypochondria?

Hypochondria is diagnosed by exclusion. If the patient speaks about the presence of diseases, then all diagnostic procedures are prescribed that confirm or refute this disease. This:

X-ray.
Analysis of stool or urine.
Blood test. Etc.

If the presence of hypochondria and the absence of any disease is confirmed, then the patient is referred to a neuropsychiatrist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist. However, this is often done by relatives and friends, and not by the hypochondriacs themselves.

How to treat hypochondria?

The physiological cause of hypochondria is treated with medication only by doctors. They normalize the connection between sensations and their perception by the brain. Also treatment is underway parts of the brain that are responsible for sensory perception.

A mild form of hypochondria can be eliminated by admitting that you have a problem. You should not be afraid of diseases. You need to trust doctors. And also have a reasoned approach to solving various issues.

If hypochondria is accompanied neurotic conditions, then tranquilizers and antipsychotics are prescribed. Among the antidepressants prescribed are Trazodone, Amitriptyline, Sertraline, Fluoxetine, Clomipramine.

You should also stop watching various programs on medical topic and advertisements that talk about diseases. You should stop beating yourself up. The help of loved ones is also important, who will support a person in his desire to be healthy, but only on the basis of well-founded arguments.

Bottom line

Hypochondria does not help, but hinders a person’s life. The constant race for health leads to obsessions and actions. The outcome depends on how often a person thinks about his health and whether he accepts the evidence from doctors.

There are two extremes: some ignore their illnesses, not wanting to go to the doctors, others, on the contrary, invent illnesses for themselves, “terrorizing” them with visits to doctors. In both cases, a person harms himself if he does not receive proper treatment and help. Self-treatment here it may be ineffective, since a person is subordinate to his emotions and ideas.

Hypochondria and its features manifest themselves in the fact that a person is fixated on health and considers himself sick, contrary to the conclusions of doctors.

People tend to worry about their health. None of us wants to get sick, and if the disease could not be avoided, we strive to get better quickly. However, there are people who worry too much about their well-being and constantly complain about feeling unwell without visible reasons. In everyday life, it is customary to call such a person a hypochondriac, and attribute his whining to personality traits or upbringing. However, with medical point hypochondria is a diagnosis.

How to distinguish healthy anxiety about your health from a mental disorder, and how to help a person cope with it?

This disease represents a person’s unreasonable concern about his or her physical health. A hypochondriac is persecuted because he has a serious incurable disease. Based on information from special medical literature or the Internet, a person looks for manifestations of one or more diseases and adjusts his feelings to their symptoms and signs. For example, he believes that his headache caused by a brain tumor.

Such people can vividly describe the signs of “their” serious illness (diseases of internal organs, cancer, HIV), but upon examination no evidence of this is found. As a result, many hypochondriacs begin to sue doctors and hospitals, trying to prove that they are being treated incorrectly. Others perceive the doctor’s attempts to dissuade them as the powerlessness of medicine against their “incurable illness.”

Hypochondria is a somatoform disorder. This means that it is reversible and psychosomatic. Thus, under the influence of self-hypnosis, the body really begins to malfunction.

Men and women are susceptible to this disorder equally. Often, hypochondriacs are teenagers with an unstable psyche or older people: suspicious and easily suggestible people. Childhood experiences predispose to the development of this disorder. serious illnesses; physical or mental violence; lack of self-confidence and tendency to depression; serious illness loved one; stinginess in expressing emotions; hereditary tendency to neuroses. The disorder can be caused by severe stress.

Hypochondria can be an independent disorder, observed at the onset of schizophrenia, or accompany an exacerbation of psychopathy. It is believed that the appearance of hypochondriacal thoughts is caused by disturbances in the functioning of the cerebral cortex or its interaction with internal organs or nervous system.

How to distinguish a patient from a malingerer

Probably, many have encountered people who constantly complain about their well-being. But not all of them are hypochondriacs - there are ordinary whiners and malingerers. Distinctive feature The whiner is that complaining about being unwell is a way to attract attention and get support from others. Usually such people are insecure and need help from loved ones.

Hypochondria and its features cause the sick person to suffer from fear of pain, helplessness and death. His life is focused on his health problems and he would like to be free from his “illnesses”. The following signs indicate a true hypochondriac:

His conversations and thoughts boil down to illness and treatment. A person constantly listens to his body and seems to find new symptoms. This provokes a new attack of anxiety.
He does not trust doctors, fearing that he is being treated incorrectly. Even the results of numerous examinations cannot convince him that he is healthy. But at the same time, he often visits clinics and undergoes repeated examinations.
A person discovers he has severe or incurable disease (pre-infarction state, cancer, HIV, etc.). If he has any health problems, the situation becomes more complicated. Because of constant worry A hypochondriac may experience shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat (symptoms of fear), convulsions, and constipation.
A person considers his depressed mood to be one of the signs of his “terrible illness.”
Hypochondriacs often self-medicate: they take many medications, vitamins and dietary supplements, and come up with diets for themselves.

Since suspicious, indecisive and hysterical people are predisposed to this disorder, they have difficulties in relationships with others. But they also often attribute these difficulties to a non-existent illness.

Reader Questions

18 October 2013, 17:25 Hello. I have a question, my mom for many years I tried to put my relatives in a mental hospital. At first she asked for help, but was refused; a few years later she tried to send her dying grandfather, her father, but again to no avail, and, ultimately, me. And in general, she is very scandalous, indifferent, communicates with me as if I were not there, drank alcohol from 40 to 55 years old, then quit, now she is 62 years old, she is retired, and she is tormented by regular headaches. Can you tell me, maybe she has mental illness?

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How is it treated

If the results of examinations and tests show that there is no reason to worry about physical health, but obsessive anxious thoughts remained, the patient is treated by a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist with the support of the patient’s friends and family.

Treatment includes correcting disorders in the cerebral cortex and establishing correct connections between vegetative department nervous system and cerebral cortex. The patient himself needs to accept his condition, learn to switch to hobbies, positive self-hypnosis formulas, and be distracted by the outside world (nature, people around him, animals).

Hypochondria, which accompanies neurotic disorders, is treated with antipsychotics and tranquilizers. If the disorder is depressive in nature, then antidepressants and anxiolytic drugs are prescribed. An attack of hypochondria in schizophrenia is treated with powerful antipsychotics and often requires hospitalization.

For successful treatment Patients should refrain from watching programs and advertising on medical topics, as well as visiting specialized websites.

Hypochondria is not only a fear of an imaginary disease, but also a somatic-physical disorder. Belongs to the group of strong neuroses.

Hypochondria is manifested by feelings unreasonable fear about one’s own health, belief in the presence of a serious illness. Anxious sensations remain beyond the control of a person who, despite assurances about good condition health, unable to control them.

What worries a hypochondriac

The word "hypochondriac" describes people too concerned about their health. As a rule, it is pronounced with condescension or intolerance. Meanwhile, hypochondria is a disorder from the group of strong neuroses and can be the cause of enormous suffering for people.

Numerous ailments that patients complain about can sometimes change or be of a short-term nature. There are, however, such complaints that are very strong and are fixed in the patient’s consciousness. Hypochondria is one of the proofs of the interaction between the mind and body.

Hypochondriacal neurosis– manifested by confidence in the feeling of pain localized in different parts body, which is not associated with any physical illness. It often happens that hypochondria has the character of an escape into an illness caused by failures or dissatisfaction with life.

This neurotic disorder rarely found alone. He is often accompanied by others mental problems eg depression. Diagnosing hypochondria is quite difficult. This is preceded by a lot of research, which leads to the emergence of a specific vicious circle.

The doctor, in order to find the source of the pain perceived by the patient, recommends detailed studies. As a result, the patient, noting the doctor’s care, is confident that he is, in fact, seriously ill. This behavior leads to the consolidation of hypochondria as an iatrogenic disorder, that is, caused by treatment.

Patients with hypochondria are considered severely ill. Doctors, knowing that they are unable to help people with such neurosis, underestimate their complaints. It also happens that medical staff I'm just tired of constant unfounded complaints. In such a situation, there is a risk of missing some real disease.

Causes of hypochondria

Symptoms of neurosis do not always look the same. Currently, there are many different types of diagnostics: types of neuroses.

When symptoms of neurosis accompanied by hypochondria appear, they speak of hypochondriacal neurosis. A patient with this type of neurosis develops somatic complaints that do not have an organic basis.

Even though doctors claim that the patient is physically healthy, he requires follow-up studies that will provide information about the causes of the disease. It must be added that the discomfort experienced by the patient is not only a figment of his imagination.

The occurrence of hypochondria is influenced by the following factors:

disturbances of perception own body , for example, during puberty and menopause (sometimes body image disturbances are the result of too much concentration on one’s body in childhood);
benefits that arise from the disease– accepting the role of a patient can serve as a shield against failures, as loved ones begin to pay more attention and care: patients, as a rule, are not aware of these mechanisms;
avoidant personality disorder– diseases can be a way of subconscious punishment for mistakes made;
somatic illness.

Hypochondria can worsen both when doctors look too carefully for the cause of the disease, and when they ignore the patient’s problems.

Symptoms of neurosis tend to become more intense when a person is faced with accusations of faking illness.

Symptoms of hypochondria

Symptoms of hypochondriacal neurosis are the following states:

anxiety or fear;
painful symptoms;
excessive interest in the functioning of the body;
feeling of illness.

Hypochondriacs love...

On the one hand, the hypochondriac feels fear of illness, and on the other hand, he has constant feeling that he is sick. He experiences anxiety at the thought of a serious illness. The lack of specific information about what is wrong with him forces the hypochondriac to explain the cause of his illness at any cost. Diagnosis of the disease becomes the goal of any action for him. Sometimes fear of illness has the nature of a phobia, for example, the fear of getting AIDS.

Hypochondriacal diseases appear on short time V different places. It rarely happens that they have a connection with real organ disorders, but the pain can be very severe. The longer the patient does not know the cause of his illness, the more fear he experiences. Then his concentration on his body becomes greater and greater. The patient begins to observe bowel movements, listen to the work of the heart, and also think about what harm the food he eats will cause him.

Treatment of hypochondria

Still unable to install specific causes of hypochondria. It is assumed that it may be the result of diverting attention from the outside world and directing it to one's own body.

Hypochondria can also be an expression of guilt and the need for punishment or an unmet need for love. The causes of hypochondria also include mental shocks in childhood, as a result premature death or serious illness in the family.

The main thing is to distract the patient’s attention from his illness. Through conversation on other topics, the doctor can better understand the patient and possible reasons his illness. Sometimes a thorough physical examination is necessary. Even when patients receive the drugs, some do not use them due to fear of side effects.

Hypochondriacal neurosis is a disease that can cause significant discomfort in the patient's life. He not only experiences painful symptoms, but also does not understand what disease he is suffering from. Hypochondriacs often face misunderstandings environment and doctors.

On the other hand, illness allows them to escape from problems everyday life and effectively evoke the compassion of others. Awareness of the mechanisms that guide the hypochondriac is necessary in order to get out of this disease.

Treatment of hypochondria is hampered by two main things. Firstly, the patient is deeply convinced that illnesses arise due to illness in the body, and therefore does not accept the doctor’s recommendations about the need for psychotherapy or a conversation with a psychiatrist. Secondly, hypochondriacal behavior, although socially unacceptable, may help the patient maintain certain type peace of mind. Attempts to eliminate the causes of his illness are perceived as an attempt to upset this balance.

Expressed effects of hypochondria treatment noted with the use of antidepressants. More often, however, hypochondriacs undergo cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Behavioral therapy suggests that neurotic behavior is conditioned reflex and it must be treated with methods based on learning mechanisms. Therapeutic measures are aimed at developing in the patient new approach to the disease and response to it.

“I probably have gastritis, because something was churning in my stomach. Or maybe not gastritis, but an ulcer? You need to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist!” - something similar comes to the mind of a person suffering from hypochondria. I'm not a psychologist, but a person who has encountered this. And I want to tell you about my observations and how to get rid of hypochondria on your own without psychiatric treatment or pills.

If you are looking for similar information on the Internet, then you are already close to the solution. I don't want to give hypochondria a name like "disease." Let it be a challenge that life throws at you, or at most a frustration, a glitch. The outcome depends on what attitude you have towards her.

What are the symptoms of hypochondria

I would call this an insidious disorder, since the person does not realize that the solution is not in his hands. physical level, but on the emotional, psychological. We have already said a little about the typical image of a hypochondriac, and many may have seen themselves in it.

It is also important to note that the hypochondriac does notice changes on a physical level and is very surprised and annoyed when people say that he is making things up. Main symptom or a sign of hypochondria - these are anxious thoughts about a health condition that are repeated and only get stronger with each repetition, which only worsen the physical and psychological state. A person becomes lethargic, physically weak, nothing motivates him. There is one task in his head - to recover from what is bothering him at that moment. Hypochondria is a journey through painful sensations.

Everything can start out quite harmless and grow into a monster. But at the beginning we cannot assume that this could happen and we enter into an unequal battle. I didn't understand people who could suffer at all psychological disorders. It seemed to me that any despondency or worry about illness could be solved with a snap of the fingers (saying in simple words"to score") But I fell for this one myself mind trick.

With hypochondria you may feel full complex experiences. Physical sensations are intensified by emotional ones. This can all escalate into madness. The main difference between hypochondria and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) is that with OCD a person is afraid of getting sick, but with hypochondria he believes that he is already sick.

If you go from one doctor to another in search of confirmation of your “hypotheses,” but the doctors tell you that you are healthy, then perhaps it’s time to think about it? Hypochondria is what people don't want to admit. They better admit that they have fatal disease than just a mental breakdown and their behavior is unreasonable.

The hypochondriac tries to influence the functioning of the organs with his emotions or behavior. As a result, malfunctions in the body’s functioning occur, which it uses when describing the symptoms of the disease to the doctor. Most often, concerns relate to Gastrointestinal tract, heart, genitals and brain, but there may be other things.

If one of the doctors does not confirm the guesses, then one could stop, but no. A search for a new reason is underway:

perhaps the doctor is not experienced enough;
perhaps the laboratory did the analysis poorly;
Perhaps I have something different and should see a doctor of a different specialty or look for other information on the Internet;
perhaps I chose the wrong strategy, I need to change it;
etc.

Such reasoning can go on forever. So, the main symptoms of hypochondria are:

fear that a person is sick;
continuous search for the cause and solution of the problem;
recurrence of thoughts about illness and physical sensations, which are only getting stronger.

The name of the disorder comes from the ancient Greek ὑποχόνδριον - hypochondrium. It was believed that it was in this area that the painful source of this condition manifested itself. I absolutely agree with this and recommend paying attention to it, but without fanaticism. It may be spasms, heaviness, painful sensations etc.

Over time, a person becomes passive, he has little energy for work. There is no desire to do anything, no desire for the opposite sex, no emotions. If you analyze, a person will understand that he has not experienced joy or laughed for a long time. You could call it depression, but it's psychological exhaustion, since he spends all his energy fighting an invisible and non-existent disease.

Symptoms are very individual and depend on the person. It is important to observe yourself and soberly assess what is happening.

What are the causes of this condition

First of all, people who have prone to anxiety, suspiciousness and depression. I have not met people who simplify everything and do not give in to despondency long time suffering from this condition. Once upon a time we were given a choice and we made a mistake by following our emotions.

Trace your whole life and perhaps you will find a manifestation this state back in childhood. The main reason is, of course, emotions. This is how we relate to what is happening, how we react. Such emotions are also called destructive and the main destructive emotion is fear. It is he who allows hypochondria to grow stronger.

We fear for our health, we are afraid of death, we try to find a solution, we strain our psyche to the limit, which in the end may not be able to withstand it.

Self pity- another reason for this condition. This feeling can live within us or it can be instilled in us.

The habit of controlling everything- is also one of the reasons. You have probably experienced moments of complete harmony and comfort, but when this feeling is lost for some reason, our mind tries to return to this state. You can't control everything, quit this idea. Perhaps it would be easier to give up and learn to feel comfortable in any situation, directing your thoughts in the right direction? As for comfort, it’s better to look at an example. Let’s say you start to feel discomfort in the stomach area, you don’t know what the reason for this is, but you’re already thinking about how to get rid of these discomfort.

Over time, this irritability and lack of understanding of what is happening will increase. We try to control our body, our thoughts, but it only gets worse. Stop controlling or trying to eliminate discomfort in your body with your thoughts.

Irritability is also the reason. A person may be annoyed by the environment in which he is, living conditions, work, situation, and so on. It is the reaction to irritation that forces you to do something. What if this source of irritation appears more and more often?

Just like symptoms, the causes of their appearance are purely individual - there is no big picture. For some it is a reason prolonged depression, some people have a tendency to fear getting sick or becoming infected since childhood. For example, as a child I washed my hands very often, which led to dry skin. I can’t remember exactly what motivated me then, but it seems to me the fear of catching something, and not the desire to make my hands very clean.

The habit of thinking. We may have this habit since childhood. We focus our attention on some past moments, discuss them with ourselves, wind them up, and solve problems. This all takes a lot of energy and slows us down physically. We cannot simply take and let go of the situation, but on the contrary, we cling tightly to it. And sometimes it's better to just take it and let it go.

The meaninglessness of life. This is exactly what it may seem like to you certain moment life. And if this period is long, your attention and thoughts will begin to wander and, perhaps, at some point stop on your own body.

Laziness. The cause of hypochondria can be a condition such as laziness and reluctance to do something. Remember that you can only change your life through action.

Excessive self-obsession. Hypochondria with high probability may manifest itself in a person who is overly focused on his beloved self.

Methods to combat hypochondria

The first step to treating hypochondria is recognizing that you have it. Understanding why it occurs and how it works. But we will move to a moment when you may not know about the existence of hypochondria at all and your head does not even think about the fact that this could happen to you. You really think that you are sick and need to be cured.

It's very simple - consult a doctor. If your fears are justified and the disease is found, simply begin treatment. But there is a possibility that doctors will find some abnormalities and you will breathe a sigh of relief, glad that your “headache” will finally go away. And if after treatment the same familiar state returns, this is a sign that the strategy in your actions needs to be changed.

It is impossible to get rid of hypochondria through efforts of will, a change of environment, work, if you do not realize what is happening to you and how to deal with it. The first thing you need to do is accept that you have this disorder. Knowing that it's just a mind trap and that it's nothing serious and that no one dies from it should be a breath of relief. Wherever we are, we will always carry with us thoughts and attention directed at the functioning of the body. This is what you need to work with in order to get rid of this obsessive state.

You have a choice (we always have it): see a psychiatrist or solve the problem yourself. Personally, taking into account my experience of going to doctors, I decided to rely only on my own strength. No one can know you better than yourself. And therefore no one can help you better than yourself. You are both the doctor and the patient in one person - study yourself.

Realize that you are creating problems for yourself by looking for a problem. Stop looking for the cause of this condition, there is no need to complicate anything. You just got sick somewhere. When this happens for the first time, then of course consult a doctor. But when the diagnosis is “healthy”, then let it go and move on with your life.

Don't feel sorry for yourself. By doing this you are only adding fuel to the fire. Be calm about what is happening. It’s very easy to ruin everything here by giving free rein to some of your emotions.

The best way to deal with this disorder is to not fight. I have failed when I tried to exercise willpower (which is effective only for a certain period of time), control emotions or behavior - any control is ineffective. All methods that involved effort failed. Whatever method I use, on a subconscious level I wanted to get rid of from these unpleasant sensations. The presence of this desire to get away from sensations, to avoid discomfort lies the reason for this seemingly endless cycle of “good-bad”. And it got worse and worse.

What prevents you from forgetting about this condition once and for all? Thoughts and attention that are constantly directed to the functioning of organs. So let's look at methods that can influence these factors.

Meditation

In theory very effective method which helps develop the ability to control attention and thoughts. I practiced meditation for about a week. The feelings changed, but in the end I still came back. I'm not saying that this method is not effective, it just doesn't work for me. It's okay if someone else's working method doesn't work for you.

Set aside 10-15 minutes a day for meditation, preferably in the morning. Accept comfortable position, close your eyes and watch your breathing, turn your inner gaze to the place under your nose where the air enters and exits. This is not esoteric practice, is a practice that has been scientifically proven to have benefits on the brain. Your attention control improves, your willpower increases, and your thoughts become clearer. Don't neglect this method, don't be me.

Here and now

Everyone has heard about this moment “Here and Now,” but few people know how to stay in it. It is also called “living consciously,” which means appreciating every moment of your life, being in the current moment, where there is no future or past. It all sounds cool, but how can you quickly apply it in life? Let’s imagine a person lying on a bed and somewhere from the Internet or a book they say to him: “Be here and now!” What do you think will happen to him? He will remain lying on the sofa and thinking about his imaginary ailments, it seems to me. We will talk about this, but in other articles.

Our task is to divert our attention from internal sensations and stop influencing them. As mentioned above, one of the causes of hypochondria is suspiciousness and the habit of thinking. When we think, we slow down. I remember times when I was active not only on a physical, but also on a mental level. But every year it became slower and slower, as life throws up more and more topics for thought and reflection. Our generation is a generation of thinkers. But this prevents us from truly changing our lives and those around us. When we think, we stop acting - it's very simple. And only the following will help you get out of hypochondria: action- thoughts won’t help here.

You must change your life, and this requires action and the right attitude. Really take your attention away from your inner sensations. interesting activities. Stop looking for the meaning of life. The meaning of life is happiness, and happiness depends only on inner harmony, and not on external circumstances. This inner harmony helps to cope with any circumstances. Living, experiencing this harmony, for me is the moment “here and now”.

As for the way to quickly shift your attention, I can recommend the following: turn your attention and gaze to surrounding objects, but without lingering on them for a long time, and pronounce only the names of the object in your mind. This should give you an understanding of how distraction affects the condition. For example: telephone booth, tram, man in black shoes, etc. The essence this method learn to quickly shift your attention and not linger on something specific. After all, when a person has a state of hypochondria, his attention is directed to one of the parts of the body for a long time.

Perhaps in my case meditation was not so effective because my attention was again directed inside me.

Experiment, feel around weak points in his condition. Use the experience of others and you will succeed. You don’t need to constantly remind yourself of this state, you don’t need to inflate its significance - this gives it strength and, on the contrary, it grows stronger. Make a decision quickly and don’t delay thinking. Remember - thoughts will not get you out of this state.

Sometimes we are too serious. When was the last time you easily let go of a situation without thinking about it from all sides? Look how people live who know how to give up on everything? Do they walk around upset and sullen? No! It's a very subtle skill to score. And we need to learn it too. This doesn't mean you have to give up on everything. But insignificant things that are inflated by our mind and emotions should be forgotten without hesitation. You will definitely remember the moment when you stop caring and just let go of the situation. Don’t be led by reason in everything - it just performs its function and it doesn’t matter that at this moment you may go crazy. No need to believe everything that is thought and felt. Take full responsibility for your life. Notice the moments when you begin to think about how you are feeling again, and turn your attention to something else. Let this be a mental slap in the face to yourself.

The mind loves to give instructions: “Pay attention to this. Pay attention to that." Don’t listen to him in everything, know how to ignore him. It takes practice and understanding of all thought processes.

You don’t need to talk to yourself like you’re a victim, otherwise it will happen. It seems to me that such tests are a great opportunity that is given to a person so that he knows all his weaknesses and becomes better. So cheer up and start changing your life already.

Getting rid of hypochondria is complex work over your personality. Playing sports will not change anything without working on your thoughts and sufficient ability to control your attention. You must muster up the courage and make a clear decision that you will no longer live in this state, that from this moment your life will change, and as soon as this state begins to return, remind you of this. Occupy your attention with interesting things, but do not do it in order to distract yourself from thoughts about your health, as you will keep this idea in your mind. There is no need to lose heart as soon as your thoughts become strong and your body becomes stronger.

The experience of people who experience such a condition or have already forgotten about its existence is interesting. Share your experience, ask questions!

Any person just needs to open medical directory, so that based on the symptoms indicated there, you can find a whole bunch of diseases. But if healthy person will most likely forget about what he read, then the hypochondriac will be sure that he definitely has them, and they need to be treated!

Hypochondria - a sham or a serious illness?

Hypochondria is a mental disorder similar to mania. A person suffering from hypochondria finds and diagnoses his own illnesses, and despite the doctors’ convictions, in their absence, he is always convinced that he is seriously ill.

How to get rid of hypochondria, or have you become a hostage to it or is your relative susceptible to attacks?

First of all, you need to determine the reasons that caused this condition. Usually hypochondriasis is common suspicious people prone to melancholy, highly emotional, neurasthenic. Neurosis can also cause hypochondria. And if you direct all efforts to cure these diseases that can manifest themselves in this way, then the patient himself will feel much better and will forget about his complaints.

Hypochondria can be caused by:

lack of attention to a person, abandonment, and attempts in this way to receive the missing love and care;
suffered injuries, complex diseases and fears that they might return;
a side effect of serious mental disorders.

In any case, telling a hypochondriac that he is healthy and does not need to pretend is useless. Since such attempts will be perceived as “pressure”, “misunderstanding” and lack of sympathy.

Even the most productive treatment for hypochondria may not produce results if the person suffering from it is not inclined to adequately perceive his condition and does not want to overcome it.

How to deal with hypochondria? Should I treat it myself or still see a doctor?

First of all, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination to make sure that you do not have real diseases, and sick condition causes hypochondriacal neurosis.

Suspicious people often do not listen to the advice of their relatives and consider them their enemies, who do not sympathize with them and only want harm to them. Neurosis causes them to have an additional syndrome—suspiciousness. That's why the best option will contact a psychologist and undergo a course of treatment that will help better identify the problem and solve it with the help of experienced specialist. Of course, if the patient still wants to admit it.

An experienced psychologist can, through a confidential conversation, special exercises by self-hypnosis and with the help of hypnosis, bring the patient out of the “hole” into which he drove himself, since permanent state stress caused by neurosis will ultimately lead to real illness.

If hypochondriacal neurosis is aggravated mental disorders, without drug treatment cannot be avoided, and treatment in this case is carried out by a psychiatrist, at home or in a hospital.

Hypochondriacal neurosis. Why is he dangerous?

- not a sentence, but for some reason many people perceive such a person as an ordinary “whiner,” believing that his attribution of numerous illnesses to himself is just a trait of his character. They support them, consider them weak-willed people who need to be taken care of, only aggravating their condition. Thus, many hypochondriacs are captive of their fears and manias for the rest of their lives.

The particular danger of this diagnosis is that a hypochondriac not only diagnoses himself with a disease, but may also begin to uncontrollably take medications that cause serious harm to his health and cause serious illnesses filters of our body - kidneys and liver.

How to help yourself in treating hypochondria?

A passionate person simply does not have time to be sick or complain about anything. Treatment for hypochondria can be carried out independently, if you simply get yourself a favorite pet that will make you happy, or a hobby, express yourself in creativity, do work in the garden, arrange a flower garden under the window, start keeping a diary, or just draw. For women, we can recommend needlework - embroidery, decoupage, making jewelry and similar species creativity. Moreover, today you can easily find something to suit every taste! Spilling out emotions in this direction will help relieve tension, and not waste time looking for new diseases in a medical reference book.

Walking in the park, working out in the gym, and communicating with people of similar interests will help very well with hypochondria. In this way, you can not only treat neurosis, but also improve your physical fitness, improve your mood, and therefore change your life attitudes.

Don’t forget that neurosis, and with it hypochondriacal syndrome, can be caused by too much stress that you have taken on, constant lack of sleep. AND good sleep, and daily routine, will return vigor and strength, and with them the usual chronic fatigue and painful condition.

Write down your daily routine. Try to follow it and take more vitamins. Just smile at yourself every morning in front of the mirror, and you will feel how the world around you is changing!

To prevent life from becoming a series of gray everyday life, in which hypochondriacal syndrome has become its only important part, you need to add more bright colors to it - go to the theater, cinema, and exhibitions. Or even look interesting film throw a party with your friends or loved one. If you are constantly stressed, then the best way would be to do yoga, listen to calm music, and meditate.

Decoctions of soothing herbs also help well: chamomile and mint, motherwort herbs. Echinacea tincture can also be used as a tonic. Introduce - morning dousing with cold water.

All relatives who have a hypochondriac in the family need to create a calm, friendly atmosphere, remove all medical literature and communicate more with him on more abstract topics, support his interests, or try to interest him in new and interesting activities. And most importantly, be patient. Hypochondriacal syndrome- a disease that cannot be overcome in a short time!