Are You a Hypochondriac or Are You Really Sick?
You’ve been suffering from strange mystery symptoms for months, years or maybe you’re entire life. Something is physically wrong with you but doctors are not only shaking their heads, they’re beginning to think you’re just complaining for attention. Friends and co-workers are starting to gossip and several family members have suggested you might be a hypochondriac. Could it be true? Let’s find out if you’re a hypochondriac or if you’re really sick.
What is a Hypochondriac?
Dictionary.com defines the word hypochondriac as, “a person who worries or talks excessively about his or her health”. Those who suffer chronic illness may also fit this definition. In order to fully understand the mental illness of hypochondria, you must also look at other symptoms that pertain exclusively to true hypochondriacs to see if they apply to you.
Do any of these sound familiar?
• You believe small aches and pains to be a sign of serious illness. (For example, a headache is a sign of a brain tumor.)
• When you are around somebody with a physical illness, you believe you will catch it, even if it’s not contagious.
• You spend hours researching new illnesses to see if your symptoms fit the bill.
• You have new symptoms often and the pain travels.
• You are convinced you are going to die soon even though you haven’t been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
• You’re incredibly anxious about your health.
• You can spend hours talking about your health.
The above symptoms may be a sign that you’re suffering from hypochondria. If all blood and lab tests have come back completely negative, this also may be a sign that anxiety is the main cause of your ill health. Still, let’s take a look at some of the symptoms of autoimmune disease.
What is Autoimmune Disease?
Those who are suffering from autoimmune disease often have a wide variety of mystery symptoms that are difficult to diagnose. You may feel somewhat healthy and active one day and fatigued and irritable the next. Undiagnosed autoimmune disease is one of the most common causes of mystery symptoms. The following are a list of symptoms that are often related to most autoimmune diseases.
Do any of these sound familiar?
• You often lack energy and tire easily, even if you’re young.
• Your muscles often feel weak and/or sore as if you’ve been in a minor car accident.
• Your body is stiff and your joints feel inflamed.
• Your glands are swollen.
• You frequently get colds, flu, viruses and/or yeast infections.
• You have chronic digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea or gas.
• You experience feelings of haziness and loss of memory (called ‘brain fog’).
Though the doctor has yet to pin-point what is wrong with you and may be frustrated, chances are, your blood tests have revealed an increased white blood cell count, low platelet count or other unusual reading that suggests a physical illness.
There are many autoimmune diseases that might be causing your mystery symptoms. You may have gluten intolerance, fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, ITP or similar condition. Whatever the case may be, you’re not a hypochondriac.
I suffered from mystery symptoms from childhood up until my early twenties. I had many of the above symptoms and strange blood test results. It wasn’t until I saw a naturopath who, on a hunch, put me on an elimination diet that I discovered gluten intolerance was causing my entire body to malfunction.
I was called a hypochondriac a LOT, so I know what you’re going through.
Other Causes of Strange Symptoms
Besides undiagnosed autoimmune disease, there are other factors that may be contributing to your mystery symptoms. Strange symptoms can be brought on by:
• Food intolerances/Allergies
• Vitamin Deficiencies
• Allergies to Household Cleaning Products
• Allergies to Flooring/Carpeting
• Mercury Toxicity Due to Dental Fillings or Vaccines
• Side Effects of Prescription or Over-the-Counter Medications
• Severe Stress
Remember:
If You’re a Hypochondriac, You Will Most Likely:
• Believe you have every new disease that’s going around.
• Immediately “take on” the symptoms of any sick person you’ve been near.
• Spend hours researching any and all diseases.
• Have pain and symptoms that ‘travel’.
If You’re Really Sick, You Will Most Likely:
• Have one or several consistent chronic symptoms.
• Spend hours researching those chronic symptoms.
• Experience symptoms that might come and go but don’t completely change.
• Have some sort of unusual blood or lab test result.
If you are absolutely positive your mystery symptoms are real, take a break from conventional doctors and visit a naturopath or chiropractor. Do an elimination diet and get rid of toxic chemicals in your home to see if symptoms improve.
If you do believe you may be suffering from hypochondria after all, make an appointment with a caring professional psychologist who can help you talk through your anxiety instead of simply prescribing drugs.
Whatever is ailing you, don’t give up. You’re not alone and you’re not crazy. You’re a human being who deserves to be cared for and taken seriously. Stand up and be counted. Don’t back down and soon you will be able to turn around and say, “I told you I was sick!”
Next: 5 of the Most Insulting Things You Can Say to Someone with Chronic Illness
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I’ve been wondering about this. I’ve been called a hypochondriac because I’m sick all the time but I know better. Thank you for getting this information out there!
Sarina
You’ve described me down to my last fiber, which I am sure, by the way, is being attacked by a virus at this very moment.
I have seen 4 doctors, 2 neurologists, a heart specialist etc. and they all tell me its stress. I have a tremor, muscle twitching, heart palps and so on. The MRI was normal, as was the EMG.
I feel like I am going crazy, and it has made law school, which is taxing enough without health concerns, nearly unbearable.
I am starting to investigate outside the box: mercury fillings, food allergies, and Lyme (although my docs assert unequivocally that it is NOT Lyme).
I also feel like my face looks different–this is the one that elicits the funniest looks. I swear, though, when I look in the mirror, I look different. Muscle atrophy?
Seeing specialist after specialist is time consuming and often fruitless.
I’m unraveling…
Ray, I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this. The face thing makes me think Bells Palsy. A friend of mine had that once when he was a teenager. Investigating outside the box is the best way to go when conventional medicine has gotten you nowhere. I’d recommend booking an appointment with a naturopath to see if he or she can give you an alternative path to go on. I wish you the best. Mystery symptoms are so difficult to live with, especially when even the doctors are shaking their heads. Hang in there and don’t give up.
I am a teenager and I get said to be a hypochondriac all the time. As of right now I am in fear of having a stomach virus (as always) and feel nauseous. My mother often gets frustrated with me. It has gotten so bad her and my pediatrician suggested a therapist. I hate how my life is and that I have to deal with this. This described me soo well. I feel like I have the stomach virus as of now because my friend just came back from having the nasty 24 hour bug. I am distancing myself and I hate it. My mom says and I quote “Becca, you are only doing this to yourself.” one time I had a headache for days and called my mom at work crying because I thought I had a brain tumor, I often check the Internet. Which I know is bad but I have the urge to do so. I have dr scalp issues know as cyriasis and I think I have lice all the time so my mom is constantly treating my hair and etc. Is there anything I can do to change these things… I hate this soo much.
Hi Becca,
Well, it’s possible you are a little over-anxious about your health. A hypochondriac? I don’t know. From what you say, the thought of getting sick makes you feel stomach sick or being around somebody who was sick recently makes you feel like you’re going to get sick. I used to go through the same thing. But I thought I really WAS a hypochondriac because that’s all I was ever told. I was told, “There is nothing wrong with you. You’re just making it up.” That, of course, went in my file so nobody took me seriously no matter what. I understand what you’re going through. I don’t think visiting a therapist is such a bad idea. HOWEVER, I don’t think you should be put on psychiatric medication just because you think you’re sick. You might just have simple anxiety. Try to think of when you started thinking you were sick all the time. Did it start when you were a small child? Try keeping a diary of your symptoms, what you felt that day and what you ate. It might make you feel more in control and may narrow down and emotional or food-related cause but do NOT obsess over your symptoms. It will only make you more anxious. I wish you the best with this.
Jaime
Since the beginning of summer I lost my appetite. I no longer want to eat. At the time I was trying to get healthy and lose weight. That was about May. I started to lose my appetite at the end of May or early part of June. So I stopped eating, except for one meal a day. I have always had problems where I ended up in the bathroom an hour after I ate no matter what I had. I had really bad stomach pains. I tried to find someone to tell me what to do when your trying to lose weight and not wanting to eat. So about a month later in July I finally had it and went to see the doctor, which I generally have to be really sick before I will see a doctor. When I can’t find a solution or people complain because I am passing a germ to them. I don’t like taking meds when they are not necessary. So I went to see the Doctor in July. He ran some blood test for Celiac Disease. So I did a little research had kind of like an ah ha moment as to maybe gluten could be the problem. So when the test results came back they were negative, but my doctor told me it could be a false negative. So I was planning on going on a gluten free diet. Then I talked to a lady at work who has Celiac Disease and I went and sought out a GI specialist. Only to rule out the disease and to make sure I was fine.
So this month I saw him. He did a colonoscopy, endoscopy, and a small bowel series. At the moment I don’t have the test results back. I am still waiting. I thought about going on a gluten free diet more and more lately, since the endoscopy found 2 small ulcers and I am no closer to getting my appetite back. People tell me that everything is in my head. Tell me not to do a gluten free diet, yet I figure I have nothing to lose by trying it, but they tell me that I should just take some antacids and that is all I really need. Since the test are all normal.
So now I am debating whether or not I am imagining the pain before and after I eat. I do try and eat at least once a day. I have had problems before in the past where I didn’t want to eat. After forcing myself for a while I went back to normal. Yet this time I haven’t gotten back to normal. I want to get healthy, lose weight, and to be able to go to the gym without worrying about passing out since I don’t want to eat. Am I being unreasonable and crazy for wanting to try a gluten free diet to see if I have a gluten intolerance or should I just take some antacids to mask the symptoms of the 2 small ulcers. Anything you can tell me may help. I just wish someone would tell me I am not crazy. No one online has information on what to do when you don’t want to eat.
Hello Tonya,
First of all, you’re not alone and you’re not crazy. This is a place where people with mystery symptoms are welcome. I’m thinking of starting a forum soon so people can really talk about what’s going on and get some help from a community that understands.
If you feel you want to try a gluten free diet, do it. There’s no reason you shouldn’t and it won’t hurt you at all to try it. Your doctor did find ulcers so obviously, this isn’t “all in your head”. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Only you truly know your body and how you feel. H. pylori infection comes to mind when you mention the ulcers. This is a possibility.
I would recommend a visit with a naturopathic physician in your area so you can get a complete work-up. You’ll be treated like a whole person, not just a series of symptoms. Conventional doctors often don’t have the time to really listen to their patients and help them in the way they need. Alternative doctors often find the issues that conventional medicine misses.
You’re going to be okay. Keep doing your research and surround yourself with people who believe in you.
Love & light,
Jaime
I’m such a damn hypochondriac! I try to make light of it so that it doesn’t completely consume me, but there are those dreaded times when it gets the best of me. I’ve been experiencing a dull leg and back for almost a couple of years now, where my right leg feels almost numb as well as the right side of my lower back. I went to the doctor to check it out and he misdiagnosed me with a few things (obviously not really knowing what he was doing, but rather eager to send me on my way and get my money). So now I’m just trying to keep calm and hope that it’s nothing threatening. I feel no pain, just numbness and uncomfortableness, not to mention loads of anxiety, but that goes without saying. Honestly, it’s paralysis that I worry about, but since i feel no pain and no weakness in my leg, I have to tell myself that I’m okay and that I’ll be able to get it fixed soon. It sucks, but listen to me, all you hypochondriacs…you CAN overcome this bs! All hypochondria is, if you think about, a mindset. Don’t allow it to control you! If you think positively and maintain a healthy lifestyle, chances are you’ll feel better about yourself, and best of all, you’ll be able to convince your brain that you are, for once, okay and that you’re not gonna die. Anxiety may come and go, but life will be much easier for you knowing that you can control this crap. I’m slowly starting to work on it, because I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live like this anymore!
Hi Victoria,
Thank you for your comment. You don’t fit the definition of a hypochondriac. It sounds like you have a problem with your back. Do you have a sciatica? Maybe you should make an appointment with a chiropractor or a naturopathic doctor for a second opinion.
Best of luck to you!
Jaime