Hypochondria, also called hypochondriasis,
is a type of mental illness -- current
thinking classifies it as an anxiety
disorder -- in which a person has
symptoms of a medical illness, but
the symptoms cannot be fully explained
by an actual physical disorder.
People with hypochondria are very
worried about getting a disease or
are certain they have a disease, even
after medical tests show they do not.
Further, these people often misinterpret
minor health problems or normal body
functions as symptoms of a serious
disease. An example is a person who
is sure that her headaches are caused
by a brain tumor. The symptoms associated
with hypochondria are not under the person's
voluntary control, and can cause great
distress and/or can interfere with a
person's normal functioning.
Hypochondria can occur at any time of life,
but most often begins in early adulthood.
It appears to affect men and women equally.
