Hypochondria, put simply, is a mental condition in which an individual excessively worries about his or her health. Just about any normal bodily process can be associated by a person who suffers from hypochondria with a serious disease. Also sometimes referred to as hypochondriasis, it can greatly interfere with one’s day-to-day living.
If lightheadedness after going from a lying to a standing position very quickly or a rapid heart rate after mopping the floor leaves you feeling anxious because you believe that you have a disease, you could have hypochondria. Read on to know how to deal with it naturally so that you may get on with your life without unnecessary worries.
Get Checked by a Doctor
The first thing you need to do is look for an excellent doctor and ask to be assessed thoroughly — being given a clean bill of health can give you much-needed peace of mind. Since the doctor who told you that you’re in the pink of health is a good one, stop seeing other doctors thinking that your current one simply missed a disease that you may have.
Quit Going Online to Check You Symptoms
A lot of people with hypochondria fire up their favorite search engines and search for diseases that the symptoms they are experiencing can be linked to. If you’re guilty of doing this, better stop ASAP. This will only leave you worrying unnecessarily about your health, plus there are lots and lots of false information on the internet.
Talk With Family and Friends
Most likely, the symptoms you are experiencing are perfectly normal ones, as confirmed by family and friends who may also be encountering the same things from time to time but are actually in A1 shape. Not only will talking with your loved ones help you accept the fact that you are perfectly healthy, but also keep your mind preoccupied.
Have a Busy Mind
Instead of concentrating on the idea that the symptoms you are experiencing indicate that you are seriously ill, focus your mind on some other things that can keep you from worrying. From collecting stamps, engaging in food photography to having a furry pal, keeping your mind busy with something else can save you from worrying about your health.
Look for Ways to Stay Relaxed
Certainly, stress and anxiety can exacerbate the fact that you may have hypochondria — both stress and anxiety can cause weird symptoms that can be easily associated with some serious diseases. Each time you are feeing stressed or anxious, take deep breaths, meditate, do yoga or watch your favorite TV sitcom.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Excessively worrying about your wellbeing can leave you wide awake at night. And when you’re deprived of sleep, you end up having all sorts of additional symptoms which can easily aggravate hypochondria. Drinking chamomile tea, filling your room with the scent of lavender or having a glass of tart cherry juice can help you catch some Z’s.
See an Expert
It’s also a very good idea for you to consult a person who specializes in various mental disorders. He or she is someone who can recommend some of the most effective ways of battling hypochondria. One very good treatment for this problem is cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT which a specialist can provide you with.
