Human beings know for a fact that we are not eternal and that, therefore, at some point we will end up dying. It is logical that this idea can torment us, scare us or cause us deep discomfort, since death is something that is totally unknown to us. And, therefore, it is understandable that at any alarm of being seriously ill we panic and want to make sure that we are completely healthy. That is why we are overwhelmed by feeling that our chest hurts, and we think it could be a heart attack ; or that’s why some gases can lead us to the emergency room, convinced that we have appendicitis.

So far, everything is understandable. The problem is when this fear, this fear of having any illness, leads someone to convince themselves that they are seriously ill , causes anxiety and ends up taking them to the doctor every two or three days, convinced that they have a very serious illness. Because in that case, we are talking about a mental disorder known as hypochondria.

The Hypochondria is a disorder that causes because of the fear of an illness, the person runs totally convinced that it has. It is an attitude that those who suffer from hypochondria adopt towards life, and it leads them to constantly undergo tests to make sure that they are not really sick. What causes this is the fear of suffering from some real disease, which ends up obsessing the person suffering from hypochondria beyond measure. What many people do not know is that, sometimes, hypochondria can lead to real physical diseases , which go beyond the mental disorder itself.

Fear can make you sick

Believing that because a person has hypochondria he is already inventing all the symptoms that he claims to have, solely because of fear, is counterproductive . Especially since hypochondria could end up generating a real physical disease, such as a heart attack. According to a study by the University of Bergen, which followed seven thousand Norwegians for more than twelve to years, excessive concern for health can end up increasing the risk of having a heart attack by seventy percent.

Although it must also be taken into account that, on many occasions, a person with hypochondria could end up generating real organic symptoms , which can be seen as symptoms of any other disease, due to the emotional attention they are paying to what they believe they are it is real. That is, it could end up generating psychosomatic symptoms , which would derive from a very high concern and excessive fear.

Hypochondria must be treated

Hypochondria is a disorder that can end up leading to anxiety problems , and even panic attacks, in addition to negatively affecting the life of the person suffering from it. That is why, like any other type of mental disorder, it must be treated from the first moment it is detected, and always by a professional; Without a psychologist, overcoming hypochondria could end up being more complicated than expected.

We cannot ignore either that many studies have linked a negative attitude with a much worse quality of life , not only on an emotional level but also on a physical level; attitude can have a greater influence on longevity than the amount of physical exercise performed, for example. When we speak of a negative attitude, we are also referring to this unhealthy obsession, to that belief of always having a serious illness that directly threatens one’s life. While it is true that we are all concerned about our state of health, in the case of people who suffer from hypochondria this is harmful: because the more they worry about their health, the more they end up getting sick.

If you see yourself reflected in these symptoms, or if you think that you may suffer from hypochondria, do not hesitate to go to a professional and tell him about your problems; Only then can you enjoy life again without that insane obsession.