Coronavirus Hypochondria, All You Need To Know
A phenomenon we have witnessed in recent weeks is that of Coronavirus hypochondria. Reaction that occurs at different levels. In milder cases, it is limited to suspicion of having contracted the virus and exaggerated interpretation of any compatible symptom, such as a simple sneeze.
In the most severe forms, you are certain that you are sick, even developing various symptoms, even if you are actually healthy. This condition causes intense suffering, as one is convinced that one is sick but not treated as required.
The pandemic has brought about consequences of various kinds, and among these, psycho-emotional effects. The bombardment of news, the generalized state of alarm contribute to increasing a more or less constant stress. This easily leads to the phenomenon of hypochondria.
Coronavirus hypochondria
Hypochondria is defined as a mental disorder whose main characteristic is the fear of getting sick. This fear leads sufferers to constantly consider their physical sensations and interpret them as symptoms of illness.
In many cases, hypochondria leads to the development of real physical symptoms, usually localized pain up to paralysis. The intention of a hypochondriac person is not to deceive others; in fact, she is certain that she is ill.
COVID-19 is an additional factor of fear, as well as being a constant presence. In such a situation it is natural to see an increase in cases of hypochondria. In other words, the pandemic is an element that aggravates the symptoms of hypochondriacs.
Pandemic and anxiety
Anxiety is a condition that expresses itself in different ways, giving rise to various ailments. The most common is a disproportionate fear of the future, feeling under threat and having the certainty of being on the verge of serious harm.
Under normal conditions, an anxious person fears for the future in the face of real or imagined danger. In the situation we are experiencing, however, the risk is present and could, in fact, cause serious damage.
Add to this the general uncertainty since, at least at this moment, there is no sure way out of this situation. Everyone, more or less, is suffering, but anxious people – and among them hypochondriacs – are particularly vulnerable.
Coronavirus somatization and hypochondria
A psychologically stable person feels a reasonable concern about the current situation. He eagerly welcomes updates on the infection and the number of victims, but later manages to recover his normal mental state and occupy his mind with something else.
When the germ of anxiety is already present, even if not necessarily in a pathological way, it can be difficult to manage situations like this. For example, a reaction can be an obsessive interest in the subject or the somatization of the disease ; perceive, therefore, the symptoms of COVID-19 even in the absence of an objective basis.
In the second case it is very likely that confirmation is via a thermometer, cough or cold. Often we realize our own error of evaluation, but this does not mean that we cannot go back to repeating the same pattern.
Hypochondria is a more serious condition because the ability to assess the situation is impaired; it is therefore difficult to draw a reasonable conclusion in this state. More likely, the hypochondriac feels that he is a real patient, moreover a victim of the indifference of others who do not confirm the diagnosis and do not cure him.
How to fight hypochondria?
To the measures we are adopting, such as home isolation, distancing and hygiene, we must add another: care of the mind. Moments like these strain the balance between reason and emotions.
This is an aspect to be protected, especially by not letting ourselves be overwhelmed by the catastrophic news. It is obviously not a question of closing our eyes and pretending that nothing has happened, but of delimiting a time to devote to information and a time to turn our minds to something else. Breathing, playing sports and meditating can help a lot.
How to deal with a hypochondriac person? It is important not to contradict her beliefs as this would increase her feeling of being unprotected. Rather, rely on the advice of a psychotherapist and help your loved one follow his prescriptions.
