by Amanda Coers

Created on: March 23, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Are you running to WebMD every thirty minutes because the mole on your shoulder looks like it may be pulsating? Do you have your doctor's phone number on speed dial and know the receptionist's birthday? When strangers sneeze around you do you whip out your trusty can of Lysol and blanket the surrounding area in a comforting mist of cleanliness?

Face the facts, you're a hypochondriac. While there are many jokes and good-natured remarks about those who suffer from hypochondria, the reality is far from funny. People who battle with this debilitating mental disorder find every day life to be a terrific struggle and even the most mundane tasks become a battle of fear and anxiety.

Everyday bodily functions become the object of obsession. Hypochondriacs tend to misinterpret normal body vital signs such as heart rate, sweating, hunger pains and fatigue - causing great emotional stress as they fret over the possibility of a serious medical condition.

Hypochondriacs are known to focus on a specific disease, whichever causes great anxiety to the hypochondriac, such as cancer, renal disease, pneumonia or chronic liver failure. Exotic or rare diseases often become lodged in the hypochondriac's psyche and every minor physical irritation is now noted as a symptom of a mysterious and dreaded disease.

Hypochondria often begins during early adulthood, usually following a traumatizing event such as a serious illness of a loved one, most often leading to that loved one's death and spurring the inherit fear of disease and death in the hypochondriac. With breaking news announcements in the media about frightening new diseases, many hypochondriacs find themselves glued to the television, adding fuel to their fire.

As with many mental illnesses, many people are predisposed genetically to suffer from this disorder. Negative personality traits already prevalent in their psyche also contribute to hypochondria. People who are neurotic, introverted, or narcissistic are notably more likely to develop hypochondria.

It is important to treat this disorder with the respect it deserves. If you feel you or a loved one may suffer from hypochondria, seek professional counseling. Extensive therapy sessions and anti-depressants along with other medications may be needed to cope with this disorder.

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