What is hypochondriasis?
Hypochondriasis is described as the obsessive, persistent fear of having a serious medical condition. A person with hypochondriasis (referred to as a hypochondriac) exhibits the characteristics of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and is preoccupied with his or her physical health. Hypochondriacs tend to believe the worst possible scenario concerning their health. A person with Hypochondriasis might consult physician after physician and remain unsatisfied, even after numerous medical evaluations have declared a clean bill of health. People with this condition begin to distrust medical professionals, yet they keep searching for “the one” who will diagnose them with a fatal disease (ironically, this is what they fear most). This obsession with the belief that they are suffering from a serious illness impacts negatively on the lives of hypochondriacs and interferes with their normal functioning. They become completely distressed and anxious, and their daily lives and interpersonal relat
