Hypochondriacal neurosis: symptoms and treatment. Features of diagnosis and treatment of hypochondriacal neurosis

Every person periodically faces various diseases that force him to see a doctor and take medications.

After recovery, he can return to his usual rhythm of life. However, there are people who pay increased attention to their health.

Many of them believe that they suffer from serious diseases that in reality do not exist.

The presence of such symptoms gives grounds to judge the development of hypochondriacal neurosis in a person.

General status information

This term is usually understood as a type of neurosis in which a person pays excessive attention to the state of his health.

In addition, he may have obsessive thoughts about the presence of a serious illness.

Confidence in the development of pathology is most often based on somatic manifestations and physical symptoms that are not signs of a disorder.

Even good test results cannot convince a person that he is healthy. If the diagnosis is not confirmed, the patient believes that true information is being hidden from him and turns to another doctor.

As a result, the hypochondriac develops the belief that he is suffering from an unknown disease. Over time, such a person’s perception of reality may be disrupted.

He is dominated by thoughts about an incurable illness and the fear of death, and therefore constant tests and examinations turn into the meaning of life.

Often people with such neurosis suffer from some disease, but exaggerate its symptoms.

Many people don't take hypochondriacs seriously. However, in reality this is a rather serious violation, because under the influence of constant fear the autonomic system suffers, having a negative impact on the functioning of internal organs.

Causes and risk factors

This disease is more common in women, but sometimes it is diagnosed in men. Most often, hypochondria develops at the age of 30-40 years, and can also occur in pensioners.

The reasons for the development of this disease can be different:

Variants of the course of the disease

Depending on the symptoms, which are usually combined into a number of syndromes, there are the following types of hypochondriacal neurosis:

Obsessive hypochondria. It manifests itself in the form of constant fear for the state of one’s health. Such people are accustomed to analyzing all the processes that occur in their body. A characteristic feature of this disorder is that the person is aware of the excessiveness of his experiences, but cannot get rid of frightening thoughts.
Astheno-hypochondriacal syndrome. This type of disorder is characterized by the patient’s belief that he has a chronic incurable disease. A person may complain of general malaise, weakness, headaches. Such patients are characterized by excessive impressionability and self-doubt.
Depressive-hypochondriacal syndrome. In this case, constant anxiety about the state of one’s health is complemented by overvalued hypochondriacal ideas. This violation is almost impossible to correct. Such people constantly imagine the serious consequences that this or that pathology may entail. This syndrome is characterized by a state of depression and depression, and suicidal intentions may appear.
Senesto-hypochondriacal syndrome. In this case, senestopathic disorders predominate. A person suffering from this disorder is sure that important organs are affected, but during a medical examination no pathologies can be detected. The patient may constantly change doctors in the hope of hearing the correct diagnosis, from his point of view.
Anxiety-hypochondriacal syndrome. This syndrome is a consequence of a nervous system disorder that occurs as a result of stressful situations. A person is afraid of contracting an incurable disease and is in a state of chronic stress.

Symptoms of the disorder

The main symptoms of hypochondriacal neurosis include the following:

A characteristic feature of hypochondriacal neurosis is increased attention to the state of one’s health, and this has no basis.

People suffering from this disorder constantly monitor themselves, attaching importance to the slightest discomfort or minor pain.

As for physical sensations, such patients are characterized by headaches, discomfort in the heart, nausea, fever, and general weakness.

Establishing diagnosis

To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor must listen to the person’s complaints and compare them with the data of an objective examination and tests.

The patient is usually prescribed urine and blood tests and an electrocardiogram.

These studies allow the specialist to draw a conclusion about the general state of health. If necessary, additional studies may be carried out - ultrasound, radiography, consultation with specialists.

If no pathologies can be identified, the person is referred for consultation to a psychotherapist.

Treatment methods for the disorder

The main goal of treatment by a psychotherapist is to direct a person’s perceptions in a positive direction. As a result of lengthy conversations, the patient comes to the conclusion that his fears are absurd.

Treatment of hypochondriacal neurosis must necessarily be comprehensive and take into account the individual characteristics of the person.

The most commonly used methods of psychotherapy are:

analysis of a traumatic situation;
explanatory work - shows a person the real reasons for his illness;
autogenic training – gives good results in case of increased anxiety of the patient;
hypnosis – effective in cases of obsessive fears;
psychoanalytic therapy - makes it possible to detect internal conflicts and complexes of a person.

Medicines may be used to make treatment more effective. Usually the doctor prescribes nootropic drugs; in some cases, tranquilizers may be indicated. A person also needs to take vitamin complexes.

Physiotherapy, reflexology and acupuncture sessions are quite useful.

Hypochondriacal neurosis is a rather complex disorder, which is characterized by the appearance of fears of serious illnesses.

People with this disease are constantly in a state of depression and depression. To cope with this pathology, It is very important to consult a psychotherapist as early as possible who will select effective treatment.

Hypochondriacal neurosis, or simply hypochondria, is a neurotic disorder in which the main symptom is the fear of contracting a dangerous disease. Of course, excessive concern for one’s own health can be one of the characteristics of a healthy personality, so diagnosing hypochondriacal neurosis is not always easy. However, if fear of illness becomes one of the main motivations, we are talking about a disorder of a neurotic level. Moreover, if the picture of the disease is dominated by manifestations of hysteria, then they speak of hysterical neurosis, but if the patient exhibits obsessive thoughts or actions - o.

Hypochondria was first described by Hippocrates, and later the doctor Galen studied it. In those distant times, scientists assumed that hypochondria was associated with the cardiac region. It was believed that all mental disorders in one way or another occur due to pathological processes in the internal organs.

Only at the beginning of the 19th century did doctors establish that hypochondria had no connection with somatic diseases, but belonged to the field of mental health. Already in the twentieth century, hypochondriacal neurosis began to be considered a syndrome accompanying various diseases.

This point of view is shared by many modern scientists. For example, it is believed that hypochondria may be one of the manifestations of hysterical disorder, or a special case of phobic disorder. At the same time, hypochondriacal neurosis is distinguished as a separate disease.

Etiology and pathogenesis

According to statistics, the peak incidence of hypochondriacal neurosis occurs during puberty. Sometimes the first symptoms begin to appear in childhood. Typically, hypochondria is characteristic of suspicious, rather anxious people.

The main factors that can lead to the development of hypochondria are:

overprotection from parents or other significant adults;
severe, dangerous illnesses of relatives that the child has seen: such impressions can traumatize the immature psyche, which leads to the development of neurosis;
psychological trauma associated with the death of loved ones.

The disease can manifest itself not only in adolescence, but also in old age, when people retire. This is due to the fact that a person without a job has a narrower range of interests. Many people have no other way to occupy themselves other than to monitor their own health.

In addition, old people often live alone, and illness allows them to attract the attention of relatives. However, hypochondriacal neurosis should not be confused with malingering. Indeed, with a neurotic disorder, a person does not set himself the goal of manipulating others, but is confident that he is suffering from a terrible disease.

Severe psychological trauma can provoke the development of hypochondria at any age.

Options for the development of the disease

There are usually two types of hypochondria:

In the first case, the disease is caused by the fact that a person is forced to remain under the influence of a traumatic situation for a long time. As a result, increased anxiety and suspiciousness develop. In this case, various disorders of the autonomic nervous system may develop, which are perceived as symptoms of the disease and force them to consult a doctor. Moreover, if no diseases were detected during the examination, fear only grows. This condition can last for years and exhausts the patient, causing him stress, which, in turn, increases vegetative symptoms: the situation begins to develop according to the “vicious circle” principle.
In the second case, psychological trauma leads to the person developing fears of a hypochondriacal nature. At the beginning of the disease, fears arise in the form of separate attacks. However, over time, the patient begins to constantly experience fear of dangerous diseases, as a result of which hypochondriacal neurosis develops.

One of the main signs of hypochondria is the patient’s reluctance to listen to the opinions of doctors. The patient is more likely to decide that his illness is unknown to modern science than to conclude that he is healthy.

Sometimes hypochondria can develop as a result of organic brain damage: in this case, the psychological trauma that “triggers” the neurosis may be absent in the anamnesis.

The main manifestations of hypochondria are the following:

decreased performance;
severe weakness;
loss of desire to do housework;
a feeling of incessant melancholy;
low mood;
sleep disorders;
constant feeling of physical illness;
irritability.

A person suffering from hypochondria carefully monitors himself, attaching great importance to every bodily sensation. There is also often an increased interest in discoveries in the field of medicine and the “works” of traditional healers.

Patients can waste time on endless medical examinations. If doctors manage to detect any abnormalities, the person may calm down for a while, but soon the search for the disease resumes.

People suffering from hypochondria can carefully study the medical literature and “try on” each disease for themselves.

As for somatic symptoms, complaints of headache, heart pain, nausea, and fever are usually noted.

For the treatment of hypochondriacal neurosis it is necessary A complex approach. First of all, you need to work with an experienced psychotherapist who can identify the traumatic situation that provoked the development of neurosis. After this, a treatment plan will be developed.

Every person from time to time develops all sorts of diseases that force him to see doctors and take medications. After recovery, he manages to return to normal life.

However, there are people who are too attentive to their own health. Many of them are sure that they have dangerous pathologies, but in reality they do not.

When such symptoms appear, it can be argued that the person is suffering from hypochondriacal neurosis.

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Description of the pathology

This term refers to a type of neurosis in which the patient pays too much attention to his own health. The patient’s personality characteristics are such that he constantly has obsessive thoughts about the presence of a dangerous disease.

Confidence in this is usually based on somatic or physical symptoms that are not actually signs of pathology. Even normal test results do not give a person confidence that he is absolutely healthy. If the diagnosis cannot be confirmed, the patient is sure that the truth is being hidden from him. Therefore, people with such a disorder often turn to other doctors.

As a result, a person with hypochondriacal neurosis develops a disturbance in the perception of reality. He literally becomes obsessed with thoughts of an incurable disease. Also, such people very often develop a panicky fear of death. That is why they constantly undergo examinations and tests. It literally becomes the meaning of life.

Others often do not take people with this disease seriously. However, in fact, this is a very dangerous disorder, since constant fear leads to malfunctions of the autonomic system, which, in turn, negatively affects the functioning of all organs.

Causes

This pathology occurs in most cases in women. Sometimes it is also detected in men. As a rule, this diagnosis is made at the age of 30-40, but in some cases older people are also susceptible to the disease.

The main factors for the occurrence of pathology include the following:

High suggestibility and excessive suspiciousness	If a person prone to hypochondria hears that a friend has fallen ill, he immediately begins to analyze the state of his health. As a result, he often discovers the same manifestations in himself.
Diseases in childhood	Such pathologies leave an indelible mark on the human psyche. The patient experiences fear that the illness will return again or that he will get sick with something else.
Caring for relatives suffering from serious illnesses	If a person is forced to constantly watch a loved one suffer, he may acquire hypochondriacal neurosis.
Genetic predisposition	If loved ones suffer from hypochondria, the likelihood of this disorder increases many times over.
Lack of employment, loneliness, passion for medicine	These factors also quite often provoke neurosis.

Kinds

Depending on the manifestations of the disease, which are combined into syndromes, doctors distinguish the following types of hypochondria:

Obsessive hypochondria	This syndrome manifests itself in the form of fear for one’s own health. People with this diagnosis constantly analyze the processes that occur in their body. A distinctive feature of this condition is that a person understands the excessiveness of experiences, but cannot do anything about it.
Astheno-hypochondriacal syndrome	For a given character disorder, a person's belief that he is suffering from an incurable disease. In this case, he often experiences headaches, and quite often there is general weakness and malaise. Such people suffer from increased impressionability and uncertainty.
Depressive-hypochondriacal syndrome	With the development of this syndrome, in addition to constant anxiety about one’s own health, a person develops hypochondriacal ideas, which he considers especially valuable. This deviation is practically impossible to correct. People with this diagnosis constantly imagine the dangerous consequences of such pathologies. This syndrome is accompanied by constant depression and depression. Sometimes patients have suicidal ideas.
Senesto-hypochondriacal syndrome	In this situation, senestopathic abnormalities are predominantly present./li> With this syndrome, a person lives with the firm belief that his vital organs are affected. However, diagnostic studies do not reveal any pathologies. Such people often change doctors in order to hear the “correct” diagnosis.
Anxiety-hypochondriacal syndrome	This disorder is the result of a dysfunction of the nervous system, which is a consequence of stress. A person is afraid of contracting a terrible disease, and therefore is in a state of constant stress.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms of hypochondriacal neurosis include the following:

long-term disability;
constant weakness;
sleep problems;
reluctance to perform household duties;
general malaise;
high irritability;
reluctance to have fun;
constant depression;
sadness;
aggressive attitude towards others.

A distinctive feature of this disease is the increased attention of a person to his health, and it is absolutely unfounded. People who have this mental disorder analyze their condition all the time. Any discomfort or slight pain is perceived by them as a symptom of a dangerous disease.

If we talk about physical manifestations, patients with hypochondriacal neurosis often experience nausea and weakness. Their body temperature often increases and pain appears in the heart area.

Diagnosing hypochondriacal neurosis in children can be very difficult, because they often do not talk about their condition. To do this, you need to pay attention to noticeable symptoms - increased anxiety, irritability, increased sweating, aggressiveness.

Diagnostics

To diagnose this disorder, the doctor must analyze the patient’s complaints and compare them with the results of tests and examination. Typically, blood and urine tests are performed on these people first.

An electrocardiogram may also be required. Thanks to the studies performed, the specialist can draw conclusions regarding the general state of human health.

If necessary, additional procedures may be prescribed:

radiography;
ultrasonography;
consultation with doctors with a narrow specialization.

If pathology cannot be detected, a person with manifestations of hypochondriacal neurosis is sent to see a psychotherapist.

How to treat hypochondriacal neurosis

The main goal of psychotherapy is to direct the patient's perceptions in a positive direction. Through regular conversations with a doctor, a person should understand that his fears are completely absurd.

Treatment of this disease must certainly be comprehensive and based on the individual characteristics of a person’s personality. In most cases, the following treatment methods are indicated:

To make treatment more effective, medications are used. As a rule, doctors prescribe nootropic drugs. Sometimes you can't do without tranquilizers. It is also very useful to take vitamin supplements.

To improve the condition of this type of neurosis, physiotherapy, acupuncture and reflexology are often used.

Prevention

It is important to consider that hypochondriacal neurosis is curable only in a small number of cases. Many suffer from this disorder throughout their lives. Because of this, its quality is significantly reduced.

Only a small number of patients find the strength to get rid of this pathology forever.

Therefore, it is much easier to prevent this disease. To do this you need:

systematically engage in sports;
communicate with different people;
have interests and hobbies;
get proper rest and sleep;
stick to the daily routine;
have a full-time job.

These are extremely simple rules, but not every person can follow them. If there are special character traits, a person can focus on his condition and constantly be in the grip of negative thoughts - for example, about the presence of a disease.

As a result, these thoughts completely take over the person’s mind and gradually transform into obsessions. That’s why it’s so important not to give free rein to your own imagination and avoid the appearance of fears, because there are a lot of interesting things in life.

A person who knows about these features of his personality must simply protect himself from such irritants. After all, they are the ones who can become a kind of impetus for the development of this dangerous disease.

Hypochondriacal neurosis is a fairly serious disorder, which is very difficult to get rid of. This disease significantly impairs the quality of life and can even lead to negative consequences for a person’s physical health.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to prevent this disease. If symptoms do appear, it is recommended to immediately contact a qualified psychotherapist.

Every person faces different types of diseases. These can be not only colds, but also psychological problems. Among them, the most common is hypochondriacal neurosis, the symptoms of which are not so easy to notice, but they prevent a person from living normally in society. The patient becomes nervous, suspicious, and constantly irritated.

Description of the disease

Hypochondria is a type of neurosis in which a person carefully monitors his or her health. Such patients always think that they have some serious problems with their organs.

Even good results from tests or other studies cannot convince a person that everything is fine with him. If the diagnosis he suggests is not confirmed, the patient goes to another clinic. So he can walk until the disease is confirmed or otherwise discovered.

Such people think that they have a disease that cannot be cured by any means. Some believe that hypochondriacal neurosis is not a complex disease. However, this is a very serious disorder that affects a person’s life and the functioning of the entire body.

Symptoms of the problem

Hypochondriacal neurosis has different symptoms. Some appear more clearly, while others are hidden. Before taking any measures, you should visit a psychologist. Only he can make an accurate diagnosis.

Hypochondria is characterized by a general deterioration of the condition. The first symptom is reluctance to do anything, apathy, and aggression may occur. Such patients often experience insomnia. In order to cope with it, various drugs are prescribed.

Also, a person with such a diagnosis may develop various phobias that are associated with health conditions. Such people often visit medical institutions and try to prove to doctors that they are terminally ill. If you notice such symptoms in yourself or your loved ones, you need to seek help from a specialist.

Who is at risk

This disease is observed in representatives of the fair sex. There are only 3 men per 100 sick patients. The age of the patients is approximately 25–30 years. This is due to the fact that during this period a person graduates from a higher educational institution and moves into adulthood. You need to work in it not only physically, but also mentally. A particularly heavy burden falls on women. They build a family, give birth to children and take on all the burdens.

It is almost impossible to get hypochondriacal neurosis in childhood. Children are not subjected to much psychological pressure and rarely worry about their health. Doctors noted that the later hypochondria occurs, the greater the chance of developing a host of mental disorders.

Why does hypochondria occur?

This disease is quite complex and occurs more often in women. It is very difficult to diagnose and treat it on your own. If you feel that something is wrong, you should urgently visit a specialist.

The causes of this disease can be varied.

The most common ones are listed below.

People who are very suspicious are more likely to suffer from this disease. It is enough for them to hear from friends about any disease, they will immediately begin to look for it in themselves.
An illness that was suffered in childhood can negatively affect adult life. In most cases, such patients constantly visit the hospital and try to find the same disease.
The disease often affects individuals who have been caring for a complex patient for a long time. Observing the problems of a loved one can become an impetus for the development of neurosis.
Neurosis can be inherited.
Loneliness can lead to neurosis, especially for those who do not have a favorite activity.

These and other reasons can become the driving force for the development of this type of nervousness. It is worth noting that the disease prevents a person from living a normal life. Try to believe the specialists who say that everything is fine with you.

What types exist

In modern medicine, there are several types of this disease. In many cases, they depend on the symptoms that the patient has.

Obsessive hypochondria is a person’s fear of any disease. Such people constantly monitor their body and the slightest disruptions in it seem to them to be a problem. The difference between this species and the others is that they understand that this is not normal, but they cannot do anything.

The astheno-hypochondriacal type is characterized by the fact that the patient is completely convinced that he has a disease that cannot be treated. In this case, headaches or malaise may appear.

Depression is characterized by constant anxiety about one’s condition. Such a violation is very difficult to correct. Personality constantly imagines the worst. Even a normal cough may seem like tuberculosis to her.

The senesto-hypochondriacal species is characterized by thoughts about problems with important organs. Even after examination and confirmation of complete health, such a person is referred to other specialists. This can go on for a long time.

With the anxious type, a person begins to fear diseases that cannot be cured. This phobia occurs against the background of psychological disorders.

Treatment of hypochondriacal neurosis

In order to start therapy, you need to visit a doctor. Only in this case can different drugs and other treatment methods be prescribed. If a person realizes what is happening to him, then he can try to help himself.

The following steps will help with this:

Finding a hobby, a hobby that will really be interesting.
Communication with other people. Only in this case you will not have time for bad thoughts.
Leading a healthy lifestyle, refusing to constantly visit hospitals, then you will not be afraid of any illness.
Contact a specialist only. It is not recommended to visit forums and discuss your health status on them.
Relaxation, sports. This is a good distraction from bad thoughts.
Making efforts to heal. It is advisable to use the services of loved ones who can support and help you.

Treatment of hypochondria is often carried out using psychological methods of influence. In this case, drugs are rarely used. They are prescribed to relieve any symptoms, headaches or poor sleep.

More often, doctors treat the disease with hypnosis. This method allows you to penetrate the human brain and find the problem. It also makes it possible to program an individual to forget about such a disease.

Some people use traditional methods to treat hypochondria. A bath made from pine branches perfectly relieves fatigue and tension. You can use essential oil or cones. This procedure allows you to relax and forget about all the bad things. You can combine such baths with an equally healthy drink. To do this, mix beet juice and honey. The drink is recommended to be consumed within 4 weeks.

Treatment for hypochondria is to provide as much support as possible to the patient. Close people are the best medicine.

Disease Prevention

Hypochondriacal neurosis is a disease whose treatment takes a long time and recovery is impossible. A person needs to constantly prevent this disease.

Exercise.
Communicate with a variety of personalities.
Have some kind of hobby.
Maintain daily and sleep patterns.
Do full-time work.

These rules are easy to follow and accessible to every patient. By adhering to them, you can avoid many problems. These methods of prevention will allow you to forget that something is wrong with your health. The main thing is to comply with them.

Conclusion

Hypochondriacal syndrome is a rather complex disease that accompanies the patient throughout his life. It can escalate or lurk somewhere deep. If you know that you have mental problems, you should constantly monitor your condition and take preventive measures. Only in this case will a person be able to live a normal life.