“Nine tenths of our happiness is based on health”wrote Schopenhauer in Aphorisms about wisdom in life in 1851. For people suffering from hypochondria, an anxiety disorder marked by the constant fear of falling ill, this reflection from the philosopher particularly resonates. As Discover Magazine points out, health anxiety ranges from reasonable worry, encouraging regular check-ups, to extreme forms that can lead to harmful obsession.
“It’s a subject that’s on his mind, that he thinks about, that he ruminates on and that often disturbs him”explains Timothy Scarella, professor of psychiatry at Harvard University, about individuals suffering from this disorder. This persistent worry often leads them to seek medical diagnoses online, a behavior known as “cyberchondria.”
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Five years less life expectancy
Repeatedly searching online for symptoms may lead to excessive concern in some patients. Who has never consulted a site like Doctissimo for stomach pain, only to discover that it was probably stage 4 stomach cancer?
While this situation may make you smile, it takes on a whole new dimension for people already suffering from hypochondria. For them, this type of research greatly amplifies their anxiety, increases their stress levels and can lead to other problems.
-Without even talking about the internet, “People suffering from illness-related anxiety disorders often find it difficult to obtain reasonable reassurance”explains the media. This can lead to social isolation, medication abuse, and/or depression. People predisposed to anxiety may fall into this disorder more easily than others. A personal experience, such as an illness or death in the family can also cause it.
Additionally, it is often assumed that people suffering from hypochondria are very vigilant about their health and visit the doctor regularly. But this is usually not the case: “People actually tend to be less compliant with their regular dental care, cancer screenings, or preventive care that helps keep them healthy, because part of an anxiety disorder is focusing attention in the wrong places.”Prof. Scarella details.
A 2023 study reveals that on average, people suffering from hypochondria or cyberchondria die five years earlier than those with lower levels of anxiety, and have a greater risk of suicide.
