What's The Dividing Line Between The Health-Concerned And Hypochondria?

It’s fair to say that caring about our health is a positive thing. It’s not unusual to keep track of symptoms, make regular visits to the doctor, and stay informed about potential health issues. However, there’s a point where concern about health can cross into hypochondria. This is when the worry itself becomes a health issue, affecting quality of life and mental well-being. You don’t have to “make a choice” to feel this way, like some people assume. It’s a set of habits that can grow on you without your knowing, and is also an expression of anxiety. In other words, you’re not a worse person for having this difficulty at all, but it’s worth knowing what to do about it.

Understanding the difference between being health-concerned and hypochondriac can help you get started on that effectively, while still maintaining a balanced perspective on health. In this post, we’ll explore this dividing line and offer some insight into handling health-related anxieties.

Normal Health Concern

It’s natural to be concerned about your health. Checking in with your body, noting changes, and seeking medical advice when something feels off are all parts of responsible self-care. This type of health concern is usually based on rational observations and doesn’t dominate your thoughts. For instance, if you notice a continual cough, it makes sense to consult a healthcare professional to rule out any serious conditions. Once reassured, you move on. However, this can change if you’re not careful.

Managing Hypochondria

Hypochondria, or health anxiety, is a condition where worry about having a serious illness persists despite medical reassurance. People with hypochondria might worry about normal bodily functions or minor symptoms as signs of severe illness. This leads to frequent doctor visits, constant self-checking, and significant difficulty. You might assume the doctor doesn’t know what they’re talking about, or demand continual new opinions. However, you can seek treatment for this just as you might an imagined health condition.

Limit Self-Diagnosis & Try Mindfulness

It’s tempting to look up every symptom online, but this usally online leads to increased anxiety. Trusting healthcare professionals and limiting your own research to credible sources can help reduce your unnecessary stress and it also serves as a helpful habit change. Moreover, mindfulness techniques can be effective in managing anxiety and may help you develop the courage to see a psychologist or mental health professional. Practices like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and focusing on the present can help limit stress and also help you notice shoddy thinking, which empowers you to address the root worry causing this behavior. Don’t worry, you’ll be certain to move forward and overcome this, you just have to speak to a professional about your concerns. It’s not an unknown habit, and you can absolutely learn better, healthier methods of moving forward. It also means that you become more adept at knowing when an actual health issue is occurring, such as when you may wish to book a hearing loss screening. This can be empowering.

With this advice, you’ll be certain to manage the dividing line between the health-concerned and hypochondria well, and move forward with a happier state of mind.