Do you have hypochondria?

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I've noticed more and more often I get health anxiety. Every time my body hurts a part of me worries. Sometimes I'm like "Don't be silly. It's nothing" and other times I'm like "But wait... this concerns me."

It's SO HARD to choose between:

1) "Sure... I worry too much, but maybe I'm right to worry this time. Maybe this time there really is something badly wrong. I can't let something slip by saying it's anxiety if it's something serious this time around."

and

2) "This is just another case of my anxiety and I should ignore it before my anxiety makes everything feel even worse."

It also sucks when, even when you've been checked by a doctor, you still think "They could be wrong and lazy."

I can't keep going back to the doctors just to get peace of mind... especially when it only settles me for a little while until it flares up again. And if I did keep going wouldn't the doctor notice my anxious tendencies and not take me seriously?

It's a mentally challenging experience.

What I want to know is:

- Do you consider yourself a hypochondriac?
- How do you deal with it? (tips please!)
- How bad would it have to be for you to consider getting some kind of therapy?

Where is "maybe" or "I don't know?"

I think I have traits of it. I don't think I am full blown it and I am not even sure if I have it or not. One time I thought I had an ectopic pregnancy and was scared about it. Only way to convince me was an ultra sound. another time in my teens I was scared I had an aging disorder and has that same condition as Jack from the movie but it was a lot milder. Mom kept telling me I do not have an aging disorder and it's normal to be mistaken older for your age as a kid or be mistaken younger. But I still kept thinking I must have an aging disorder and I would freak out every time someone thought I was more than a year older. I also used to think I was going schizophrenic until I watched A beautiful Mind.

I have talked to my past therapists and school counselor about my worries like I thought I was ret*d one time because kids told me I was over the years and then I was starting to believe it. But I think it's just mild it doesn't really effect me and it's always at the back of my mind. I could just have the tenancies and not the condition.

I might be a subclinical hypochondriac, since I don't fully meet the criteria for the disorder. But I do experience exactly what you describe in your post.

I have a check-up with my doctor every 3 months to get a script refill (I take codeine for my IBS) and I always pester him with all kinds of questions about my health concerns. I can see he's annoyed (well, I actually didn't see it - my aunt pointed it out and then I started scanning for non-verbal cues). Well, what can I do? I am an anxious person...

As a child I did very badly, but now I do not have it at all.

No, but others believe I do, with absolutely no basis for their claims.

Same here, I even hate going to the doctor for fear of being labeled a hypochondriac. And asking doctors question ... I rarely ever do. I certainly have a bunch of them and want to. My solution was to learn a s**t load of medicine so I didn't have to ask the questions, but the fear is still there and even prevents me for presenting correct findings to a doctor.

...that's why I am kind of looking forward to my AS assessment, but not at the same time; I'm afraid that the Psychiatrist will deny I have AS or that I have anything else affecting me. I also think I have co-morbid OCD, but I'm afraid to tell them that for that reason.

I've been worried about my health in the past, but never to the point where you'd want to call it an anxiety disorder. Usually I'll go online and research it, realize that it's something common and unremarkable or easily handled, and stop worrying. I guess some day there'll be something serious, but I know pretty much what you should be worried about and what's just the normal everyday glitches.

I don't have hypochondria anymore.
When I did have this phase I read a lot about medical conditions. I read entire encyclopedias and stuff made for medical students about all kinds of illnesses. I thought I had 2 serious conditions and one deformity. I told many people about it. I went to screenings and they told me that I was healthy but I thought they just hadn't looked right and not used adequate methods for whatever I thought I had. So I self-medicated (with side-effects) and I also told others about this...... One day someone hinted at me that I might be hypochondriac...that's when I started thinking.

One day I decided that I'm perfectly healthy and not sick at all. I actively and consciously told myself that I was not sick and stopped medicating myself and reading on illnesses. After some time, I really did feel healthy and I started to eat healthy and read health related magazines. Now I feel so much better.

I think that it was because of this person who subtly told me that I was being hypochondriac that I changed since I really respected his opinion and respected and liked him as a person and I didn't want to come of as crazy towards him. The rest was really my own effort at mentalizing my situation.

I voted yes, but I only have it occasionally.

I can go years without much of a problem and then something may crop-up to cause me real worry. When I do have a period of hypocondria it can last for days, weeks or months, depending on what the ailment, or percieved ailment is.

However, when I do suffer a spell of hypocondria it can be really-horrific, again depending on the nature of the percieved ailment.

I'm the other way round. I have to be in a pretty bad way to see the doctor. In the last 12 years I think I have seen my doctor about 4 times.

I think I might be hypochondriac because when I have a new symptom I worry that it's something really bad. I don't have insurance though so my only access to medical care is going to the emergency room and not paying the bill. It's usually a waste of time going so I don't bother.

Well, yes and no.

I wolly about my health and stuff, but I have a lot of allergies, skinproblems etc.
Some doctors are even shoked that I don't worry about my skin more.

But I worry about my psyche, but since I do something about it, I feel better.

But sometimes I worry TOO much!


So, it's a combination out of my health problems and me worrying and not classical hyperchondria, for that aren't my symptoms strong enough.

So actually I would have to vote between yes and no, but that doesn't exist.