Hypochondriacal neurosis is defined as a condition in which the patient is convinced that he or she is in a bad or even very bad state of health, focusing on his or her body, how it works and any abnormalities in its proper functioning. The sufferer thinks and concentrates only on pain sensations, localised and displaced in different parts of the body, which are not the result of any somatic disease.
Symptoms and course hypochondriasis
The patient with hypochondriacal neurosis is characterised by a flight into illness, which is caused by lack of satisfaction with life, partner, work, failures, relationship problems, difficulties in life, negative experiences and much more. Very often depression, anxiety, restlessness or sadness is present along with hypochondriacal neurosis . The patient experiences pain in different parts of the body that tends to move, demands a lot of examinations, and often seeks medical advice and consultations.
Among the most common symptoms of hypochondriacal neurosis are:
- Constant complaints of pain.
- Excessive preoccupation with parts of one's body and organs.
- Feelings of anxiety.
- Feelings of anxiety.
- Talking oneself into illness.
- Frequent medical advice.
- Frequent medical examinations.
Symptoms are an individual matter for each patient. As a rule, patients' complaints of pain are short-lived, but occur very frequently in different parts of the body. The pain, which is annoying, leads to increasing anxiety and worry about one's own health and life. A person with hypochondriac neurosis begins to control the workings of his or her own body, his or her thoughts focusing on illness and the need for further medical appointments.
No single specific cause of hypochondriacal neurosis is known, mention is made of the following.
- Problems with the correct image of one's own body and self
- Anxious-type personality
- Seeking the benefits of being ill (illness)
- Problems of an emotional nature
- Psychological problems
- Problems in childhood
Patients very often "get fed up" when the doctor treats them too finely and meticulously and directs them to further examinations. The patient very often tells family, friends and acquaintances about his or her problems.
Treatment hypochondriasis
A key role in the treatment of hypochondriac neurosis is to change the patient's way of thinking and to direct his or her attention to other aspects in life. In most cases, psychotherapy and support from loved ones is necessary. Nevertheless, the sufferer should not be underestimated before a detailed examination is carried out to rule out the existence of the illness.
