‘Is it a sign of cancer, doctor?’: All about hypochondriasis or illness anxiety disorder

Written by Uma S

Florence Nightingale, Charlotte Bronte and Franz Kafka. What do these personalities have in common? The three of them are examples of self-tortured individuals, identified as “hypochondriacs”. Suffering from a mental illness called hypochondriasis or “Illness anxiety disorder”, their entire life revolved around their fear of developing illnesses. While Kafka and Bronte vented their phobia through literature, Nightingale used her fear to reform the healthcare system of the British servicemen.

Individuals battling hypochondriasis have been used as comic reliefs in various literary works. However, the truth is far from being humorous. Hypochondriacs spent hours preoccupied with thoughts of their health, misinterpreting minor symptoms to be an inkling of a major disease. Despite negative test results, these individuals have a hard time believing it. In turn, it leads to self diagnosis and frequent visits to doctors, with the patient providing exaggerated symptoms.

Dr Suman Varghese, consultant psychiatrist at Believers Church Medical College, Thiruvalla said, “Biological factors play a major role in the development of anxiety disorders and hypochondriasis. Individuals with an underlying genetic or biological risk for the same can get triggered by a traumatic life event or psychological stress resulting in these disorders”.

Data shows that people who have gone through a major illness or nursed a person through one are more prone to develop the same. Traumatic events during childhood also acts as a catalyst in the development of hypochondriasis.

At times, hypochondriasis also exists as the inability of a person to visit the doctor, resulting in bottling up of fear and anxiety. This obsession for developing an ailment enters their personal life, where talks about their health begin to occupy majority of their conversations with friends and family.

“Most hypochondriacs who come to my office are not aware of their mental illness. They usually come in with complaints of a hand or leg pain which they believe is caused by a nerve damage” said Dr Robert Mathew, neurologist at Anugraham Neuro Care, Thiruvananthapuram.

They usually come in with complaints of a hand or leg pain which they believe is caused by a nerve damage. (Source: Freepik)

In an article published by WebMD, Brian Fallon, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, said that the Internet has changed things for the worse when it comes to hypochondriacs. Earlier, these individuals had to skim through books in search of symptoms. Now, the easier and faster access to information has only been feeding the anxiety and stress that these individuals face. According to a report by the National Library of Medical Science, one out of three people in America consult the Internet for medical treatment.

“The easy access to the Internet attracts hypochondriac patients to Google their symptoms. It has amplified their condition for sure. Many of them have confessed to having resorted to some of the unscientific methods they receive through WhatsApp forwards”, said hepatologist Dr Harikumar, who practices in Kerala’s Kochi. According to Eurostat, around 52 per cent of individuals searched for health-related information and symptoms in 2022.

What can be done

Self-diagnosis has caused many to develop anxiety and stress. “With the plethora of information available around, it is common for an individual to be confused about the legitimacy of it. In case of any symptoms, ensure to get the help of a qualified medical expert at the earliest,” said Suman.

“Hypochondriasis occurs due to the individual’s anticipation about the uncertainty of the future. Grounding techniques like breathing exercises and meditation would help them to focus on the present”, said Dr Apoorva Bachhav, a senior resident from department of psychiatry, BJGMC AND Sassoon General hospital, Pune.

Maintaining a journal helps a person to introspect themselves, allowing them to understand if the concerns about their health encroaches their daily activities. This helps the person realise if they exhibit symptoms of hypochondriasis and if need be, necessary medical help can be taken. For individuals with intense issues caused by hypochondriasis, psychiatric help in the form of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is also provided.

The writer is an intern with the indianexpress.com in Kochi.

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