What is Hypochondriasis?
5. What Causes Hypochondriasis?
The appearance of a single serious symptom can spark ongoing anxiety. For example, panic attacks often mirror the symptoms of heart attacks. Most people, after their first rush to the emergency room to confirm that they are not dying, accept the test results that there is nothing wrong with their hearts. A small percentage, however, hold onto the belief that there is something physically wrong with them.
Medical history can also be a factor. The trauma from a serious childhood illness can result in hypervigilance about health later in life. A family history of a certain disease can inspire an obsessive search for it.
Advertisement
