Hypochondria symptoms can vary, depending on factors such as stress, age, and whether the person is already an extreme worrier. Health anxiety can actually have its own symptoms because it's possible for the person to have stomachaches, dizziness, or pain as a result of their overwhelming anxiety.
When physical symptoms are caused or made worse by your mental state, it's called psychosomatic. Many people believe that psychosomatic symptoms aren't real — but they are, in fact, very real symptoms that have a psychological cause, Jones says.
Some people worry excessively that they have a serious illness or are going to develop one, a disorder commonly called hypochondria or health anxiety.
So, is it your mind creating symptoms? In one sense yes, but that's not the full story…. If you have health anxiety your symptoms likely come from the mind, but they are still very much real. This is because anxiety affects both our mind and our body – with short and long-term effects.
Do hypochondriacs feel real symptoms? Yes. Hypochondria can trigger symptoms associated with anxiety including: stomachaches, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, muscle tension, fatigue, increased heart rate, sweating, shortness of breath, and a frequent urge to use the bathroom.
Symptoms of anxiety produce very real physical symptoms: Dizziness, stomachaches, rapid heartbeat, tingling in the hands and feet, muscle tension, jitteriness, chest pressure, and the list goes on. These symptoms add fuel to the fire.
This condition is marked by a person's imagination of physical symptoms of illness. Or in other cases, it's a person's misinterpretation of minor or normal body sensations as serious disease symptoms despite reassurance by medical professionals that they don't have an illness.
You might utilize relaxation skills, deep breathing, mindfulness practice, being in nature, or other soothing activities that ground you back in the present moment. These are tools that can help you to refocus attention when thoughts about the body are all-consuming.
For some people, this situation is the start of a vicious cycle. "Anxiety and stress themselves produce these physical symptoms, and on top of that your reaction to those symptoms can make them worse. The more you focus on them, the more alarmed you become, and the more intense your symptoms become," says Dr. Barsky.
What are ways to overcome nosophobia? A mental health specialist can help you overcome a fear of disease. You may benefit from therapies like: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A form of psychotherapy (talk therapy), CBT helps you understand why you think and feel the way you do about diseases and your health.
O'SULLIVAN: So psychosomatic illness is a disorder in which people get real physical symptoms that cannot be explained by physical examination or medical tests. No disease can be found to explain them. And there is usually believed to be a psychological or behavioral cause.
Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms.
People with illness anxiety disorder -- also called hypochondria or hypochondriasis -- have an unrealistic fear that they have a serious medical condition or fear that they're at high risk of becoming ill. They may misinterpret typical body functions as signs of illness.
In addition to the somatic symptom itself (for example, pain or upset stomach), people with psychosomatic disorder often: Become angry or irritable because they believe their medical needs aren't being met. Get depressed or anxious. Visit healthcare providers frequently, often jumping from one physician to another.
Because it's a part of your being, anxiety won't go away completely. But you can lessen its grasp through understanding and self-awareness.
Perhaps you unconsciously think that if you "worry enough," you can prevent bad things from happening. But the fact is, worrying can affect the body in ways that may surprise you. When worrying becomes excessive, it can lead to feelings of high anxiety and even cause you to be physically ill.
A lack of sleep, poor diet, anxiety or stress can often cause a person to feel sick. However, it could also be a sign of pregnancy or chronic illness. When sick, a person may experience stomach discomfort and vomiting. The medical term for this is nausea.
If you start to feel sudden or excessive fatigue, exhaustion or just generally run down, it could be a sign that your body is fighting off a bug.
Health anxiety is not a form of OCD, but it can look similar. Illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder, however, have very different diagnosis criteria compared to OCD. Both health anxiety and OCD are treatable. These conditions can be managed through therapy and self-care strategies.
Fortunately, current research helps us to understand that some physical illnesses, especially those that are not easily explained, are not made up at all. They are the result of complex neuroendocrine responses due to heredity, trauma and stress. The bodily symptoms are real. They are not all in one's head.
Anosognosia, also called "lack of insight," is a symptom of severe mental illness experienced by some that impairs a person's ability to understand and perceive his or her illness. It is the single largest reason why people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder refuse medications or do not seek treatment.
People who have hypochondria actually believe they are ill, but do not manipulate test results. People who malinger pretend to be ill to gain some sort of benefit, such as avoiding military duty or trying to obtain compensation.
Your stomach can feel like it's rumbling and you may even feel nauseated. Feeling sick may be a sign that you've fallen ill, but it can also be a sign of anxiety. While feeling sick may be the only physical symptom of anxiety, there are often others including breathlessness, dizziness and fatigue.