View Full Version : The mechanics of Illness Anxiety Disorder
Some highlights from an article in the Psychiatric Times. (https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/hypochondriasis-fresh-outlook-treatment) Knowledge is power.
1. People with Illness Anxiety Disorder are more concerned with the significance of symptoms rather than with unpleasant physical sensations or pain. In other words, For example, a concern about headaches is about the supposed "tumor" that is "causing" the headache than the headache pain itself. (For everyone else, this is reversed.)
3. People with Illness Anxiety Disorder have multiple symptoms in many different organ systems that tend to wax and wane over long periods of time. Most of the symptoms they experience are ones that occur transiently in normal, healthy people.
4. People with Illness Anxiety Disorder magnify somatosensory cues, believe them to be dangerous and at the same time perceive themselves as incapable of coping with the perceived threat. They also equate good health with being relatively symptom-free and consider symptoms to be equal to sickness. Thus, an inadequate concept of health may contribute to a perceptual and cognitive style of somatosensory amplification. This one is key, I think.
5. Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy (CBT) challenges the faulty assumptions which lead to classic hypochondriacal behaviours
DustingMyselfOff
15-04-19, 17:17
I like that, and it rings true for me.
Sue
Sue, I’m so glad that the post resonated with you. I had really hoped that the other people on this board would read it too. It's disappointing that they didn’t.
Shadowhawk
17-04-19, 20:00
Wow... reading the three points posted reads like someone reading my thoughts. For me the pain really rings a bell.. for the last several months I have been dealing with some form of abdominal and back pain: but it's not the pain that gets me - like the quote says, it's about what my anxiety says it could represent. The pain.. eh, I just grin and bear it.
At the same time, I know that my stress about it directly makes it worse, and that it flat out creates it at times. But even KNOWING that, getting it to go other way.. that has been a battle I have not won, nor feel I can...
DustingMyselfOff
17-04-19, 20:03
Maybe this thread will come back to life a little now. :)
Good for you, Shadowhawk. Half the battle is recognized your physical symptoms as HA, rather than a feared illness. Plug away at it. You can do it.
Hi everyone 😊 I have had HA for 30 years; in the last few months deciding to forego medication in favour of just getting my sh** together and finding that balance, sense of reason. It has been a challenging few months as a result but what gets me at present is these random palpitations or throat flutters, usually coming out of nowhere, which then trigger a whole cascade of anxiety about things I had not been at all worried about previously! I have had ECG tests in the past but without the elusive palpitation, have read these are not terribly indicative of heart health? You'll notice I use the word "read", I only have to Google the words anxiety + palpitations/cancer/heart disease/heart attack and I will usually get a little popup advising me I visited THAT page a week before. Step away from the internet!
sollythegolly
17-04-19, 21:04
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy does not, regrettably, work for everyone. Especially if, like me, you happen to be a raging cynic.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy does not, regrettably, work for everyone. Especially if, like me, you happen to be a raging cynic.
Are you cynical by nature or only re CBT?
MyNameIsTerry
18-04-19, 02:12
Sue, I’m so glad that the post resonated with you. I had really hoped that the other people on this board would read it too. It's disappointing that they didn’t.
They may do even if they don't comment and then there are the watchers. So, even if you don't get the responses you would hope for it will still be helping people out there somewhere and that's the spirit of why you posted it.
With this being a UK site as well that's a disorder name that is more for the US as we won't see it over here as the names differ so some may not be as familiar (although I doubt if you posted the ones we would know it would be familiar to be honest as people tend to refer to Hypochondriasis which is a mere sub disorder of one of the main disorders in that category). There is also OCD where HA is a theme.
Despite all that though knowledge is power in fighting an obsessive-compulsive form of disorder so information is always helpful to those trying to understand the enemy they have to challenge. When I came here I knew little of HA stuff and reading about all the different forms helped me understand where they all fit in, and I did look at the US categories too so what you posted would have helped me back then in trying to understand people on this board.
I think the lack of commentary is diagnostic; there are many posts here, some of them stickies, which don’t generate much commentary as do the posts about an illness fear du jour. That’s the sad part of HA; fears tend to beget fears.
In any event, if anyone read this post or others which puts HA into perspective, that’s always a good thing.
It would be interesting to know what people think constitutes "good health" on the HA board.
I don't think you can have good physical health without good mental health-mind and body are so closely linked.
I think this thread is a very valuable one, Beachlady and thank you for starting it. I think a lot of people will read it but not necessarily comment because it's far easier to talk about symptoms and compare "notes" with others than to actually face up to what drives HA.
Shadowhawk
18-04-19, 18:11
I think the lack of commentary is diagnostic; there are many posts here, some of them stickies, which don’t generate much commentary as do the posts about an illness fear du jour. That’s the sad part of HA; fears tend to beget fears.
In any event, if anyone read this post or others which puts HA into perspective, that’s always a good thing.
It's hard for people to admit they have a problem, especially a mental health one; doubly so with how people are treated
There is such a stigma around mental health, it can be really hard for people to get help. Broken limb? Go to the hospital. Cancer? Keep fighting the good fight. Anxiety? Oh, you are crazy, just get over it! No one loses trust and confidence in you if you have e heart disease, but let someone know you are fighting something like HA, and they look at you like you have three eyes.
I work around the military, and I see this ALL THE TIME. If you seek treatment, you have to report it, and may well risk your clearance (and thus job) because of it. There is very much a culture, in many industries, where you don't talk about or acknowledge problems, and doing so can cause you real issues.
But beyond that, there is how we view ourselves. Which is easier (and less scary) to believe. Our body is sick, or our mind is sick? We feel these feelings so strongly, that we believe SOMETHING physical must be wrong, that it can't be all in our heads. We search, and fear, and look for that explanation to explain it any other way. Because remember, if it is in our head, it means we are crazy. Society sees us as crazy. Our loved ones see us as crazy.
I am deeply fighting this fight at this second. Among so many other health concerns, I have a nagging fear about a rare genetic disease, that I only found out about after noting I have a non specific sign that is generally almost always nothing. And despite seeing plenty of doctors about plenty of things, since I haven't been screened FOR THIS, I can't get it out of my head. I know the odds that I don't have it (very darn good), but that doesn't make it easier. I fight myself to know that it's all in my head, and that I am connecting things that likely aren't connected. But even then, knowing that it is in my head, I still can't get PAST the fear, and accept it. So the worry lingers.
I am taking zoloft, and working with a counselor, but even that hasn't gotten me there yet. Getting this to point (specifically seeking medical help for it) took years. It really is a very scary thing to admit to yourself and the world, and it is quite scary thinking of the judgement I expect to receive from others. I have no way of expressing to people how I feel, or why I feel it... how do you explain to someone else why you are so afraid when you don't understand yourself? How do I explain to somebody that the dark spot I see on my leg, which is likely just a mole, is seen as a sign of something far more sinister to an anxious mind? How do I explain the mental connection and leap i make from this spot (one I don't even know the age of, and could have ignored hundreds of times until now) to a terminal illness? I have no way to do so..
What is worse - I fear my death, for so many reasons. Leaving my daughter, not getting to be there with her is terrifying. Just the thought of no longer existing... i don't know how people do it. How they can say they aren't afraid.
I think this thread is a very valuable one, Beachlady and thank you for starting it. I think a lot of people will read it but not necessarily comment because it's far easier to talk about symptoms and compare "notes" with others than to actually face up to what drives HA.
Thanks Pulisa. I think you’re right--it’s easier to go to that dark place because it’s become automatic for so many people.
Shadowhawk
18-04-19, 18:53
Hey, not everyone is ignoring it. ;) (though, i know my wall of text needs a Tl:Dr.. hehe)
Just based on the thread views, people are reading it but just based on my experience here, I'm not surprised at the lack of responses and commentary. I believe many are more inclined to feed their dragon as opposed to challenge and starve it. I equate it to a co-dependent relationship. They know it's detrimental but don't know how to get out of it or are unwilling/unable to do so. Perhaps there's something inside preventing it. That's why, IMO, professional help is vital.
When I was in therapy for depression after my illnesses, one of the things we discussed was this affinity to date women that were, for lack of a better phrase, 'hot messes'. While they were certainly beautiful, they were also out of their minds and full of drama. My therapist suggested that perhaps I subconsciously looked for and were drawn to the drama and that type of personality. That was a big 'Hmmm' moment as my mother suffered from mental illness and there was often drama in our house growing up. Long story short, the woman I ended up marrying is the polar opposite of that and I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life :)
What you posted is spot on but as it always comes down to... These are words on a screen. It takes real life action and personal responsibility to address the actions and changes needed to heal.
Positive thoughts
I have Bipolar Disorder, Shadowhawk, so I understand the stigma attached to mental illness. And being a Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor gives me a front row seat into the world of ilness and anxiety (a view, I might add, I’d rather not have :winks: )
Sadly, the fact remains that there are more responses to posts soliciting reassurance about particular HA fears than to posts which examine the etiology of that fear. Let’s hope that, for some that will reverse itself.
Absolutely, Fishmanpa. It’s almost an irresistable impulse to feed the dragon. As cancer survivors, you and I both know how challenging it is NOT to feed our dragon. It would be so easy, given the logic of it. But we have to resist because to give in to the fear would destroy our sense of wellbeing.
sollythegolly
19-04-19, 17:11
Are you cynical by nature or only re CBT?
Oh, definitely cynical by nature.......
Great post. I relate completely to all 4 highlights. Illness anxiety can indeed be very debilitating but is treatable with the right tools and therapy!
Thank you for posting. i wish there were more posts like this. Maybe I should write some. The more we understand the illness the easier it is to combat.
Personally I mirror most of those points. I don't think it totally encapsulates my experience but it is close. Perfectionism and analysis are part of it for me too. i.e. if I have x symptom, something is "wrong" aka not perfect with me, I must find the reason so I can "fix" myself.
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
Very very true words. Describes my psychology perfectly
Shadowhawk
20-04-19, 12:57
You know Beach, you had a quote in another thread that resonates with me, and I think belongs here:
"Do you struggle with ambivalence in your general life? Do you need absolutes and proof positives in other areas? If so, this tendency to avoid confronting ambivalence is controlling how you deal (or not deal) with less-than-absolute-proof positive certainties in matters of your health."
This is me to a t. I need absolutes and proof. I do VERY poorly with ambivalence and uncertainty in life, though certainly some areas worse than others. Obviously, it has become a major issue for me, since I do have some health nags that make certainty difficult.
I am also the type that, when there is a problem, I can't sit on it. If at all possible, it needs to be fixed now. But so few health problems can be fixed this instant.. so I get stuck wanting to fix it, while not even knowing how bad it is.
MyNameIsTerry
20-04-19, 14:30
You know Beach, you had a quote in another thread that resonates with me, and I think belongs here:
"Do you struggle with ambivalence in your general life? Do you need absolutes and proof positives in other areas? If so, this tendency to avoid confronting ambivalence is controlling how you deal (or not deal) with less-than-absolute-proof positive certainties in matters of your health."
This is me to a t. I need absolutes and proof. I do VERY poorly with ambivalence and uncertainty in life, though certainly some areas worse than others. Obviously, it has become a major issue for me, since I do have some health nags that make certainty difficult.
I am also the type that, when there is a problem, I can't sit on it. If at all possible, it needs to be fixed now. But so few health problems can be fixed this instant.. so I get stuck wanting to fix it, while not even knowing how bad it is.
All-or-nothing thinking, or dichotomous reasoning, as it's known are one of the Cognitive Distortions seen in mental health disorders. Just like not being able to accept and let how we feel pass, these hold you back by you not being ok with the unknowns in life.
DustingMyselfOff
20-04-19, 15:57
You know Beach, you had a quote in another thread that resonates with me, and I think belongs here:
"Do you struggle with ambivalence in your general life? Do you need absolutes and proof positives in other areas? If so, this tendency to avoid confronting ambivalence is controlling how you deal (or not deal) with less-than-absolute-proof positive certainties in matters of your health."
This is me to a t. I need absolutes and proof. I do VERY poorly with ambivalence and uncertainty in life, though certainly some areas worse than others. Obviously, it has become a major issue for me, since I do have some health nags that make certainty difficult.
I am also the type that, when there is a problem, I can't sit on it. If at all possible, it needs to be fixed now. But so few health problems can be fixed this instant.. so I get stuck wanting to fix it, while not even knowing how bad it is.
Yup, me to a T, too. I want to know WHY everything is happening, and how I can fix it, N O W!
Sue
You know Beach, you had a quote in another thread that resonates with me, and I think belongs here:
"Do you struggle with ambivalence in your general life? Do you need absolutes and proof positives in other areas? If so, this tendency to avoid confronting ambivalence is controlling how you deal (or not deal) with less-than-absolute-proof positive certainties in matters of your health."
This is me to a t. I need absolutes and proof. I do VERY poorly with ambivalence and uncertainty in life, though certainly some areas worse than others. Obviously, it has become a major issue for me, since I do have some health nags that make certainty difficult.
I am also the type that, when there is a problem, I can't sit on it. If at all possible, it needs to be fixed now. But so few health problems can be fixed this instant.. so I get stuck wanting to fix it, while not even knowing how bad it is.
That’s good insight, Shadowhawk. Sitting with the uncertainty, and the anxiety it creates--and surviving--is a good therapeutic lesson.
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