Illness anxiety disorder is preoccupation with and fear of having or acquiring a serious disorder. Diagnosis is confirmed when fears and symptoms (if any) persist for ≥ 6 months despite reassurance after a thorough medical evaluation. Treatment includes establishing a consistent, supportive physician-patient
relationship; cognitive-behavioral therapy and serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help. Illness anxiety disorder (previously called hypochondriasis, a term that has been abandoned because of its pejorative connotation) most commonly begins during early adulthood and appears to occur equally among men and women. The patient's fears may derive from misinterpreting nonpathologic physical symptoms or normal bodily functions (eg, borborygmi, abdominal bloating and crampy discomfort,
awareness of heartbeat, sweating). Patients with illness anxiety disorder are so preoccupied with the idea that they are or might become ill that their illness anxiety impairs social and occupational functioning or causes
significant distress. Patients may or may not have physical symptoms, but if they do, their concern is more about the possible implications of the symptoms than the symptoms themselves. Some patients examine themselves repeatedly (eg, looking at their throat in a mirror, checking their skin for lesions). They are easily alarmed by new somatic sensations. Some patients visit physicians frequently (care-seeking type); others rarely seek medical care (care-avoidant type). The course is
often chronic—fluctuating in some, steady in others. Some patients recover. Clinical evaluation Symptoms and Signs of Illness Anxiety Disorder
The diagnosis of illness anxiety disorder is based on criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), including the following:
The patient is preoccupied with having or acquiring a serious illness.
The patient has no or minimal somatic symptoms.
The patient is highly anxious about health and easily alarmed about personal health issues.
The patient repeatedly checks health status or maladaptively avoids doctor appointments and hospitals.
The patient has been preoccupied with illness for ≥ 6 months, although the specific illness feared may change during that time period.
Symptoms are not better accounted for by depression or another mental disorder.
Sometimes serotonin reuptake inhibitors or cognitive-behavioral therapy
Patients can benefit from having a trustful relationship with a caring, reassuring physician. If symptoms are not adequately relieved, patients may benefit from a psychiatric referral while they continue under the care of the primary physician.
Treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be helpful, as may cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Click here for Patient Education
Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved.
- Entertainment & Pop Culture
- Geography & Travel
- Health & Medicine
- Lifestyles & Social Issues
- Literature
- Philosophy & Religion
- Politics, Law & Government
- Science
- Sports & Recreation
- Technology
- Visual Arts
- World History
- On This Day in History
- Quizzes
- Podcasts
- Dictionary
- Biographies
- Summaries
- Top Questions
- Week In Review
- Infographics
- Demystified
- Lists
- #WTFact
- Companions
- Image Galleries
- Spotlight
- The Forum
- One Good Fact
- Entertainment & Pop Culture
- Geography & Travel
- Health & Medicine
- Lifestyles & Social Issues
- Literature
- Philosophy & Religion
- Politics, Law & Government
- Science
- Sports & Recreation
- Technology
- Visual Arts
- World History
- Britannica Classics
Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives. - Demystified Videos
In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions. - #WTFact Videos
In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find. - This Time in History
In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history. - Britannica Explains
In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.
- Buying Guide
Expert buying advice. From tech to household and wellness products. - Student Portal
Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more. - COVID-19 Portal
While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today. - 100 Women
Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians. - Britannica Beyond
We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning. Go ahead. Ask. We won’t mind. - Saving Earth
Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century. Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! - SpaceNext50
Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!