Most of us have felt the need to scratch when a friend shows us his new rash. Indeed, at one time or another, almost all of us experience uncomfortable physical sensations that cause us concern or doubt. Many people today are hyperaware of their bodies, discerning and fretting over bodily sensations that most people don"t notice at all. Some might focus on health-related matters, have multiple lab tests for them, and never quite believe they aren"t deathly ill. Others might be certain of having a particular disease, but are too frightened to see a health care practitioner. Some will read about one disease and obsess over it. Others will manage to acquire a "disease of the week," as their symptoms mysteriously move from one part of the body to another. Whatever the manifestation, these people share a common clinical feature: anxiety over their health.
For millions of people, worrying excessively that they might be ill - even after professionals have assured them they"re not and medical tests have confirmed these assurances - is a problem. A subgroup of this population suffers from a milder preoccupation with their health that can interfere with enjoying the health they do have. Sufferers might even develop health anxieties for short periods of time - less than six months. They"re normal in every other respect: they go to work, go to school, socialize, and attend to spiritual needs. They don"t have a mental disorder like hypochondria or obsessive-compulsive disorder; they simply worry too much about their health.
Unfortunately, being fearful of diseases or germs can become a full-time preoccupation. For those with health anxiety, it"s very common to "burn out" family members and friends by repeatedly relying on them for trips for medical care, picking up prescriptions and spending a lot of money on medications, co-payments or excessive lab tests. In short, health anxiety can literally intrude into all areas of life.
Sufferers can, and should, seek the support of family and friends by asking them for help. In turn, significant others can be supportive by encouraging such a request as well as not being critical or judgmental about health anxiety. If you"re a health phobic, you should be considerate of the feelings and energy levels of those around you. And don"t push yourself too hard. You shouldn"t expect too much improvement too soon. The problem didn"t appear overnight, so it"s not going to disappear overnight either. Keep in mind that no one dislikes having health anxieties more than the person who has this problem. If you"re a family member or friend, you shouldn't minimize the condition or belittle the sufferer. Instead, you should thoughtfully and attentively listen to what the disease phobic has to say about her or his fears, experiences and goals. And then do what is reasonable to assist her or him in the recovery process.
While health anxiety presents a definite challenge to millions of people, healing is possible. Because the primary culprit in health anxiety is your thinking, the cure lies within the realm of your mind. This means a primary method used to overcome the problem is learning to "rethink" your life experiences and interpretations of physical symptoms and complaints. In other words, by changing the way you look at life in general, you can find lasting relief from your fears of disease, illness, and germs.
Autor: George Zgourides George Zgourides
Level: Basic
George D. Zgourides, M.D., Psy.D is a physician, clinical psychologist, and healthcare chaplain. He and his wife Christie are the authors of several books dealing ... ...
George D. Zgourides, M.D., Psy.D and his wife Christie are the authors of several books dealing with various health-related, psychological, and self-help topics.
Added: April 9, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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