Hypochondria Disorder in History
Hypochondria Disorder and hypochondriacs have been the subject of ridicule and laughter dating all the way back to the 1700’s. French Playwriter, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name, Molière, enjoyed the premier of his last play, Le Malade Imaginaire, in the year 1673, before dying of Turberculosis just hours after his performance in the play.
Le Malade Imaginaire translates in English to The Imaginary Invalid. More simply put, it translates to The Hypochondriac. The basis of the play is that Argan, a hypochondriac, tries to force his daughter to marry a doctor. Not because he wants her to be wealthy. Not because he likes the guy. But simply because he himself would like unlimited access to a doctor, to discuss his symptoms. However, his daughter is in love with another and refuses to agree to the marriage. It ends with Argan becoming a doctor so that he can treat himself.
Le Malade Imaginaire is the first example we know of where hypochondria become a subject of ridicule. Though, it’s certainly not the last. Now, many movies, sitcoms and other television shows support comedic characters with Hypochondria symptoms. These characters are meant to be funny, but what does Hypochondria look like in reality, and is it still funny?
What is Hypochondria Disorder?
Hypochondria disorder’s technical name is actually Somatic Symptom Disorder. Somatic symptom disorder a mental health disorder recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. The main characteristic of this disorder is an extreme focus on physical symptoms. These symptoms, real or imaginary, cause major emotional distress and even inhibits a person’s ability to function.
Someone with Somatic Symptom Disorder experiences a constant flow of intrusive thoughts, feelings and behaviors related to their health. Many times these thoughts, feelings and behaviors are completely disabling.. According to Mayo Clinic, these thoughts, feelings and behaviors can include:
- Constant worry about potential illness
- Viewing normal physical sensations as a sign of severe physical illness
- Fearing that symptoms are serious, even when there is no evidence
- Thinking that physical sensations are threatening or harmful
- Feeling that medical evaluation and treatment have not been adequate
- Fearing that physical activity may cause damage to your body
- Repeatedly checking your body for abnormalities
- Frequent health care visits that don’t relieve your concerns or that make them worse
- Being unresponsive to medical treatment or unusually sensitive to medication side effects
- Experiencing more severe reactions than usually expected by a medical procedure or diagnosis
Somatic Symptom Disorder is still widely under-researched. The exact cause of somatic symptom disorder is unknown. Although, there are a few known factors that can increase one’s chances of developing this disorder:
- Currently possessing or a predisposition to anxiety or depression.
- Currently possessing, previously possessing or being at risk of a medical condition.
- Severe traumatic experiences such as: childhood sexual abuse or caring for a family member with a severe illness.
What’s Normal, and when Should I Worry?
For myself, most of my anxiety is related to my health. Particularly when I am experiencing major stressors in other parts of my life. My worries can be related to almost any major health problems. Some things I worry about are heart problems, cancer, aneurysms and more recently, COVID-19, just to name a few. (Read tips for staying calm during The COVID-19 Pandemic here.) But what’s a normal amount of worry? What’s the difference between being cautious and an actual disorder?
The main difference is the amount of distress one experiences, and the effect the distress has on one’s life. Someone with Somatic Symptom Disorder usually has persistently high anxiety for more than six months. They also experience physical sensations that effect their daily life, like pain, fatigue or the feeling that their heart is racing. A good question to ask is, “Is this affecting my ability to function in my daily life?”
The Desire for Comfort
For me, somatic symptoms and the feelings of anxiety associated with them, are some of the worst parts of my anxiety. There was one night in particular that I remember. I was convinced that I had a cancer of some kind. I just knew that I was at death’s door. While this may sound funny to some, the distress I experienced was completely unbearable. I remember sobbing uncontrollably for hours, rocking back and forth and shaking. I remember pleading with God to take the fear I was feeling away from me.
While part of me was aware that the fear and symptoms I was experiencing were due to my anxiety, the greater part of me was unable to hear or understand logic. The physical sensations of fear were and are too great when I’m in that state of mind. I remember shaking uncontrollably and sobbing while telling my husband the only thing I wanted in my life was just to be comfortable.
To be comfortable seemed like such a simple thing to ask for. Though, at that point in my lief, my anxiety over my health was so constant and monumental. There was never a moment where I experienced the sensation of comfort. I had been unable to relax, for any period of time, for the greater part of a year. That night was one of the lowest points in my life and in my mental health recovery journey.
Since that night, I’ve made great progress in my journey. I still struggle with somatic symptoms almost daily, but am able keep the distress associated with my symptoms at a manageable level. Still, there’s nothing funny about my health anxiety. It is the most distressing of all the symptoms that I experience, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
You aren’t Alone.
Although it can be a humorous additive to television shows and movies, I think it’s important to realize that hypochondria, or somatic symptom disorder, is a real mental health disorder with excruciating symptoms for those who suffer from it. Bringing awareness to this crippling disorder can also help those that are suffering know they aren’t alone.
Until a few years ago I didn’t even know that there were other people like me who experience health anxiety. Everything I’d seen about hypochondrial behaviors involved humor, but I knew that what I was experiencing was not funny. So go ahead and show your support by hugging a hypochondriac today, but don’t be surprised if we jump in the shower afterwards.
P.S. If you’d like, you can watch a more recent production of The Imaginary Invalid here.
Sources
2. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2012-07-11-ct-x-0711-hypochondria-20120711-story.html
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIc3UDNJ6mI
5. https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/somatic-symptom-disorder-a-to-z