Hypochondriasis

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Hypochondriasis (heye-poh-kon-DREYE-ah-sis) is an ongoing fear that you have a serious illness when you do not. Because you are very anxious about your health, you may go to many different caregivers. When caregivers tell you that you do not have a serious health problem, you may not believe them. Hypochondriasis can make you feel very frustrated and depressed (sad).
  
  
• With hypochondriasis, you may have physical (body) symptoms. These symptoms may be imagined (in your mind), or they may be real but harmless feelings. For example, you may notice normal body functions such as your heart beating or your intestines (bowels) gurgling. You may believe that these normal feelings of your body working inside are signs of illness. You may worry a lot about minor physical problems, such as a headache or diarrhea (loose bowel movements). You may be sure that a minor symptom means that you have a bad illness. You may hear or read about a disease or illness and believe that you have it. Talk therapy, other therapies, and special medicines may be used to treat hypochondriasis.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Medicines:

• Keep a current list of your medicines: Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists. Use vitamins, herbs, or food supplements only as directed.
  
  
• Take your medicine as directed: Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him about any medicine allergies, and if you want to quit taking or change your medicine.
  
  
• Antianxiety medicine: This medicine may be given to decrease anxiety and help you feel calm and relaxed.
  
  
• Antidepressants: This medicine is given to decrease or prevent symptoms of depression (sadness or hopelessness). Antidepressants can also be used to treat other behavior problems. It may take three weeks or more before some antidepressants start to help. It is important to keep taking your medicine exactly as directed by your caregiver. Do not drink liquids that contain alcohol while taking this medicine.
  
  
• If a medicine makes you drowsy: Some medicines may make you drowsy (tired) or less able to think clearly. Avoid driving, signing legal papers, operating heavy equipment or other activities that you must be alert to do. Never drink alcohol while you are taking medicines that make you feel drowsy or less alert.
  
  
• Medicine monitoring:
  
  
  • Caregivers will watch how you respond to your medicines. Tell caregivers about side effects or problems you may be having with your medicine. Sometimes the kind and amount of medicines you take may need to be changed. The goal is for you to feel better with the least amount of side effects. You and your caregiver will talk about how long you may need to take each of your medicines.
    
    
  • You may need blood tests to check how much medicine is in your blood. Caregivers use the results of these tests to decide how much medicine is right for you. You may need to have these blood tests more than once.

Ask for information about where and when to go for follow-up visits:

For continuing care, treatments, or home services, ask for more information.

Types of therapeutic sessions:

• Couples therapy: You and your significant other meet with a caregiver to talk about how to cope with your illness. Your significant other may be your spouse (husband or wife), or a boyfriend or girlfriend.
  
  
• Family meetings: Your caregivers will meet with you and your family. You will talk about how to cope with your illness.
  
  
• Group therapy: This is a series of meetings that you attend with other patients and staff. During these meetings, patients and staff talk together about ways to cope.
  
  
• Individual therapy: This is a time for you to talk to your therapist alone.

Types of therapy approaches:

• Assertiveness training teaches you to stand up for yourself. It teaches you how to ask for what you need, how to set limits, and how to say no.
  
  
• Biofeedback teaches your body to respond in a different way to stress. Teaching your body to relax can help you feel more in control. Caregivers may use a biofeedback machine so that you know right away when your body is relaxed. You can learn to do this without a machine. If you learn to take your pulse, you can make it slow down by thinking hard about it. This can work with breathing, temperature, and blood pressure too.
  
  
• Cognitive behavior therapy , or CBT, helps to make you more aware of how you think about things. You may have trouble seeing the good in things around you. Then you are more likely to feel depressed, sad or angry. Cognitive therapy teaches you to learn how you see things in a more positive way.
  
  
• Distraction is a way of focusing your attention on something other than your problem or feelings. Playing cards or games, watching TV, or taking a walk are all ways to do this. Other ways are visiting with friends, painting, petting animals, and writing down your feelings. These planned activities may help you manage your feelings. They may also help you relax and start feeling better about yourself and your life.
  
  
• Hypnosis teaches you to change your level of awareness. This means that caregivers teach you to focus your attention so you can move away from upsetting feelings. You make yourself open to suggestions, like feeling happy and having more energy. Hypnosis can give long-lasting relief from depression without changing your normal activities. This treatment gives you better control of your body. After practice, you can learn to do hypnosis when you are by yourself.
  
  
• Insight oriented therapy makes you think about things that have happened in the past. It helps you to understand your feelings and behavior now as it relates to past events.
  
  
• Relaxation is another way to focus your attention on something other than your feelings. Learn new ways to relax, such as meditation, listening to music, or biofeedback. Ask your caregiver for more information about any of these.

Wellness hints:

• Change your diet. Eat a healthy variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, breads, dairy products, and protein (meat, beans, and fish). Eating healthy foods may help you feel better and have more energy. You may feel better and sleep better if you avoid foods and drinks that have caffeine. Examples of things that may contain caffeine include coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, ans sports drinks and foods. Ask your caregiver for more information about planning a healthy diet.
  
  
• Take time to exercise. Begin a regular exercise program to decrease tension and feelings of stress. Something as simple as walking 20 minutes a day, three to four days a week can help. Exercising also makes the heart stronger, lowers blood pressure, and keeps you healthy. Talk to your caregiver before you start exercising. Together you can plan the best exercise program for you.
  
  
• Do not drink alcohol or overuse medicines. Drinking alcohol can cause sleep problems, depressed feelings, and increases stress. You should also not take any street or illegal (street) drugs. Both alcohol and illegal drugs can affect the way your medicine works and can make you feel worse. Taking too much medicine, even if it is over-the-counter medicine, can cause serious health problems.
  
  
• Have a positive attitude. Stop yourself when you start to worry or think too much about your body or health. If you have problems controlling your thoughts, tell your caregiver. A counselor can teach you ways to think more positively.

Where can I go for support?

• Accepting that you have hypochondriasis is hard. You and those close to you may feel angry, sad, or frightened. These are normal feelings. Talk to your caregivers, family, and friends about your feelings. Write down any questions you have about hypochondriasis and how it is treated. This way you will remember to ask these questions during your next visit with your caregiver. Also ask your caregiver to suggest books that you can read. Reading about hypochondriasis might help you better understand it.
  
  
• Your family may also want to join a support group. This is a group of people who have a family member with hypochondriasis. Ask your caregiver for the names and numbers of support groups near you. You may also contact the following organizations:
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Public Information & Communication Branch
    6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663
    Bethesda , MD 20892-9663
    Phone: 1- 301 - 443-4513
    Phone: 1- 866 - 615-6464
    Web Address: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
    
  • American Psychiatric Association
    1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825
    Arlington , VA 22209
    Phone: 1- 703 - 907
    Web Address: http://www.psych.org
    

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have questions or concerns about hypochondriasis or your medicine.
  
  
• You are not able to sleep well, or are sleeping more than usual.
  
  
• You cannot eat, or are eating more than usual.
  
  
• You cannot make it to your next meeting with your caregiver.
  
  
• Your skin is itchy, or you have a rash. Your medicines may be causing these symptoms. This may mean you are allergic to your medicine.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• You think about hurting yourself or someone else.
  
  
• You have swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat that makes it hard to breathe or swallow. This may mean you are having a serious (very bad) reaction to your medicine.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Hypochondriasis (Aftercare Instructions)