Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD) And Its Effects
Hypochondriasis, presently known as IAD (illness anxiety disorder), is a rare condition with symptoms that go beyond average health concerns. People with the disorder are unable to overcome their fears despite normal physical exams and laboratory tests. Some of such individuals may change doctors repeatedly whilst others may avoid medical care.
Dr. Jonathan E. Alpert of Montefiore Medical Center in New York, said that many of us are mild hypochondriacs. He feels that people on the other extreme of the spectrum live in a perpetual state of worry and suffering about having a severely serious or death causing illness.
According to Dr. Alpert, the treatment process can involve relaxation techniques, education, cognitive behavioral therapy, and in some cases, antidepressants as medication. This survey found that people with the diagnosis have an increased risk of death from both natural and unnatural causes, particularly suicide. It was mentioned that chronic stress and its impact on the body could explain some of the older research which had suggested the risk of suicide might be lower for people with this mental condition.
Dr. Alpert went on to say that, “Patients can be offended, because they feel they're being accused of imagining symptoms. It takes a great deal of respect and sensitivity conveyed to patients that this is a kind of condition, that it has a name.” A study conducted found that the risk of suicide death was four times higher for the people with the diagnosis. Researchers looked at 4,100 people diagnosed with hypochondriasis and matched them with 41,000 people similar in age, sex and county of residence. A measurement called - person years, was used, which accounts for the number of people and how long they were tracked.
With inputs from media reports and AP News (a few facts)
