Why Do I Constantly Suspect That Im Ill?

Due to various factors nowadays, people are paying increasing attention to their physical health. However, excessive focus on physical health often leads to anxiety and excessive worry, resulting in frequent suspicions of contracting certain diseases. This condition is known as hypochondriasis. When such symptoms arise, patients should seek examination and treatment from clinical psychology departments. Simultaneously, they should cultivate healthy lifestyle habits and alleviate feelings of anxiety and tension in their daily lives.

From the perspective of medical psychology, this condition is known as "hypochondriacal neurosis," abbreviated as "hypochondriasis." Many people worry about their physical health, which is commonly referred to as "health anxiety." However, when these worries become excessive, resulting in constant suspicion of having health issues, it is considered "hypochondriasis".

1. Individuals with hypochondriasis exhibit excessive concern and worry about their physical health. They may constantly count their heartbeat, observe the size of the crescent moon on their fingers, check for edema in their limbs, or palpate their bodies for lumps or observe the color of their urine. These seemingly insignificant bodily changes become a source of significant concern for them, often leading to exaggeration or misinterpretation, which they use as evidence of having a serious illness. They may become anxious and seek medical check-ups, often doubting the capabilities of doctors even when the results are normal.

2. They hold firmly to the belief that they have a serious illness and tend to think negatively, attributing minor symptoms to major diseases. For instance, they may suspect heart disease when their heartbeat accelerates during brisk walking or throat cancer when they experience occasional sore throats. They often seek immediate medical attention for reassurance.

3. Despite repeated medical examinations or explanations from doctors indicating normal results or reasonable explanations, individuals with hypochondriasis remain unconvinced and continue to worry, feel anxious, and seek further medical attention. They may believe that the tests may have been inaccurate.

4. Pain is a common symptom of hypochondriasis. About two-thirds of patients experience unexplained pain, often in the head, waist, or throat. Sometimes, they may even experience pain throughout their bodies, but without any conclusive evidence. These symptoms are often accompanied by insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Patients often seek medical attention from various departments without finding a definitive diagnosis, ultimately seeking help from psychiatry.

5. Individuals with hypochondriasis often believe that they are genetically predisposed to illnesses or have imbalances in their bodies. They may excessively supplement their diets, often with the belief that it will improve their health. They may also have a strong interest in medicine and health-related topics. Upon reading about others' illnesses online, they may easily relate their own symptoms to those described, leading to increased anxiety and fear of contracting serious diseases.

Moreover, when individuals learn that relatives or friends have died from severe illnesses, they may develop fears that they will suffer the same fate. For instance, seeing someone with liver cancer may cause them to feel discomfort in their liver area.