Overview

Hypochondriasis (or hypochondria, sometimes referred to as health phobia) refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. Often, hypochondria persists even after a physician has evaluated a person and reassured him/her that his/her concerns about symptoms do not have an underlying medical basis or, if there is a medical illness, the concerns are far in excess of what is appropriate for the level of disease. Many people suffering from this disorder focus on a particular symptom as the catalyst of their worrying, such as gastro-intestinal problems, palpitations, or muscle fatigue.

Hypochondria is often characterized by fears that minor bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness, constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, and a preoccupation with one's body. Many individuals with hypochondriasis express doubt and disbelief in the doctors' diagnosis, and report that doctors’ reassurance about an absence of a serious medical condition is unconvincing, or un-lasting. Many hypochondriacs require constant reassurance, either from doctors, family, or friends, and the disorder can become a disabling torment for the individual with hypochondriasis, as well as his or her family and friends. Some hypochondriacal individuals are completely avoidant of any reminder of illness, whereas others are frequent visitors of doctors’ offices. Other hypochondriacs will never speak about their terror, convinced that their fear of having a serious illness will not be taken seriously by those in whom they confide.

Weird Science on Satellite TV

Posted by glos Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:52 PM

Science is a vital part of civilization and permits us to have such luxuries as medicine and fancy machinery. As important as it is, getting people interested in science is no easy task. Aside from making things explode in chemistry class and dissecting frogs in biology, science can easily teeter over to the boring and dry side of life. Luckily, television has stepped in to jazz up the notion of science and give a boost to its popularity. Satellite TV gives people a whole range of great shows to choose from to get a nice little dose of entertainment with a hint of education.

In the wake of Bill Nye the Science Guy, the Discovery Channel offers a great show for scientists and regular civilians alike called "Mythbusters". Taking commonly held beliefs, this group of quirky scientists takes their expansive scientific knowledge and applies it to each idea in order to prove that it is fact or fiction. While it often includes the appeal of explosives, they also explain the science behind each experiment in an exciting and rather easily understood fashion. Using common myths also makes the science more relatable. Instead of seeing science as some lofty, far removed subject only relevant to government, medical, or technological endeavors, people can apply the science to parts of their everyday life. Even if people cannot execute the experiments themselves it is still entertaining to watch someone blow things up in high definition.

If the reality of "Mythbusters" is just too real for certain viewers, shows like "House" and "CSI" bring drama and science together. The personality ticks and poor bedside manner of Dr. House adds to the narrative appeal of the show, but the peculiar illnesses are another key draw. While the odd ailments might inspire a few cases of hypochondria in the audience, they also bring attention to the complexity of the human body and its possibilities. The dramatic diseases that grace Dr. House's chart make science and medicine intriguing, taking biology out of the textbook and putting it in an interesting context. Sports pale in comparison to the intense race of trying to find the cause and cure of a fatal disease before it claims its host.

"CSI" employs the same suspense and drama that "House" does but with a few more special affects. The whole basis of the show is the application of science to solve a crime, elevating chemistry to a whole new level of hip. While the investigators are quite a bit better looking than your average lab geek, the instruments and experiments they handle cannot help but peak a person's interest in the capabilities of chemicals. The show also specializes in high definition exploration of wounds and dead bodies for the extra gore affect that could be quite satisfying to those who lean more towards biology. The science of these fictitious shows might be fudged a little bit and much more glamorous than the humble real life science nerds of "Mythbusters" but they excite the mind all the same. Having people get science on the mind is a good first step in the direction of boosting its popularity.



Autor: John R. Harrison

Direct TV is America's number-one satellite TV services company. For the best in sports programming, movies, and high-definition entertainment, check out the many great Direct TV packages available right now.


Added: June 15, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

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