There are many signs you might be a hypochondriac. Not sure what a hypochondriac is? A hypochondriac is a person who thinks they are having symptoms of an illness when they really aren’t. They read something or hear about a disease from a friend and become fearful that they too may have the illness. They then begin to question their own body and health. If you are constantly plagued with feeling ill only to find out later nothing is wrong, you may be a hypochondriac. If this sounds like you, check out these 7 clues you might be a hypochondriac.
One sign of hypochondria is feeling anxious about getting sick. If you constantly worry about getting sick or having a certain disease you might be a hypochondriac. You may have obsessive compulsive like tendencies when it comes to germs. Do you constantly wash your hands, douse in hand sanitizer, and avoid contact with other people or germy places? This is a clear sign that you may be a hypochondriac.
If you are a hypochondriac you may find yourself over thinking symptoms. If your friend tells you they have the flu. You may start to think that every little feeling of digestion in your stomach is actually the stomach bug. If you recently read about skin cancer you may start to second guess the appearance of different spots on your skin. While it is okay to be conscious of your body and a serious illness, it’s not normal to constantly worry about being ill.
Another sign you might be a hypochondriac is frequent visits to your doctor. Obviously if you feel you are constantly sick or have symptoms of serious diseases, you are going to visit your doctor for appropriate testing. How often do you see your doctor? Do you go in thinking you are deathly ill, only to have your doctor reassure you that you only have a cold?
The people around you may start to tire of your health scares. If you noticed friends and family not wanting to talk about your health or avoiding you all together, you might be bothering them with your hypochondria. Ask your friends and family what’s wrong. Take their thoughts seriously and ask how you can make things better between you.
It’s normal to look up health information and want to stay current on medical research. The difference between a normal concern and a sign you might be a hypochondriac comes from the obsessiveness of your interest. If you spend more time doing medical research than a doctor would, than you might need to step back for the sake of your sanity.
Hypochondriacs tend to switch doctors often. If you find yourself constantly on the look for a new doctor because your last doctor didn’t take you seriously or didn’t give you the answer you are looking for, there is a chance that you are the problem not the doctors. It’s okay to seek a second or third opinion, but if you are constantly hopping from one doctor to the next, it might be time to check yourself.
All this worry for your health is likely to cause some serious emotional distress. Are you feeling stressed or depressed about your health? If so, you may be a hypochondriac. It’s not good to make yourself sick with worry.
If any of these signs of hypochondria sound like you, it is time to seek help. Your doctor can offer you good advice or point you in the right direction. If you aren’t sure if you are a hypochondriac, ask your friends and family for their honest opinions.
Top Image Source: weheartit.com