Living with Hypochondria

Are you living with hypochondria? Are you preoccupied or worried that you are suffering from a serious illness? Have you been evaluated by a physician and been assured that your concerns are not grounded in medical fact? Do you focus on a particular symptom in connection with your worrying? Do you self-diagnose? Do you spend countless hours on the Internet conducting amateur medical research? Do you require constant reassurance from doctors, family and friends that you are all right? If you answered yes to some or all of these questions, you may be suffering from hypochondria.

And you are not alone. It is believed that one to five percent of the general population suffers from hypochondria. This form of health anxiety or health phobia can be severe and it can frequently interfere with one's life, including career and relationships.

Living with hypochondria can literally make you sick. Nausea, vomiting, sweating, the works. And the long term effects of stress are well-documented. But living with hypochondria need not be as bad as all that.

Here are some ways to help cope when you are living with hypochondria. First and foremost, try to restrict or at least limit your amateur medical research. Steer clear of Web MD and similar web sites, particularly health forums, where people have no clue what they are talking about, and many are fellow hypochondriacs looking to scare each other. Get checked by a reputable doctor and let him or her diagnose you. Do not self-diagnose, even if you're in your second year of medical school.

Practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises. Bear in mind that hypochondria often goes hand-in-hand with OCD, anxiety and depression. Distract yourself with hobbies and interesting activities, such as reading and writing. And if none of that works, see a shrink. Living with hypochondria can be challenging, both to you and those around you. If you know someone who suffers from it, be patient with them.