Hypochondriacs Cost Our Healthcare Industry Billions | Alternet

“What’s the matter?” “I have a headache,” “Maybe it’s a tumor?” “It’s not a tumor!” In pop culture, we like to poke fun at individuals who fuss over every little ailment with numerous TV characters based on those who possess hypochondriac personas. However, for the sufferer, living each day in constant fear of contracting a serious life-threatening illness is no laughing matter.

Hypochondriasis, as it was previously known in the medical field, is a serious mental condition that places a major physical, emotional and financial strain not only on the sufferer, but also on relationships, family members and the entire health care industry. To date, there has not been significant medical research dedicated to understanding the condition and many doctors are unsure about how to manage patients who exhibit symptoms. A working definition was only formulated in the last few decades by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which defined the disorder as, “the fear or belief of serious illness that persists six months or more despite physician reassurance."

More recently in May 2013, the condition was re-termed Illness Anxiety Disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) of the APA in an effort to shift the focus away from the symptoms of the condition and instead toward the abnormal behavior and feelings evoked by the symptoms. This made it clear that this is primarily a mental disorder where people worry excessively and unnecessarily about medical problems.

Hypochondriacs Cost Our Healthcare Industry Billions | Alternet