HypochondriasisMohamed Hakimi Bin Abdul Kadir

Syed Ramzul Ihsan Bin Syed Najmuddin

Definition Hypochondriasis, Hypochondria,

Health Phobia Excessive preoccupation or worry

about having a serious illness Intentional falsification of illness Hypo(below) Chondros(cartilage)

Brief look of Hypochondriasis

A type of psychological disorder

A person believes that he is ill even after repeated assurance by physician that he is healthy

About 3% of patients admitted to hospital

Cyberchondriasis Related to Munchausen

Syndrome

Symptoms Preoccupation with a serious illness for at

least 6 months Misinterpreting normal body symptoms Persistent fear of illness despite being

reassured by health care providers that you are not ill

Difficulty maintaining a job, keeping relationships, and performing normal daily activities

Causes Major disease

outbreak (H1N1, SARS)

Anxiety & depression

The media & internet

Serious illness or death among family members

Being a medical student

So what is the problem?? Misdiagnosis Hospital congestion Lead to other health problems Depression (psychological can lead

to physiological changes)

Treatment Psychological

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy• Pyscho-educational “talk” therapy

Drugs• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors• Placebo

Sources1. Wikipedia2. UMMS3. Javier I. Escobar M.D., Michael Gara Ph.D.,

Howard Waitzkin M.D., Roxanne Cohen Silver, Alison Holman Ph.D. and Wilson Compton M.D, DSM-IV Hypochondriasis in Primary Care, General Hospital Psychiatry Volume 20, Issue 3, May 1998, Pages 155-159

4. Barsky AJ, Ahern DK: Cognitive behavior therapy for hypochondriasis: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2004; 291:1464-1470