How Therapy For Hypochondria Can Benefit You

Medically reviewed by Julie Dodson, MA, LCSW
Updated June 20, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team
The word “hypochondria” may be used in casual conversation to refer to a person who exaggerates the symptoms of an illness or spends their time online researching diseases because they consistently worry they have a severe condition. However, experiencing the clinical form of hypochondria, known as illness anxiety disorder, can be quite serious. 

“Hypochondria” is a slightly outdated term primarily used today to refer to health anxiety or somatoform disorders. If you are worried you may be experiencing health anxiety, keep reading to learn more about what health anxiety-related disorders can look like.

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What is hypochondria?

The word “hypochondria” is a shortened form of the word “hypochondriasis,” which was formerly used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-4). Most mental health professionals use the DSM to assess and diagnose different types of mental illness. 

With the publication of the fifth edition of the DSM in 2013, hypochondria is no longer an official diagnosis within the DSM. Today, it has been split into two separate but related mental health conditions: illness anxiety disorder (which is most closely related to the original hypochondriasis condition, according to the American Psychiatric Association) and somatic symptom disorder. The word “hypochondria” is still used colloquially to describe symptoms of both conditions. 
Illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder both fall under the larger umbrella of health anxiety, which can also include conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. The word “hypochondria” may sometimes be used to describe the general concept of health anxiety, although it is an outdated term.

Illness anxiety disorder

Someone living with illness anxiety disorder may or may not have a real, diagnosed physical health condition or show signs of illness. Still, regardless of any medical diagnosis, a person with illness anxiety disorder can experience intense physical sensations unrelated to any illness, such as sweating or a pounding heartbeat. These sensations may cause them to feel anxious and believe they have a more serious medical condition or physical illness. These intense feelings may result in an obsessive attitude toward their perceived illness and their body, leading to behaviors such as constantly checking their bodies for signs of serious illness. 
People with illness anxiety disorder may believe that the slightest physical symptoms or bodily sensations are an indication of a catastrophic medical condition. For example, they may worry that a cough means they are developing pneumonia, heartburn means that they’re having a heart attack, or a headache means they have a brain tumor. They may devote large amounts of time and energy to figuring out what is “wrong” with them or wishing they had a normal body. These body sensations may also spur a variety of doctors visits as they try to clarify what condition they have. 

Somatic symptom disorder

With somatic symptom disorder, patients do not have a diagnosed medical condition. However, they still experience physical symptoms. These symptoms can typically be described as “somatic,” meaning they relate to the body. Somatic symptoms have the ability to cause distress in patients who worry that they have some form of illness. This may lead them to seek medical care, potentially from multiple different doctors and healthcare providers. When medical exams do not result in a diagnosis, the patient’s anxiety can be worsened because they may begin to believe that no one will ever be able to figure out what is happening with their body and how they can heal. 

Health anxiety/hypochondria

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As mentioned above, both illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder are forms of health-related anxiety. Health anxiety can also relate to a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in which patients may believe dangerous, potentially deadly germs exist on all surfaces and in the air all around them. This health-related fear may lead to compulsive behaviors such as excessive cleaning and hand washing. Other symptoms of health anxiety may include:

  • Preoccupation with the idea that one is seriously ill
  • Misinterpreting normal bodily functions, such as a rumbling stomach, as an indication of an illness
  • Twitching, hand wringing, and other nervous behaviors
  • Overreacting to mild illness symptoms, such as a tickle in the back of the throat
  • Persistent illness-related worry, even after receiving medical evaluations and reassurance from doctors
  • Experiencing a near-constant state of anxiety and alarm related to personal health
  • Hypervigilance
  • Repeatedly examining one’s body for signs of illness
  • Compulsively researching illnesses and their symptoms
  • Missing doctor’s appointments or refusing to schedule them
  • Avoiding interactions with healthcare providers out of fear one’s anxieties will be dismissed
  • Requesting multiple medical evaluations for the same condition, despite previous negative or unchanged results
  • If an illness is actually present: experiencing concern and stress that is disproportionate to the illness

How hypochondriac therapy can help

People experiencing illness anxiety disorder, somatic symptom disorder, and any form of health anxiety may notice negative impacts on their life. According to an article from the Journal of Psychiatry, anxiety disorders increase a person’s risk of developing a comorbid medical illness. Even if someone with illness anxiety disorder doesn’t have a physical medication condition, their anxiety can contribute to the development of one.
In addition, a hyper-focus on a nonexistent or mild illness can impact a person’s ability to concentrate on their work or school and can cause damage to their personal relationships. There are options to manage illness anxiety disorder and related conditions, though, including the following: 

  • CBT:Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered to be one of the most effective methods to treat illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder. With cognitive behavioral therapy, often referred to as CBT, a mental health professional can work with a client to recognize thoughts and beliefs that are contributing to their anxiety around their health. Once these thoughts have been identified, the therapist and client can work together to break down unrealistic or unhelpful thought patterns and replace these with more rational ideas, which may lead to healthier emotions and behaviors. 
  • Behavioral Stress Management: Behavioral stress management is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses exclusively on the interactions between a person’s thoughts and behaviors and their stress levels. Since health anxiety can involve stress, learning behavioral stress management techniques may provide symptom relief. Behavioral stress management may be particularly impactful in situations where health anxiety results from an actual diagnosed physical health condition. In these cases, it's still possible for the anxiety to be disproportionate to the diagnosis or the person’s experience with the disease. 

Finding support for health anxiety

If you are experiencing high levels of worry around your physical health but have been declared healthy by a physician or are concerned that you may have a health anxiety disorder, you may want to speak with a therapist. Anxiety can sometimes make it difficult to leave the house; in addition, physical health symptoms (whether they are a result of your anxiety or not) can make traveling to an in-person appointment complicated. If this is the case for you, you might want to consider online sessions through a platform like BetterHelp. 

With online counseling, you can book sessions according to your availability and meet with a therapist from anywhere you have an internet connection. This may be useful if you’re looking for ease, freedom, and convenience as you schedule your counseling sessions. Therapists are also trained in a variety of methods, so you can find a professional who specializes in CBT or another format that can target anxiety disorders like illness anxiety disorder.

The efficacy of online psychotherapy for health anxiety

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Research has demonstrated that receiving therapy online can be just as beneficial when treating mental health conditions as therapy received in an in-person format. One study found that a course of online exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy showed significant success in reducing the symptoms of health anxiety disorders, including somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder.

Forms of therapy like online CBT often seek to help people identify the negative or unhelpful thought patterns contributing to their symptoms. Over time, the individual can learn how to change their ways of thinking to support healthier behaviors. If you want to find support for anxiety related to your health, online therapy may be a helpful and convenient way for you to get treatment. 

Takeaway

Somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder, which may be referred to by the outdated term “hypochondria,” can cause significant distress and mental health symptoms. However, therapeutic techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral stress management can help. If you are experiencing symptoms of health anxiety, online therapy may be a beneficial treatment option for finding support. With online therapy, you can connect with a therapist who has experience in the area with which you need help and foster growth and improvement as you work toward your goals. Mental health disorders involving anxiety can be challenging, but different therapeutic techniques can help you heal and lead a more fulfilling, productive life.
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