Читать книгу Anxiety Toolbox: The Complete Fear-Free Plan - Gloria Thomas - Страница 46

Another very common preoccupation of individuals is worrying about their health. Of course we all think about our health at times, but if you experience on-going anxiety about it or obsess about bodily sensations then you may well have hypochondria. Both men and women suffer from it and it can be found in all age groups.

Hypochondriacs are constantly on the alert for oncoming illness and are therefore hypersensitive to bodily sensations and any symptoms of illness. Once they become aware of any symptoms – and they often do find ‘symptoms’ because they are always engaged in body checking – they blow them out of all proportion.

Those who suffer from severe health anxiety are constantly on the look out for reassurance from the medical profession and are convinced they are physically ill, despite medical reassurance to the contrary. The hypochondriac will pay frequent visits to doctors and often go from one professional to another, never quite convinced by the diagnosis. Often, if the diagnosis is confusing or conflicts with another, they become even more anxious, convinced that there is really something serious wrong with them – a headache becomes a sign of a malignant tumour, a tummy ache could be cancer and so on.

There is a very mixed reaction to this type of anxiety from the medical profession. Some doctors recognize it as a condition in itself, while others are completely intolerant and dread the familiar face of the hypochondriac in their practice.

Health anxiety is more prevalent in western society – which, perhaps, is not surprising. When all your needs are taken care of, you have more time to be introspective and anxious about your health. However, when each day is a battle to achieve a basic standard of living, there is little time to be concerned with irrational worries.