How to Treat Hypochondria

Hypochondria is a fear of illness, from the Greek "hypo" meaning below and "chondros" meaning cartilage, referring to the cartilage of the breastbone. The term is found in literature as early as the 13th century and was thought to be a depression or melancholy without cause. At that time, melancholy was thought to reside in the lower abdomen. Thus, "hypochondria" describes the perceived source of the fear.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Understand that hypochondria is a serious mental illness and can become disabling. Hypochondriacs usually do not recognize that they even have a mental disorder.

2. Know that someone with hypochondria is convinced that they have a serious illness and will not be persuaded otherwise by multiple doctors and tests.

3. Realize that the specific cause of hypochondria is not known. The human body is continually experiencing minor aches and pains that most people ignore or treat as minor ailments. This is part of what makes hypochondria so difficult to treat. A hypochondriac, however, will exaggerate these symptoms into signs of a major illness.

4. Eliminate other possibilities first. A thorough medical exam will help to rule out physical causes, and other mental disorders will have to be considered as well. Hypochondria is closely associated with panic disorder and is actually considered an obsessive compulsive disorder rather than a true disorder by some professionals.

5. Seek professional help, because hypochondria can rarely be self-treated. Desensitization therapy, more formally known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the recommended treatment and may include exposure therapy as well as the development of coping skills.

Resources

• Learn more about treating illnesses at the Mayo Clinic.

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