Somatoform Disorders - Hypochondria

Unlike conversion disorder where an individual perceives a functional disorder and simply uses it to escape from uncomfortable situations, hypochondriacs have no real illness, but are overly obsessed with normal bodily functions. They read into the sensations of these normal bodily functions the presence of a feared disease.

More commonly called hypochondria or "health anxiety", Hypochondriasis is best described as the obsessive, irrational fear of having a serious medical condition. This fear is based on an individual's misinterpretation of symptoms, and exists despite medical reassurance that the individual does not have a disease or illness. Hypochondriasis goes beyond normal concerns with health, and can seriously impact academic and professional functioning, as well as interpersonal relationships.

Some examples of Hypochondriacal obsessions include:
-thinking that a headache is indicative of brain cancer
-believing that a cough must be sign of lung cancer
-assuming that a minor chest pain is a heart attack
-thinking that a minor sore is a sign of AIDS

Some example of Hypochondriacal compulsions include:
-multiple doctor visits, often "doctor-hopping" on the same day
-multiple medical tests, often for the same alleged condition
-repetitive checking of the body for symptoms of an alleged medical condition
-repeatedly avoiding contact with objects or situations for fear of exposure to diseases
habitual internet searching for information about illnesses and their symptoms ("cyberchondria")

As demonstrated above, Hypochondriasis has obsessive-compulsive features that are quite similar to those of OCD. Perhaps the most significant similarity linking the two disorders is the cyclical process by which the symptoms of both increase.

Because of these many similarities, the same Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques that are so effective in treating OCD are also employed in treating Hypochondriasis. The primary CBT technique used in treating both of these conditions is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).