Bump or monkeypox, cough or COVID-19: Am I seriously sick or am I living in 2022?
Fever, chills, bumps, rashes, sore throat, sniffles, headache, oh my – could having any of these symptoms mean you might be seriously ill?
In the age of COVID-19, and now monkeypox, experts have seen a rise in people experiencing anxious feelings about their health. Social media and the internet – and therefore self-consulted medical advice – exacerbate these worries.
While worrying about your health is normal, experts say to not catastrophize symptoms such as a cough and build improbable scenarios around health.
They recommend easing your concerns about your health by researching facts about illnesses but referring to medical professionals for official diagnoses.
What is hypochondria?
Somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder, formerly known as hypochondria, is an excessive fear and preoccupation of illness.
It’s not just something that the person thinks about, if they happen to not feel well, they think about it pretty much all the time, they worry about it, they obsess about it, they lose sleep over it. They will go to doctors very frequently because of the fear, or they won’t go to doctors at all because of the fear.
Have Further Questions?
If you or someone you love have questions or would like further information about illness anxiety, the mental health professionals at The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders in Delray Beach, Florida, can help. For more information, contact us or call us today at 561-496-1094.
