The Little Devil That Lives In Many Of Us
It’s normal to feel anxious when you’re sick. However, for some people, that anxiety is so severe and chronic that it affects their everyday lives. If you have Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), you may worry about getting sick all the time, even if you’re not actually ill. This can lead to a lot of stress and disrupt your ability to live normally. If you think you may have IAD, it’s important to understand the condition, get it diagnosed, and explore treatment options.
In this article, you’ll learn what IAD is, what its symptoms and impact are, and why you should choose to treat rather than ignore it. In part two of this article series, we will explore treatment options you can opt for if you get this diagnosed!
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, and if you suspect you might have IAD, you should contact your medical professional immediately.
What Is IAD, Exactly?
If you’re one of those people who seem to catch every cold that comes your way, or if you tend to worry excessively about your health, you may be suffering from Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD).
IAD is a condition characterized by excessive worry and fear about illness, health, and even death. A person with IAD may obsessively check their body for symptoms of illness, avoid doctors’ appointments, and constantly worry that they are sick. While there is no concrete cure for IAD, there are ways to manage the disorder and reduce its effects on your life.
What Are The Symptoms?
Alright, you get a little chest pain and think, “today is the day!” – Does that mean you have IAD? Probably not.
The symptoms of illness anxiety disorder are generally chronic rather than sudden and acute. Here are the most common symptoms of IAD, also known as “hypochondria”:
1. Being Preoccupied With Disease Suspicions
Do you feel like you are constantly checking your body for symptoms and then going to google to find out what that may mean?
Do you feel your throat tightening up and your stomach squeezing when you see what Google has to say about it?
Well, if that happens often, odds are you probably have a certain degree of IAD going on.
This is one of the most common symptoms of this disorder, which all patients with no exceptions experience daily.
2. No Reassurance From Authority Figures
It’s broad daylight, a lovely sunny day – You suddenly experience an unusual body sensation and think to yourself, “Something is really off.”
You then go to the doctor, only for him to do thorough examinations and conclude that, well, nothing is wrong, really.
Though you get reassurance from an authority figure (an experienced doctor), that doesn’t really seem to give you peace of mind.
If you find little to no reassurance from the opinion of professionals in the field, which provides solid evidence for your wellbeing, well, that is just another hint that the core issue is… IAD!
3. The Distress Affects Your Life
One of the most prominent symptoms of this disorder is that the distress you experience from these thoughts is so overwhelming that you find it hard to go through your regular, day-to-day errands and habits.
You are there, sitting on your laptop and trying to focus on your work, and suddenly, you see your hands opening a new tab and asking google about possible symptoms of a particular illness.
This causes a notable change in your day-to-day habits, whereas you are constantly living in fear, which causes you to be unable to focus on tasks and complete them as you usually would.
The Impact Of IAD & Why You Should Treat It
As we just learned, the illness anxiety disorder is very complex and usually does not have one specific cause.
It is influenced by both external and internal factors and is also the product of one’s past and present thoughts and emotional patterns.
Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure – This disorder feels like a little devil inside of you that is trying to take over your entire being.
Due to its unpredictable and chronic nature, it can impact any aspect of your life at any given moment.
That includes but is not limited to: Relationships, work, business, and even regular social gatherings.
Because of this, IAD undoubtedly has an impact on your overall quality of life, which should be addressed as soon as possible.
Not only that, but IAD practically makes you rewire your brain to believe that it is sick rather than well – And that does not work in favor of health very well.
And the objective truth is that, well, whatever created your body, can heal and maintain it.
That is, if you let it.
Read Next
In part two of this series, we will discuss the possible treatment options for people with an IAD diagnosis. Jump over to part two by clicking here!
