Hypochondria - a neurological pathology or a psychological deviation?

Hypochondria is a neurotic disorder of the psyche, which manifests itself in the phobia of a person in relation to their own health.

In this case, the patient is clearly convinced that he is suffering from a serious and dangerous disease that can not be cured. In fact, these suspicions do not carry any ground in themselves and most cases are false.

Such a human condition with timely diagnosis and correctly selected methods of treatment is quite easily amenable to correction. The most important thing in this case is the patient's own attitude, since the speed of recovery depends on his efforts and efforts.

Depressed state characteristic

In medical terminology, the term hypochondria is acceptedimplied an exaggerated concern, which is more focused on well-beingrights. The patient is fully convinced that he is seriously ill and sometimes even conducted medical examinations can not convince him otherwise.

The very first type of mental disorder described by Hippocrates, after which a detailed study of this unusual state began to deal with Claudius Galen.

In today's world, hypochondria can also be identified with an excessive state of despondency and pretense.

The hypochondriacal syndrome can be diagnosed as a separate disease, as well as manifest with other pathologies accompanied by additional symptoms. This fact has been proved relatively recently, as evidenced by the very interesting results of the studies.

In most cases, in practice hypochondria closely interacts with disorders such as depression and anxious panic attacks. If you cure at least one of them, then the initial illness also disappears.

Medical statistics confirm the fact that today the diagnosis of "hypochondria" is more than 10% of all the world's inhabitants.

A US scientists raise these figures to almost 20%.

Causes of the development of the alarm

Unfortunately, it was not possible to establish specific reasons that could cause the violation of modern scientists. However, physiologists assume that the following processes can play a huge role in the development of this disorder:

• a change in the functioning of the structures of the human brain;
• violation of the correct perception of the cerebral cortex impulses that come from the internal organs;
• the presence of delusional conditions, and later the manifestation of the disorders themselves;
• failure in the vegetative system and the cortex.

Who is at risk

Hypochondria is often manifested in those individuals who are very easily amenable to a different kind of suggestion and respond sensitively to all the data that comes to them from the media.

Among the hypochondriacs most often occur in older people, but there are also known cases when children and even teenagers suffered from such disorders. In such a situation, their condition was considered unstable due to the fact that the child's brain very quickly and simply absorbs all the information that comes from the outside world.

The disorder is diagnosed in the same ratio, both in female and in male. Also very often such a diagnosis is put to medical students, who almost every day have to deal with various diseases and severe patients, as well as drawing information from textbooks about the pathological conditions of the human body.

The risk group includes the following categories of people:

• prone to the development of psychoses of various origins and forms;
• when diagnosing a patient of various types of neurosis;
• with delusional ideas;
• in people of age who can not accept the fact that they began to grow old;
• in a person who has trouble communicating with colleagues and friends;
• in patients whose sexual life was not very successful.

It is also impossible to note the fact that hypochondria very often can provoke various kinds of advertising and Internet resources, as they can receive an unlimited amount of information about medical terms and diseases, as well as medications.

Species of the

syndrome Depending on the symptoms, the disease is divided into the following types:

1. hypochondria obsessive. Characterized by the fact that the patient is constantly worried about his health. A distinctive feature of this type of violation is that in this case, a person understands what he experiences without any definite reasons. With the timely diagnosis of this form, treatment occurs in a relatively short time period.
2. Astheno is a hypochondriacal syndrome. It manifests itself in the patient's complete and unshakable confidence that he is suffering from a dangerous chronic disease that does not respond to any kind of treatment. These patients have regular complaints of acute headaches, weakness, constant drowsiness. Such people have little contact with anyone, they gradually become withdrawn and protected from the whole world.
3. Depressive is a hypochondriacal syndrome. When such a diagnosis is made, the patient has supervalued ideas, which in the in most cases do not lend themselves to any type of correction and treatment. Such patients worry not about the disease itself, but about what consequences in the future they can expect. Quite often, such people have a desire to harm themselves, so they need constant supervision.
4. Sansto is a hypochondriacal syndrome. Such a person constantly turns to doctors and asks to put a correct diagnosis. Even when his assumptions are not confirmed, he turns to another specialist. Such a situation can last for a long time, which greatly aggravates the state of the patient's nervous and mental system.
5. Anxious is a hypochondriacal syndrome. This type of disease manifests itself in the presence of disorders of the nervous system, which manifest themselves after the transferred stressful situations. Such people are constantly tense and try to confirm the fact that they have a dangerous pathology.

How hypochondriacs look like in the life of

Among the manifested symptoms of hypochondria, medical specialists distinguish the following:

• a constant anxiety for one's own health;
• concern;
• irritability;
• a breakdown;
• depression;
• self-contained;
• loss of appetite;
• needs someone to prove something;
• in some cases, aggression;
• drowsiness or vice versa insomnia;
• suicidal thoughts.

Symptoms of hypochondria are divided by severity into several groups. These include:

1. Obsession( obsession) .Refers to the safest form. In this case, people still continue to convince and prove to everyone that he is terminally ill, and no one wants to confirm his assumptions. For this reason, attempts to prove one's rightness are amplified several times.
2. Super-valuable ideas of .For this variety is characterized by a sharp emotional reaction of a person to the manifestation of any unusual conditions of his body. With the manifestation of even a slight rhinitis or cough, the patient completely becomes confident that these are the symptoms of a fatal illness. Very often, symptomatology of this nature portends that the hypochondria passes into the stage of schizophrenia.
3. The state of delirium .The most dangerous and difficult stage. In this case, a person needs urgent medical and psychological treatment. The entire period of therapy, he must be under the strict supervision of specialists.

An independent solution to the

problem In order to get rid of hypochondria, obsessive ideas and conditions regarding your health, the hypochondriac will have to make its own efforts.

So, for example, very well help to distract negative thoughts, care for a new pet. When a puppy is planted, a person fully immerses himself in the atmosphere of caring and caring for the animal, while he can walk with him outdoors, which is very important in the treatment of this disorder.

A woman, for example, can be knitted or embroidered. In the event that the patient lives in a private home, she can be offered to arrange the arrangement of a small garden and the front yard of the house( plant flowers and take care of them throughout the period of their growth).Constant worries will not leave time to look for information about illnesses in books or the Internet.

In the recovery period, it is necessary that the patient has enough time to rest and sleep. In order to relieve nervous and physical stress you can go for a walk in the park or forest. If possible, swimming and massage will be useful.

Before going to bed it is useful to drink a cup of hot tea based on chamomile, melissa or mint. Do not forget about your loved ones. Regular pastime and communication with them will benefit the hypochondriac.

Professional treatment of

The first task that the doctor faces in the course of treatment of this mental disorder is a thorough examination of the patient's general health. For this purpose, the following examinations are assigned:

• laboratory blood test;
• laboratory analysis of urine;
• stool analysis;
• ultrasound diagnosis( ultrasound);
• electrocardiogram.

After receiving the results of the analysis, the attending physician may prescribe additional studies that will help him complete the picture of the disease.

The task of conducting such a thorough examination is to establish the general health of the patient. This will allow the specialist to fully understand what is happening in the head of the hypochondriac.

The main methods of treatment that are used to treat hypochondria are medications and exercises with a psychotherapist. Also for the treatment can be connected such specialists as a neurologist and a psychiatrist.

Working with a psychologist makes it possible to change the perception and outlook of a patient. Regular classes with a specialist help to look at the world with a more positive eye and perceive it in a completely different way.

To ensure that the results are acquired and well established, the support and assistance of close relatives is very important, because in most cases they lead the hypochondriac for the first visit to the doctor! The duration of the therapy itself will depend on the severity and course of the illness itself.

Only qualified personnel can prescribe drugs. In most cases, for the treatment of hypochondria, psychotherapists prescribe antidepressants( Fevarin or Fluoxetine).

In the same case, if symptoms worsen, it is advisable to use a group of neuroleptics( Sonapax or Seroquel) and tranquilizers( phenazepam and grandaxin).

Dangerous danger

Hypochondriacal neurosis( syndrome) is not considered a fatal sentence for a person. Such people are perceived as a normal whiner or a liar.

The danger of such a disorder for a person is only that he can prescribe drugs to himself, which in turn can only harm his health( liver and kidneys may be the first to suffer).

Preventive measures

In order to avoid the transition of hypochondria into a serious and dangerous pathology, it is necessary to follow the following recommendations:

• you should try to think less about your health and serious illnesses;
• does not need to constantly read medical websites on the Internet;
• it is necessary to try more rest( to walk on the nature, to visit a cinema, to go on a visit);
• sports( light gymnastics, swimming);
• Avoiding stressful situations and nerve strains;
• it's important to find yourself an interesting hobby that will take up most of the time;
• regular communication with relatives.

In each case, the symptomatology will manifest itself individually. The longer and more regular the unpleasant signs of a disorder manifest, the more aggravated the state of human health.

To help in this case, only competent and qualified specialists will be able to help, as well as support of relatives and friends!