How to Deal With a Hypochondriac
Hypochondriacs are always fighting some ailment of their imagination. Tolerating their cycle of symptoms is exhausting and frustrating. Though it may be all in their head, the hypochondriac in your life is in need of love and support. Learn more about how to deal with a hypochondriac by reading the information below.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Hear them out. Hypochondriacs need to verbalize their condition; no matter how fabricated it may be. Even if you've heard it all before and know it's all in their head, listen in an effort to appear interested and concerned.
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2
Remain neutral in your response and try to keep responses nonverbal. Don't appear skeptical or overly concerned with the hypochondriac's complaints but remain supportive.
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3
Show empathy. Assure the hypochondriac that you understand their discomfort and pain. Without encouraging or discouraging their concerns about their health, appear sympathetic.
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4
Discourage the hypochondriac from surfing the Web. Internet diagnosis is a dangerous trend among the delusionally ill. Without dismissing their pain and suffering, remind the hypochondriac that self-diagnosis through Internet research is hazardous to their health.
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5
Accept their condition. Though many of the complaints are psychosomatic, hypochondria is a very real condition.
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Tips & Warnings
Steer the conversation. Hypochondriacs often monopolize conversations with discussion of their illness. Change the topic by bringing up something unrelated to physical conditions.
Preoccupy the hypochondriac with fun activities. When they start complaining about their aching bones, suggest a walk around the block. Tackling the perceived pain through physical activity is a good way to make them forget about it.
Remember that it's hard to distinguish between legitimate health problems and imaginary ailments. Don't automatically assume the hypochondriac is making their symptoms up. Assess each episode with a critical eye.
Some hypochondriacs are in need of therapy. Their constant complaining is actually an attention seeking device.
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Comments
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I wonder if this article was written by a hypochondriac, to further propel a hypochondriac delusion it almost seems.
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Probably a good idear to just get way from 'em before then drivin you crazy!
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my friend is 23 and i believe she is a hypochondriac. she has had brain scans, smears, and blood tests which always come back clear, she makes appointments to the doctors on a weekly basis. she is convinced she suffers migraines and has a tumor, she is also convinced she has arthritis in her ankles because she broke it as a child and says it didn't set right even tho she can stay up all night dancing wear high heels an has a job where she stands all day. she has tried every contraception on offer and is convinced only the coil will work even though the doctors wont fit it for her. she said she had a miscarriage and a womb infection and the doctors couldn't find any evidence of this. if she has acne she complains that she has measles, she has made many complaints about medical staff and basically every week there is a new illness with her. Her doctors carry on seeing her every week and keep sending her to hospital yet no one has diagnosed any illness. it is frustrating to everyone involved in her life and yet the doctors aren't treating this illness, she loses all of her friends and will probably lose her job over this. i understand doctors find this difficult to deal with but still no one has told her shes a hypochondriac
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ettyology
Jul 06, 2010
I find this advice very troubling, doesn't this further enable the hypochondriac by giving them attention for physical complaints that are the result of a psychological disorder? -
only2jane
Sep 23, 2009
My 55 yr old moved home with ailments and daily I notice dwelling on one ailment, then skipping another and then another problem. There seems to be a lot of exaggeration until I dont know what is real or not and I receive no help with daily house hold duties. If I do get help a lot of drama goes along with it. Limping gets worse with a lot of sighs and making faces like there is a lot of pain going on. It almost seems like a guilt trip but I am not sure. I don't understand why I can't get help when he can stay on his computer every single day like it's an addiction and never do anything else. He isolates. Does some drinking, takes pills, and sometimes stays up for days at a time with no sleep. What to do??
