What to Know About Hypochondriasis, Now Called Illness Anxiety Disorder

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHypochondriasisSymptoms of IADDiagnosisWhat Causes IAD?TypesHow to Treat IADCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Hypochondriasis

Symptoms of IAD

Diagnosis

What Causes IAD?

Types

How to Treat IAD

Coping

While there may not be a medical illness present, the concerns that people with IAD have are very real, and the anxiety they feel can cause serious disruptions in normal daily functioning.

Hypochondriasis, or hypochondria, was eliminated in the latest version of theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5, now the DSM-5-TR).Hypochondria was eliminated from the DSM-5 because the term has negative connotations and is stigmatizing.

Instead, most people who would have previously been diagnosed with hypochondriasis now receive a diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder orsomatic symptom disorder. However, there are some who feel that hypochondriasis should bereclassified as a phobiasince it represents a specific fear of illness.

While the name has changed, it’s not uncommon to still hear someone referred to—usually in a negative manner—as a “hypochondriac” if they are perceived as someone who exaggerates illness.

Avoid Calling Someone a HypochondriacIt’s important to remember that you can never know what another person may be struggling with, and it’s best not to diminish someone’s anxieties whatever you may think about them. If you complained of an illness or physical ailment, you likely wouldn’t want others to dismiss your concerns outright.

Avoid Calling Someone a Hypochondriac

It’s important to remember that you can never know what another person may be struggling with, and it’s best not to diminish someone’s anxieties whatever you may think about them. If you complained of an illness or physical ailment, you likely wouldn’t want others to dismiss your concerns outright.

What It’s Actually Like to Have a Somatoform Disorder

Symptoms of illness anxiety disorder or hypochondriasis center primarily on a preoccupation with the possibility of being ill, often based on normal body functions or mild physical complaints. Common symptoms include:

Illness anxiety disorder is often diagnosed after physical examinations and lab tests return normal results, but the person remains preoccupied and anxious about an underlying health condition. Diagnosis of IAD is based on the person’s symptoms, medical history, exam results, and accompanying mental health symptoms such assevere anxiety.

In order to be diagnosed with illness anxiety disorder, an individual must exhibit the following:

Complications of Illness Anxiety Disorder

Illness anxiety disorder may also lead people to avoid seeking medical treatment altogether, thus jeopardizing their health.

Other Similar Conditions

Illness anxiety disorder is sometimes confused with other conditions or behaviors including:

The exact causes of illness anxiety disorder are not known, but there are a number of contributing factors that may play a role in the development of this condition. Some of these factors may include:

Some research also suggests that people may have a higher risk of developing IAD if they spend a great deal of time on the internet reviewing the symptoms of different health conditions.

Illness anxiety disorder frequently overlaps with other anxiety disorders. People who have IAD may also have co-occurring conditions such asspecific phobias,generalized anxiety disorder, and/orpanic disorderwith agoraphobia, among other conditions.

There are two types of illness anxiety disorder: care-seeking and care-avoidant.

Care-Seeking Type

Some people with illness anxiety disorder react with a need for constant reassurance. They may visit the doctor regularly despite tests showing that everything is normal. They may also frequently complain of their symptoms to friends and family members.

Care-Avoidant Type

Others with IAD react in the opposite extreme. They may avoid visiting the doctor for fear of learning bad news. They may be reluctant to share their fears with loved ones, either because they are afraid of having their fears confirmed or because they believe that they will not be taken seriously.

Research has shown that there are treatments that can be effective for illness anxiety disorder. Treatment often depends on the nature and severity of the condition, as well as any co-occurring mental health conditions.

Psychotherapy

There are different types of psychotherapy that can be useful for treating illness anxiety.Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) has become a popular option for treating IAD. This type of therapy helps people learn to manage the anxiety that they feel towards their physical symptoms. In turn, this can help the symptoms themselves diminish.

Medications

In addition to professional treatment for the condition, there are a number of self-help strategies that people might find helpful for reducing feelings of illness anxiety disorder:

If you constantly worry about physical symptoms, it is important that you seek treatment. It is generally best to visit your family doctor first in order to rule out any possible medical cause for your symptoms. If your doctor does not find an illness, then the next step is to seek help from a mental health professional.

Untreated illness anxiety disorder can eventually cause you to limit your life activities due to your fears. With treatment, however, you can get your symptoms under control and move on with your daily life.

If you or a loved one are struggling with illness anxiety disorder contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with illness anxiety disorder contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed).Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Scarella TM, Laferton JA, Ahern DK, Fallon BA, Barsky A.The relationship of hypochondriasis to anxiety, depressive, and somatoform disorders.Psychosomatics. 2016;57(2):200-7. doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2015.10.006French JH, Hameed S.Illness Anxiety Disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Chappell AS.Toward a lifestyle medicine approach to illness anxiety disorder (formerly jypochondriasis).Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):365-369. doi:10.1177/1559827618764649Sirri L, Grandi S.Illness behavior.Adv Psychosom Med. 2012;32:160-181. doi:10.1159/000330015Cleveland Clinic.Illness Anxiety Disorder: Beyond Hypochondriasis.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed).Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Scarella TM, Laferton JA, Ahern DK, Fallon BA, Barsky A.The relationship of hypochondriasis to anxiety, depressive, and somatoform disorders.Psychosomatics. 2016;57(2):200-7. doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2015.10.006French JH, Hameed S.Illness Anxiety Disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Chappell AS.Toward a lifestyle medicine approach to illness anxiety disorder (formerly jypochondriasis).Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):365-369. doi:10.1177/1559827618764649Sirri L, Grandi S.Illness behavior.Adv Psychosom Med. 2012;32:160-181. doi:10.1159/000330015Cleveland Clinic.Illness Anxiety Disorder: Beyond Hypochondriasis.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed).Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.Scarella TM, Laferton JA, Ahern DK, Fallon BA, Barsky A.The relationship of hypochondriasis to anxiety, depressive, and somatoform disorders.Psychosomatics. 2016;57(2):200-7. doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2015.10.006French JH, Hameed S.Illness Anxiety Disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.Chappell AS.Toward a lifestyle medicine approach to illness anxiety disorder (formerly jypochondriasis).Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):365-369. doi:10.1177/1559827618764649Sirri L, Grandi S.Illness behavior.Adv Psychosom Med. 2012;32:160-181. doi:10.1159/000330015Cleveland Clinic.Illness Anxiety Disorder: Beyond Hypochondriasis.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed).Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

Scarella TM, Laferton JA, Ahern DK, Fallon BA, Barsky A.The relationship of hypochondriasis to anxiety, depressive, and somatoform disorders.Psychosomatics. 2016;57(2):200-7. doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2015.10.006

French JH, Hameed S.Illness Anxiety Disorder. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Chappell AS.Toward a lifestyle medicine approach to illness anxiety disorder (formerly jypochondriasis).Am J Lifestyle Med. 2018;12(5):365-369. doi:10.1177/1559827618764649

Sirri L, Grandi S.Illness behavior.Adv Psychosom Med. 2012;32:160-181. doi:10.1159/000330015

Cleveland Clinic.Illness Anxiety Disorder: Beyond Hypochondriasis.

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