(310) 335-5443

Specializing in the Treatment of OCD,
Hypochondria (Health Anxiety), and Related Conditions

HYPOCHONDRIA / HEALTH ANXIETY - SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

Hypochondria, also called Hypochondriasis or "Health Anxiety", is best described as the obsessive, irrational fear of having a serious medical condition. Hypochondria / Health Anxiety is based on an individual's misinterpretation of symptoms, and exists despite medical reassurance that the individual does not have a disease or illness. Hypochondria / Health Anxiety goes beyond normal concerns with health, and can seriously impact academic and professional functioning, as well as interpersonal relationships.

Symptoms of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety

Symptoms of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety vary widely from person to person. Some examples of common obsessions seen in Hypochondria / Health Anxiety are:

thinking that a headache is indicative of a brain tumor
believing that a cough must be sign of lung cancer
assuming that a minor chest pain is a heart attack
thinking that a minor sore is a sign of AIDS

Some common examples of compulsions seen in Hypochondria / Health Anxiety include:

multiple doctor visits, often "doctor-hopping" on the same day
multiple medical tests, often for the same alleged condition
repetitive checking of the body for symptoms of an alleged medical condition
repeatedly avoiding contact with objects or situations for fear of exposure to diseases
habitual internet searching for information about illnesses and their symptoms ("Cyberchondria")

It is estimated that 4-6% of the population has clinically significant hypochondria. Furthermore, recent research suggests that up to 10% of all visits to primary care physicians may be due to hypochondriacal fears. As demonstrated above, Hypochondria has numerous obsessive-compulsive features that are quite similar to those of OCD. One essential diffence between the two conditions is that those with OCD often fear getting a disease, while those with hypochondria fear already having a disease. Perhaps the most significant similarity linking OCD and Hypochondria is the cyclical process by which the symptoms of both increase. To learn more about this process, click here.

Treatment of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety
Because of these many similarities, the same Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques that are so effective in treating OCD are also employed in the treatment of Hypochondria. In fact, recent research studies have found that CBT is the most effective treatment for Hypochondria / Health Anxiety. The primary CBT technique used in treating both OCD and Hypochondria is a type of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy called "Exposure and Response Prevention" (ERP). Another CBT technique that is extremely valuable is called "Cognitive Restructuring". For more information on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for the treatment of Hypochondria, click here.
Additionally, a variant of ERP has been developed that has also been found to be extremely effective for the treatment of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety. This method, sometimes called "imaginal exposure," involves using short stories based on the client's health obsessions. These stories are audiotaped and then used as ERP tools, allowing the client to experience exposure to feared situations that cannot be experienced through traditional ERP (e.g., getting cancer or AIDS). When combined with standard ERP for the above-noted compulsions, and other CBT techniques such as Cognitive Restructuring, this type of imaginal exposure can greatly reduce the frequency and magnitude of intrusive health-related obsessions, as well as the individual's sensitivity to the thoughts and mental images experienced in Hypochondria / Health Anxiety.
In addition to individual therapy for Hypochondria / Health Anxiety, the OCD Center of Los Angeles also offers five weekly, low-fee, therapy/support groups for people with OCD, Hypochondria, and related conditions. These groups are lead by our staff therapists, and use the same treatment protocol as our individual Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy program. For more information on these groups, click here.
If you are experiencing any of the above Hypochondria / Health Anxiety symptoms, and would like to discuss individual or group therapy for the treatment of Hypochondria / Health Anxiety at the OCD Center of Los Angeles, you can call us at (310) 335-5443, or click here to email us. If you live outside Southern California, we recommend that you contact a licensed Cognitive-Behavioral therapist in your local area.

Please note that the above is not meant to replace a complete and thorough evaluation by a licensed cognitive-behavioral therapist or other qualified mental health professional. Some individuals with Hypochondria may benefit from medication, and may therefore require a psychiatric evaluation. Likewise, a psychiatric assessment may be necessary to differentiate between Hypochondria and other psychological conditions. If a psychiatric evaluation is indicated, the OCD Center of Los Angeles can refer you to a qualified psychiatrist in our area. Furthermore, it is imperative to make the distinction between Hypochondria and other medical conditions. For this reason, a medical examination may be necessary.

What is OCD?  · Pure Obsessional OCD ("Pure O")  · The Obsessive - Compulsive Cycle  · OCD Test
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)  · Hypochondria / Health Anxiety  · Social Anxiety  · Panic Disorder
Trichotillomania  · Compulsive Skin Picking (CSP)  · Phobias  · Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS)
OCD Treatment: Cognitive - Behavioral Therapy  · OCD Therapy/Support Groups  · OC Spectrum Disorders
OCD Readings  · OCD Links  · About the OCD Center of Los Angeles  · OCD Center of Los Angeles Home

Site Created By: