Hypochondriasis

[Dr. Adams]

The hypochondriac clings to the belief that something is seriously wrong with them despite reassurance to the contrary. No matter how many diagnostic tests, no matter how many physicians seen, the hypochondriacal patient perceives that there is a specific problem. When asked by others, they will state with certainty that they have a specific condition despite being recently told that tests to confirm that disorder or condition are uniformly negative.

[aswab]

Sounds a bit like a subset of OCD.
Not come across this, myself, tho' I've seen it in DSMiv.
Guess I'd want to be treating it the same way - CBT or a derivative. Not a major fan, myself, but this is clearly a thinking disorder, and as such I'd be looking to Cognition for a basic way in.

S

[sojourner]

Dear Dr. Adams,
In light of similar criteria along with the possible presence of a hidden agenda, are Hypochondriasis and Factitious Disorder sometimes diagnosed as each other?

[Dr. Adams]

No, the individual with factitious disorder deliberately creates his/her symptoms in order to remain in the patient role. An individual with factitious disorder believes himself/herself to be truly ill despite medical reassurance that they are not.

[ladykitten99]

The hypochondriac clings to the belief that something is seriously wrong with them despite reassurance to the contrary. No matter how many diagnostic tests, no matter how many physicians seen, the hypochondriacal patient perceives that there is a specific problem. When asked by others, they will state with certainty that they have a specific condition despite being recently told that tests to confirm that disorder or condition are uniformly negative.


Dr. Adams

I have a somatoform disorder. One doctor has told me that it was GAD, and the other said it was conversion reaction. Some of my symptoms include: slurred speech, weakness in limbs, abdominal contractions, pain in several parts of the body, and its also hard for me to walk. Is it possible that I could have both disorders? Is it considered as a permanent disability? Please help I have been suffering for two years.

[Dr. Adams]

Yes, it is possible to have generalized anxiety disorder and conversion disorder. Both can be treated, and you indicate that you have a doctor who has diagnosed you. Have you asked him to treat or to refer you to someone whom he feels competent to treat you?

[ladykitten99]

well, I was actually referred to a neurologist who conducted several test on me. So now, my neurologist is referring me to a psychiatrist. Do you think that this is necessary? Why or why not?

[sojourner]

seeing either a psychiatrist or a therapist would be a great help. just a few weeks after my first therapy session, my therapist and i discovered that i had developed several conversion reactions. "i go blind, sometimes", i reported to Trish. "and people's faces disappear."

"wow. do people's faces disappear?" Trish asked me. it took several minutes for me to process her question. "no, faces really cannot disappear." later, i discovered that *i* was blocking them out and had been doing it since childhood. then, we discovered that i feared dangerous and contradictory facial expressions. finally, having understood the dynamics of my reaction, i eventually gave up going blind and blocking out people's faces.

really, skipping therapy was not an option for me. if it was, though, i would still believe that people's faces disappeared by themselves. and that everyone else saw them disappear, too.

hope this helps.

warm regards,
sojourner