What is hypochondriasis? It is a kind of neurosis whose main clinical manifestation is the symptom of hypochondriasis. Its patients are overly concerned about their physical health or the function of a certain part of their body, suspecting that they have contracted some serious disease. Usually, these patients will also suffer from symptoms such as tension, anxiety, and depression. They will develop a fear of disease, accompanied by extremely painful fantasies, all of which will affect the patient's own health. Therefore, patients and their families should correctly understand what hypochondriasis is and choose professional and regular hospitals for treatment. In order to better let patients understand what hypochondriasis is and the harm it causes, we have made the following introduction:
Hypochondriacs stand out in the following aspects: (1) Adhering to health preservation principles. Eating in moderation, having regular living habits, restraining sexual desires, valuing nutrition, respecting various folk fitness methods and secrets, liking tonics, and easily believing in secret prescriptions. (2) Paying excessive attention to various sensations from internal organs and limbs. Patients often experience abnormal sensations, and are very concerned about complexion, tongue coating, pulse, weight, bowel movements, etc. They are highly sensitive to lifestyle changes and weather changes, and are prone to water and soil discomfort. (3) Being particularly interested in medical knowledge, easily influenced by doctors and medical books, hearing or seeing others getting sick can make them feel they have similar symptoms. When sick, they worry excessively, mistaking pimples for syphilis sores. Symptoms often last longer and are more severe than those with the same illness. They believe that taking medicine either has too many side effects or easily leads to drug resistance, in short, treatment is difficult and the therapeutic effect is poor. (4) Believing in congenital insufficiency and postnatal imbalance, being weak and sickly since childhood, yet not benefiting from tonics, especially during menopause. This belief is deeply rooted. (5) Being very timid and afraid of biological dangers, fearing snake bites, dog bites, the mercilessness of water and fire, traffic accidents, darkness, death, etc.
Many hypochondriacs show prominent dependence, and their dependence on parents can easily be transferred to doctors. Common traits include irritability, ease of tension, and ease of annoyance. Some people indeed have physical weaknesses, such as unstable autonomic nerve functions, and are prone to catching colds. Others are stubborn, never willing to accept failure, unwilling to admit mistakes, ambitious but suppressed without showing it.
A considerable number of hypochondriacs have one parent with personality disorders or neuroses. Parents' excessive worry and anxiety about their children's health can easily plant seeds of hypochondriasis in their children. Some parents are very strict with their children, but once the children get sick, they are given special amnesty and treated exceptionally well, which seems to be driving the children towards hypochondriasis.
Some hypochondriacal ideas can be understood as personal exclusive explanatory models. An unsuccessful amateur singer developed hypochondriasis after vocal experts pointed out that his singing practice method was wrong and harmful to his throat. He firmly believed that his vocal cords were injured, asymmetric, and the songs he sang became less pleasant to listen to. Several ENT doctors examined him and unanimously believed that his vocal cords were normal, completely symmetrical, but the patient completely refused to accept the explanation, repeatedly requesting diagnosis and treatment from ENT doctors, and was eventually referred to the psychiatric department. This patient had no other symptoms besides hypochondriasis, and no physical pain. His suffering was mental. We have reason to infer that if this singer thought he was not sick, then failing to achieve the singing success he aspired to would make him feel ashamed or guilty. Now that his vocal cords are "sick," he has found an explanation that exempts him from shame and guilt for his inability to sing well.
The doctor uses his explanatory model to try to persuade the patient and replace the patient's personal exclusive explanatory model, which is not the general form of psychotherapy. The key point of psychotherapy lies in understanding the patient, helping the patient, and promoting the possibility of meeting the patient's needs in a constructive way.