Hypochondria .
There's a big difference between everyday health concerns and signs that you are a hypochondriac. In the former, you might go to the doctor when you're feeling sick, or follow up with a specialist if you have ongoing health concerns. In those instances, you're doing exactly what you should be doing — listening to your body and taking good care of yourself.
But hypochondria is something else entirely. "The medical condition, hypochondriasis ... is a condition where someone misinterprets one or more bodily symptoms and believes they have a serious disease (this is now called 'somatic symptom disorder'); or they are preoccupied with a fear of a disease, now called 'illness anxiety disorder. The common factor for both of these conditions is that people have a completely normal physical examination, negative tests, and are provided with reassurance by their doctors, but they still have the fear or physical symptoms in the absence of anything going on physically.
Which is why this is considered an anxiety disorder, and needs to be treated as such. "Once a medical cause [for the symptoms] is ruled out, they should work with a therapist to help them manage the symptoms.
1. Thinking You Have A Serious Disease, Even When You Don't
2. Feeling Easily Triggered When Someone Talks About Illnesses
3. Feeling The Constant Need To Be Seen By A Doctor
4. Believing Normal Bodily Functions Are A Sign Of Something Bad
5. Worrying Excessively About Your Family's Health History
6. Wanting To Avoid The Doctor At All Costs
7. Feeling Like Your Doctor Can't Be Trusted
8. Constantly Wanting To Look Up Symptoms
9. Getting Angry That Nobody Knows What's Wrong
10. Keeping A Detailed Record Of Symptoms
Dr. Anshul Mahajan